Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Ian Wickham wrote:

bandit wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:Then the TO morons will suffer as there will be plenty DIY available accommodation, at possibly a very cheap price.

It's not a given, as Hoteliers will likely close up if they have few bookings. It will be cheaper than paying the staff, heating the building etc.

It will be interesting to see what effect (if any) this has on self catering rental prices.

Then they deserve to bust

The Hoteliers that are proactive will be the ones that survive I reckon.

OldAndy wrote:

NellyPS wrote:Scaremongering?

The gist of my conversation definately wasn't scaremongering. I was chatting to someone I have booked 3 or 4 hols with over the last few years while their computer was doing stuff.
She had noticed that it was getting harder to give the exact holiday that a client wanted with the right flight, and the right hotel or apartment already. A situation she would expect nearer Xmas not end September.
This was it.
I found it of interest, thats all, and decided to share it on here.

I didn't mean you, it was a general comment following what Lota said about the TOs getting us to book early.

Anyway, at the end of the day, the accommodation will still be there no matter what, so its not like we'll not get a holiday.

Apart from the 4/5 star market segment, the European skiing holiday market has been in decline for a number of years. So it is plausible that the TOs have fewer holidays on offer. Here is an overview of the situation in Austria: http://www.statistik.at/web_de/statistiken/tourismus/beherbergung/ankuenfte_naechtigungen/020992.html If you would like more detailed information, such as: 70,002 people visited Wildschönau last season (2.2% less than in 2009/2010), and 33,594 of those were from the UK, then you can find detailed reports under 'Tourismus' here: http://www.tirol.gv.at/themen/zahlen-und-fakten/statistik/publikationen

The Hotelplan Group (Inghams parent) annual reports will give you some idea of how the market in the UK has faired in the last few years http://www.hotelplan.com/en/about-us/annual-reports.aspx

Ah, Swingbeep, I fear you need to get out more! If this is your hobby, well gordluvus!
The statistics do make for good reading, though. They emphasise the importance of Tirol in Austria. Remeberthe statistics are generated from the accomodation providor filling in the visitor form. And I do have first hand knowledge of custom and practise........