Consider Your Proposition

Before you buy or renovate a holiday home, you should take time to really consider who your guests will be, what they are looking for and how you can make your property more appealing to them. The Covid-19 Pandemic really bolstered the UK tourism industry, and many people discovered the joy of cottage holidays at home for the first time. As a result, there has never been a better time to get into holiday letting, as people continue to choose a holiday at home. Read below to find out a bit more about the current holiday home market and what’s selling right now and some emerging trends in the staycation world.

Location appeal

In 2021, the most-desired holiday destinations were Cornwall, the Lake District, North Wales and Dorset. However, whilst buying a property in these popular areas is a sure fire way to generate bookings, the market will be more competitive, and properties more expensive.

On the other hand, buying in a more unique area has the potential to tap into a much more niche market, and with the right property, features and marketing, it too is sure to generate bookings.

It pays to know what it is that attracts guests to your location. It could, for example, be a beach, local attractions, the landscape, travel links, seclusion, or perhaps even proximity to a different location.

Once you begin to understand why travellers choose to visit your location, you can consider who they may be (solo travellers, couples, families or groups) and what they would require of a property in that location.

Property appeal

Holidaymakers all have different needs and preferences. Many dog owners would rather travel with their pets than leave them behind, and some holidaymakers will search for properties with specific features, such as such as a hot tub or open fire.

Adapting your property to meet the needs of a wider audience, where feasible, will increase the chances of it being booked.

Booking rate boosters include:

Making your home dog-friendly
Wheelchair accessibility
Good WiFi and Smart TVs
Having a log burner or open fire
Sea or river views
Adding a hot tub or pool

Looking back: 2021 bookings

91%

were for cottages with WiFi

73%

were for cottages with a garden

33%

were for short stays

Looking forward: ECO-Stays

There is a growing rise in the demand for eco-stays, particularly when it comes to staycations, so if you’re an environmental advocate yourself, getting into the eco-stays industry could be a very exciting prospect.

61%

want to start travelling more sustainably, since realising the environmental damage travel can cause

This article was published on 09-Jun-22