Dec 2011
We hope you have enjoyed another busy season.
100% Member renewal in 2011.
September was a time for us to ask members if they wanted to stay with Magical Monmouthshire. We are pleased to report a 100% renewal rate with all owners delighted with their return on investment. It seems many have experienced advertising in the tourism sector that really hasn’t delivered, so we are delighted to be proving our worth yet again. A huge thank you for your ongoing commitment.
Tripadvisor progress
We know from talking to guests that this site continues to have even more influence, especially for the B&B sector. Congratulations to Emma (www.castlefarmusk.com) on a set of superb reviews making her accommodation so busy she has needed to pause on the B&B front for a while. We have found it is important to keep reviews flowing to maximise your exposure. We are often asked, how do we encourage guests to do this?
To help we have added a page http://www.clearvewe.co.uk/how-was-your-stay/ to our own website and when a guest returns home we send them a link to this page via email. This makes it much easier for a guest to submit a review. Please get in touch with andyp@clearvewe.com if you would like the same facility added to your own website.
New accommodation
Pembrokeshire Cottages
We are delighted to extend our services to other parts of Wales with a selection of the best cottages we have ever seen in Pembrokeshire at Treicert Farm, owned and run by Andrew and Anona Thomas. They can be seen on the new Passion for Pembrokeshire site, already hitting the top five google rankings in searches for holiday cottages newport pembrokeshire. The Magical Monmouthshire team was also asked to commission http://www.treicert.com/ in May2011, along with google listings and google marketing assistance.
Aims :
- work with owner, host and produce website to help market the accommodation.
- ensure guests are able to easily appreciate the options, quality of the accommodation.
- enable guests to check availability and reserve online.
- provide simple booking admin system for owners.
The sites went live in May. After a worryingly slow start to the season we are pleased to report full occupancy throughout June to Oct, first ever bookings in Nov, early Dec, plus an astonishing 22wks booked ahead in 2012. The owners also have the accommodation listed on the http://www.sykescottages.co.uk/ agency. Bookings are around 50% via the agency (commison fees to be paid ) and 50% via own website. Andrew and Anona also report that potential guests are influenced by the higher quality photo presentation on their own website. Further useful feedback from Andrew and Anona is that Sykes appear to be negotiable on commission rates as they don’t have too many properties in Wales. A combination of this agency alongside own website and reservation system seems to be creating confidence in guests to book, generating high levels of occupancy, halving agency fees etc.
Llanwilcae Farm nr Usk
In addition we are delighted to welcome Llanwilcae Farm, nr Usk. Owned and run on a B&B basis by Diana Senior, this stunning accommodation offers a separate, converted barn with amazing space, contemporary artwork and open vaulted living area. See listing on the Magical Monmouthshire site and owners website linked to the same check availability and reserve online system. With a new luxury en-suite bathroom fitted in Nov 2011, Diana already has some bookings in the run up to Christmas and we are very confident Diana will have a busy first season in 2012. Indeed we want to stay aswell!
MAR 2011
We hope you are feeling a spring in your step now that we have reached the month of March. We know that owners have already had their busiest Feb and bookings are going very well. Congratulations to Castle Farm Usk, now in the top 5 for Monmouthshire on Tripadvisor, reviews here. Fantastic to see such well deserved reviews.
New options for self catering
We are pleased to welcome a very pretty and beautifully, refurbished cottage over in the Brecon Beacons, Oriel Garn see link here . We have also been asked to help produce http://www.orielgarn.com/ which links neatly to the check availability calendar / reserve online system. Craigo Barn’s website at www.craigobarn.com has also been refreshed and newly optimised for searches. If you feel your own website would benefit from a refresh as well as simple, effective links for guests to check availability and reserve online, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Google performance
It is essential to have effective google listings with links to a highly ranked site. Here are the results for the last 30 days for accommodation on Magical Monmouthshire with established Google Places listings. There are two important numbers, the first is the number of times the listing has appeared in search results, the second is the number of actions ( ie click to the landing page/website).
