Hoseasons parent Wyndham Vacation Rentals reported it saw another strong performance in last year’s lates market as the popularity of domestic holidays continued to grow.
The operator said 2013 saw its third consecutive year of growth in the late booking period as Brits took advantage of the hot UK summer to grab a late break.
The proportion of business booked in the four weeks ahead of the July and August peak travel period is now 20% for Hoseasons, the firm confirmed.
Geoff Cowley, managing director of Wyndham Vacation Rentals, said he was particularly pleased with the performance of Hoseasons’ ‘differentiated product’.
Its Lodge programme was 9% up, its luxury Autograph business up 12%, family-focused Go Active brand up 18% and upmarket family portfolio Evermore was 27% up.
“The product development pipeline for Hoseasons has been a great success. It’s a great part of Hoseasons’ business and has increased awareness of the brand.
“It is very much a one-stop-shop for late bookings. With the sun coming late on in 2013 that helped Hoseasons’ business last year.
“2013 was a strange year. People forget it was cold around Easter and this was followed by glorious weather for most of the summer.
“This meant that consumers delayed booking a UK holiday, so last-minute bookings once again played a key role in our overall performance – particularly in the lodge and park segment.”
Cowley said the company would continue to work on new product developments after the introduction of its lodges was seen to bring more customers into the market.
He said customers in the lates market were not necessarily just those hunting for a discount but that the firm was helping owners to optimise their pricing strategies.
He added that while the hot weather last year clearly had a positive impact on many UK visitor attractions, it did not necessarily explain the continued interest in domestic holidays.
“I’m a firm believer that it’s a small proportion of people who are affected by the weather. Most domestic holidaymakers know what the weather is going to be like.
“It may pull a few people in, but the UK weather is a known entity and there are lots of reasons why people choose a destination.”
Wyndham has also enhanced its cottages offering, having bought Cumbrian Cottages and Salcombe Holiday Homes last year.
Cowley said this meant the firm was able to have more people on the ground in destinations to offer an enhanced service to both customers and property owners.
“We can provide additional property services and that allows us to more properties from different kinds of owners,” he said.
“We want to grow that and being in more owners in more regions and key locations.” Cowley added the firm was always in the market for more acquisitions in this area.
Wyndham said its overseas brands Canvas Holidays and James Villa Holidays also performed well in 2013 and that it was developing new channels and expanding ranges for 2014.”
The Wyndham Vacation Rentals UK brands include Hoseasons, Cottages4you, James Villa Holidays, Canvas and English Country Cottages.