Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone struggling through extreme weather and devastating consequences, especially those in Victoria, where so many lives and properties have been lost due to the catastrophic firestorms; and those in far north NSW and Queensland, where floods and rain are wreaking havoc. Please contact us on support@takeabreak.com.au if you need to suspend your property at this time of immense national sadness and loss.

Most of you probably have your Easter bookings sorted. Don't forget those people who love to book a break at the last minute - make sure your calendar shows your availability so you can benefit from bookings from those who haven't yet realised how close Easter really is. If you are not already fully booked for Easter, think about some creative Easter specials/packages, and add them to your listing.

Your TakeABreak® Marketing Team
 

We survey users of TakeABreak every month and we always get valuable feedback that can help us - and you - to improve the service we offer.  Below are a selection of recent quotes from customers.

Child policy
"Child policy to be specified - are children really welcomed, or just tolerated? What facilities does a property have to make it easier for families staying with children? I want to know about nearby facilities and services, such as food outlets and activities."

Pictures
"It would be great if more pictures were included so we really knew what to expect when we arrive. This is especially important if a property has more than one cottage, so you can see exactly what you will be getting. Also I would prefer to see photos of the bedrooms and the bathrooms, rather than sunsets or scenery."

List of inclusions
"A full list of inclusions such as linen, dryer, dishwasher, air-conditioning/heating and so on would make for easy comparison. Also list if the shower is over a bath or separate. I travel with my elderly parents and a shower over a bath is no good, as they are unable to step over the bath and there is the fear of falling and slipping."

Availability
"I know this isn't under your control, but I wish people would update their availability more often. This isn't the first time we have enquired about a property that is supposed to be available but turned out it wasn't."

Heartbreaking natural disasters
We'd like to express our condolences to those affected by the fires and floods. Those of you who are unaffected might consider joining TakeABreak in making a contribution through the Red Cross.

We know that some properties have been destroyed. Others are without power and utilities. Other operators are busy helping in their communities. If there's anything we can do to assist you please call us on (02) 6100 7709

One thing operators in the affected regions will be worrying about is the longer term impact on tourism. Once things calm down we will be working hard to convince people to once again holiday in your destinations. Following the (admittedly much smaller) fires at Halls Gap in 2006 we found enquiries dipped for about a month but then quickly returned to close to pre-fire levels.

NEW!! Business Breaks website
The huge archive of useful information we've published in Business Breaks newsletter is now available in an online, easy-to-use resource. From your feedback we have developed this new website just for you.  Featuring a search function, you can find all you need to know, including articles on small business, tourism marketing ideas, dealing with customers, getting the most from your TakeABreak listing and more. There is also an easily accessible Frequently Asked Questions section, Tips & Tricks on how to do just about anything, step-by-step instructions on how to manage your listing and even archives of Business Breaks and Holiday Inspirations for you to read anytime you like.  Have a look now and let us know what you think.

Online booking continues to grow
Recent reports tell us that almost 80% of Australians use the internet to book holidays, airline tickets and accommodation, a higher proportion than the US and an increase of 54% over the past three years. This shows that the increasing professionalism of major online travel booking sites is paying dividends and is further reason to ensure that your listing looks it best, properly reflects your property, your availability is up-to-date and that your rates are clear and current.

One million nights requested!
That's right - one million! This backs up the information about online bookings in the paragraph above, and to emphasise the trend, our bookings for January 2009 increased 13% on the same time last year. Rooms nights have remained stable, with the average stay over the last 12 months being 4.4 nights.

Request a deposit straight away
Our research shows that guests want to get to confirming a booking as quickly as possible. This is backed up by our statistics which show that on average the guest is 60% more likely to book when the initial response is a deposit request compared to an available response. So where possible send a 'request deposit' response rather than 'available'... you'll be pleased with the results!

Simplify your rates
With so much talk about the economy, its only natural that guests are more focussed on value. Most of the properties listed with TakeABreak already represent great value, however this may not always be clear to the guests. Many properties list extra fees such as cleaning fees, linen, extra per person, etc. Potential guests are then not sure exactly what your final price is and so they aren't confident about the value your property represents. Add these fees into your rates and guests will find your rates clearer and you will get more bookings.