- Monmouthshire Cottage 552-36
- Craigo Barn 455-12
- Clearvewe 360-38
- Castle Farm Usk 260-6
- Lower Penyclawdd 113-12.
We are pretty satisfied with these for this time of year, it is no wonder bookings are going so well. If you don’t have your own Google places listing, or would like to improve results of the one you already have, there are some simple things that can make all the difference. Meanwhile, a huge thank you to current members for their continued partnership and we look forward to a very busy season in 2011. If you are not yet enjoying the benefits of being a member of Magical Monmouthshire and would like to do so, please do not hesitate to contact me via mobile 07733264984 or email andyp@clearvewe.com .
JAN 2011
We hope you have had a lovely Christmas and New Year. Great to see the sun come out, enquiries grow and clients already enjoying the success they deserve.
Congratulations to Monmouthshire Cottage, already nearly fully booked for the 2011 season. What is left (and there isn’t much) is shown here http://www.clearvewe.com/monmouthshire/thecottage/?p=3 .
Are you already nearly fully booked?
If the answer is no, then there are some key questions:
How can potential guests find you easily? Is your accommodation lost in a crowd?
Is the presentation as attractive as it possibly can be?
How easy is it, for potential guests to understand what it will actually be like, staying at your accommodation?
How easy is it, for potential guests to establish availability, plan their holiday, then conveniently make a reservation?
If you have a delightful cottage, B&B accommodation and want answers, get in touch.
OCT 2010
We hope you are enjoying what has been the most successful season ever.
140% -160% increase.
Certainly the Ryder Cup was a real boost, however, we are delighted to report that occupancy has been averaging around 150% on a month by month basis for B&B providers on Magical Monmouthshire. It is also clear to see from the online calendars that established self-catering units (packed over summer ) are still busy throughout october and even have good level of bookings for November and into 2011.
100% Member renewal in 2010.
September was a time for us to ask members if they wanted to stay with Magical Monmouthshire. We are pleased to report a 100% renewal rate with all owners delighted with their return on investment. It seems many have experienced advertising in the tourism sector that really hasn’t delivered, so we are delighted to be proving our worth over time. A huge thank you for your ongoing commitment.
Tripadvisor progress
We know from talking to guests that this site has a great deal of influence, indeed now much more than the WTB grading scheme. Excellent progress has been made with both Clearvewe (No 2/78) and Castle Farm Usk (No 9/78) in the Monmouthshire Top 10. see http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g186462-c2-Monmouthshire_Southern_Wales_Wales-Hotels.html
Our House on the Hill, has only just been registered on Tripadvisor. No doubt we will see this accommodation climb the rankings just as quickly. Monmouthshire Cottage have added themselves as a Vacation Rental ( tripadvisor speak for self-catering). Despite 2010 being Helen’s first full season, Monmouthshire cottage has leapt to the NO1 position, with fantastic reviews you can see here http://www.tripadvisor.com/VacationRentals-g186462-Reviews-Monmouthshire_Southern_Wales_Wales-Vacation_Rentals.html
New accommodation
Emma and Rupert at Castle Farm have added the most glorious country chique living space to their accommodation options, available B&B or self catering click here to have a look http://www.clearvewe.com/monmouthshire/?p=541
Adding real value and convenience for guests
In a crowded market it is always good to be different. After a bit of research we discovered help to organise taxis was something guests needed, so we have teamed up with local taxi company, Goytre Minibus Services Ltd. Guests or owners can now advance book taxi services for transfers, lifts to/ from restaurants, weddings throughout Monmouthshire. They are “big enough to cope, small enoughto care” and are very competitive. The advance booking service proved invaluable during the Ryder Cup period. Go to the www.easybooknow.co.uk website and simply enter your journey details. Guests will receive a call back from the taxi company direct to confirm the cost and booking.
