 Poster: A snowHead
|
I cocked up 
Nothing new in that
I thought that bookings would be down this year so I reduced the number of beds by 30%.
I was right for the 1st half of the year - bookings down, sad people on the news telling me the world was ending
(even though I may have to start shopping in ASDA instead of Sainbury's)
But
2nd Half of the year it seems that people had said sod it and booked their ski holidays anyway.
So I booked another hotel and flight seats (OK not 30% but getting up there 
No I am not plugging our ski holidays.
COZ
EVERY BED
IN ALL OUR HOTELS
IS FULLY BOOKED
Have taken 2012 off the website completeley and started to sell 2013.
Just goes to show that skiers tend to ignor the media types trying to tell us the world will end soon
Oh and it snowing hard in Wigan right now
____________________________________________________
Mind you – the real reason for the post.
I have noticed that ancillary sales are way down on previous years.
Now this doesn’t affect us in the slightest, as we only have one optional extra (ski school) everything else is included, but some TO’s, who rely on the in-resort sale of extras may find the business model is slightly out of phase with the current economic situations.
So my take on things is that the volume of people going skiing is about the same, but the amount they are spending on extras is down.
DIY'ers will be dancing a jig at the moment
I know one well known TO that sells their trips at (almost) 0% mark-up and depends upon in-resort sales of ski passes (commission), hire gear (commission), even activities (sale cost), etc, etc.
Watch this space as I think that, just maybe, this may not work this season
So, TO’s that sell airport transfers, lift passes, equipment, etc as “optional” extras may just find that people are shopping around and cutting out the TO. The result of this may be (for the TO) not too good.
Prime example – out of Verona it is now cheaper to hire a 12 seater minibus than to pay the cost (for 10 people) that some TO’s charge for transfers. Hire shops are cutting their own throats to get business and it is, in many cases, cheaper to pre-book on the web than to pay the TO charges. Etc, etc
PS, I never understood how an airport transfer could be called Optional,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Wayne, Snowing in Manchester to. Is it sticking in Wigan? In response to your question, i think that people will always go skiing, but the way they book will change. Personally, i have never booked a ski holiday more than 4 weeks in advance. Unless you have kids etc and can only go at set times then fair enough. But for everyone else i really dont know why people book months, if not a year in advance. I will be going skiing this Winter, where, when, how, with who, i dont know - but i will be going. Glad that your full for the remainder of the season. Hope you have a successful one!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
This is all fairly predictable. People want to get away on holiday and have fun. In hard times/when everyone is telling them they should be miserable, they want it even more. In fact they feel they deserve it. So they do it despite everything, but because they think they need to economise they cut down on anything they see as 'extra' or a treat. So I would expect bars, ski schools, restaurants, and purveyors of 'upgrades' (of whatever sort) and apres ski activities to see a fall in business as people ditch the frills. At the same time, I think supermarkets (cheaper booze/packed lunches), pizza takeaways, burger joints and anyone offering cheap deals (two for one, kids half price etc etc) will do well.
I would be doing deals in my mountain restaurant (eg free chips for kids if you buy them a drink, cut the prices on plat du jour, afternoon happy hours); pushing apres ski happy hour and food/drinks promotions in my bar; offering all-inclusive in my chalets (inc packed lunch and unlimited plonk, shuffle the food budget to cover the cost).
I agree, give your holidays away and rely on your reps to upsell is a risky strategy this season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
yup, we've said sod it and booked  Nice to hear your good news Wayne.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I agree that it's the "extras" that are down........ I also hear there's been a shift from catered to self catered, i guess that's because people see carered as a luxury?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
marcellus, people running catered chalets need to address that in their marketing - I'm not convinced s/c necessarily works out much cheaper, so guests aren't actually making the saving they're looking for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lizzard, Agreed. As a punter, I've always considered that catered is cheaper in the long run. I don't trust myself not to say 'oh sod it, I'm tired, I'll eat out tonight' and that's the budget blown.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Part of the reason for late booking might be the better visibility of online booking of things people traditionally book blindly with TO. Now that they realise they can book elsewhere and there're plenty of availability, it's easy to procrastinate! That trend is likely to continue regardless of economy.
The other reason might have to do with the economy. When people are insecure, they will delay committing to expenditures as late as they can. (and those who suddenly found themselves without a job are less likely be traveling)
Then, there're those of us who wants to take advantage of the turmoil by waiting... I haven't booked anything for the coming season yet. Whilst in past years I would have committed to take advantage of the early season deals. This year, I'm convinced there will be plenty of last minute deals. With TO's under-ordering, hoteliers will have more rooms they have to deal with themselves. The supplies are fixed, but the demand will be lower. Only difference might be which channel that excess ends up: TO, online booking cite, hotel direct.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
S/C might save you money if you have a car and shop in Moutiers, but not if you don't have a car and have to do it in Tignes.
No sign of a price war, however, on the ski hire in St Anton.
Glad you've sold your holidays, Wayne.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Co0mpletely agree that SC doesn't work out cheaper in reality for all the reasons stated (ie can't be bothered to cook, paying resort food prices etc etc) but I think the initial price is attractive so seems that they're economising by paying for a "Cheap Holiday" and then putting restuarants bills, food costs etc etc down as "beer money"!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
marcellus, agreed. Which is why catered chalet ops need to find ways of making that clear to the punter before he gets seduced by the headline price and nabs that six to a shoebox 'cheap' deal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
pam w, hence I would be doing all inclusive deals with packed lunch and unlimited nasty red wine. Everything budgeted in advance, extra spending discretionary - I think this sort of approach is likely to prove increasingly popular as people look closely at what they spend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Quote: |
hence I would be doing all inclusive deals with packed lunch and unlimited nasty red wine
|
I can do packed lunches and moderately drinkeable red wine myself though, with no mark up. And fruit bread in the bread machine, ready for after skiing (or, this afternoon, for eating far too much of without having set a foot outside since digging out the terrace at 10 am). But I see what you mean.
I expect the pattern will change. From what I've seen here, many French families have always tended to have fairly economical ski holidays, with granny aboard to help with cooking and child care (probably why people scratch around in French resorts to find a garderie). The family holiday "hostel" style places seem popular too, and help solve the problem of the self-catering nuclear family, which can be a bit lonely; nobody for the kids to play with etc. Some SHs have reported enthusiastically about Club Med holidays - which are a more upmarket version of the same thing, i suppose.
I wonder whether resorts might look at the demand elasticities of ski passes? It's surprising, when you think about it, that it costs the same for a week in mid January as for a high season week (though there may already be variations in some resorts). Accommodation prices already take account of the elasticities and it seems logical to do the same for passes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
pam w, you're more organised than average though. You also have your own apartment with mod cons like breadmaker, and you're not trying to do all that while rammed into a hamster cage sold for six and designed for four. Self catering in your own place is a different kettle of fisk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
SC is certainly cheaper for families who organise things well for themselves, and I think restaurants in this neck of the wood are struggling a bit. But the Tourist Office in Les Saisies have said that bookings are holding up well this year - just a very little bit higher than last year (despite the possible wobbles about early lack of snow).
