The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: henchard on May 15, 2013, 08:45:26 pm

Title: B&B Advertising on Booking Sites - Any Experiences
Post by: henchard on May 15, 2013, 08:45:26 pm
Not sure if this is the right forum but if not could mods move please?

I have a friend with a B&B business in Ireland who is struggling at present with the economic downturn. She is considering advertising or putting one of her properties on booking websites like

http://www.bookdirectrooms.com (http://www.bookdirectrooms.com)

http://www.bedandbreakfastnationwide.com (http://www.bedandbreakfastnationwide.com)


Does anyone here with a B&B business use such sites? If so could you possible give your opinion as to which sites are best (bearing in mind she is in Eire) and how successful have they been for you?

Thanks
Title: Re: B&B Advertising on Booking Sites - Any Experiences
Post by: tizaala on May 16, 2013, 05:47:00 am
She needs her own website, and if she advertises in fishing magazines and links her site to angling websites she will get all year trade . Eira is a popular angling venue with no water shortage. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: B&B Advertising on Booking Sites - Any Experiences
Post by: henchard on May 16, 2013, 09:18:31 am
Quote from: tizaala on May 16, 2013, 05:47:00 am
She needs her own website, and if she advertises in fishing magazines and links her site to angling websites she will get all year trade . Eira is a popular angling venue with no water shortage. :thumbsup:

She has her own website; very high in Google and many 5* reviews on Tripadvisor also. Angling is a big part of her business as she also has a fishing lake. But trade is down due to the economic reality and many British are not travelling to Ireland so much because of the relative weakness of the pound to the Euro.

Title: Re: B&B Advertising on Booking Sites - Any Experiences
Post by: happygolucky on May 16, 2013, 09:26:36 am
We are coming out of B&B when we sell, :innocent: although we have only had good experience, we are fed up doing it now, we have turned down a  hell of a lot of trade this  year so far, mostly for people wanting one nights stay etc and we find the income it generates not worth the effort, so we now only take people for long term room only, we do not advertise in the normal manner, we did but we find Google is the best way now as people have phones and internet access while travelling so look for the nearest B&B etc.
Can you sell packages as a holiday gift?  I did think of that myself but like I say, not in any sort of mood to do any form of B&B any more :(     Funny thing is, apart from the odd day, and weekend, we have never been empty!!!