With bank holidays coming up at the end of this month and August, and staycations proving more popular than ever, holiday let owners can grab the opportunity to boost their revenue, with our annual Holiday Letting Outlook Report revealing average earnings of up to £7,070 in spring and £7,060 in summer.
Recent booking data shows that short-break demand spikes around these periods, with last-minute getaways becoming increasingly common as travellers look to make the most of the long weekends.
For owners willing to be strategic with pricing, availability and changeovers, the next few months can represent a significant earner.
Tap into new booking patterns
Last-minute bookings are increasingly the norm for bank holidays, with people booking within a month of departure. At the same time, booking behaviour has changed, with strong early bookings and a surge closer to the date of stay.
To tap into this trend, consider being flexible with your property’s changeover days so that you can accept last-minute weekday bookings.
Consider which locations are set to be fruitful
Last year, North Wales and the Lake District were the most popular regions across the spring bank holidays, with Whitby, Windermere, and Ambleside topping the ranks for locations.
If you have a property based in one of these spots, or similar locations, you can be bolder with your availability and pricing, as these are destinations we see people actively booking holidays around year after year.
Conversely, you can want to focus on value and amenities to ensure your property stands out. From last-minute deals to installing luxury features – like a hot tub or wood burner – to your property, there are plenty of ways to capture people’s attention during peak periods.
Be flexible with your changeover days
The bank holiday period is short, and if your property has a standard changeover on Fridays, you might fit one 3-night break over a bank holiday.
But, if you can be flexible, you could fit two bookings over the same period – for example, a changeover on Friday and Sunday to accommodate multiple stays over a short window, which can directly translate into revenue.
