m
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Puzzling pattern of winter bookings

 My property is small, just four rooms on a Greek island.  Our business is all summer holidays, with the season being approximately April - mid October.  In ten years, we have had no winter bookings - although there is sunshine, it is not very warm!!

This winter has been very puzzling.  The figures are as follows -

Three bookings for November -all cancelled, guests from

Denmark - 4 nights

Egypt - 15 nights

Algeria - 8 nights

 

December - 14 reservations - 9 cancelled, 5 no shows

Guests from

Russia - 2 (8 and 15 nights)

Turkey - 2 (9, 4)

Algeria - 1 (11)

Czech Republic - 1 (14)

USA - 1 (1)

China - 6 (3,4,1,1,4,3)

France - 1 (1)

January has had 11 bookings so far, with 4 cancelled -

Saudi Arabia - 1

Germany - 1

China - 2

Still showing as OK, the 7 are

Algeria - 2 (11,6)

China - 5 (2,4,5,4,7)

February has 4 bookings to date, with 3 cancelled -

UK - 2 (7,7)

China - 1 (4)

Still showing as OK -

China - 1 (3)

I would be very interested to know if anyone else is experiencing such a complete change in booking patterns over the winter season, or has any idea what may be behind it.  And, of course, how to deal with it!!

Thank you.

 


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M Adamopoulou 5 years ago

Hello Margaret nice to have a Greek partner in the forum and especially from a Greek island.
My property is in Oropos and is only available in the summer. I had some cancellations in the summer but very few. Maybe you should change your cancellation policy and have it more strict especially in the winter. I think it's better to have less reservations than to have cancellations.
Hope you find the right solution. Wish you a Prosperous New Year...