Booming summer for holiday homes

THE Westcountry holiday cottage industry is reporting a bumper year with rocketing bookings and visitors already looking ahead to 2010.

Aspects Holidays, which has more than 200 holiday homes, cottages and apartments in St Ives and West Cornwall, said it was looking at one of the busiest summers in its 20-year history.

Damian Sargent, business development manager, said bookings were continuing to flood in as high temperatures and poor exchange rates fuelled demand.

"Overseas visitor numbers have increased by 20 per cent, particularly from Germany and the US, and despite fears over the recession, 2009 just keeps getting stronger and stronger," said Mr Sargent.

"In terms of booking levels, it's developing into what looks likely to be a bumper year." He said the evidence was that people were leaving booking until later in the year and more were booking larger properties for big family groups.

"All of these factors, combined with the fact the weather has been excellent, and looks likely to remain so for the rest of the summer, are contributing to what is turning into a very good year for the Cornish holiday home market."

Torquay-based Blue Chip, which provides luxury Westcountry breaks, said that "stay-cationing" was drawing affluent holidaymakers to Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. "In the past 30 days alone, we have seen bookings rise by an impressive 109 per cent across our Cornish, Devon and Somerset properties," said Blue Chip managing director Alan Taylor.

"Businesses that are able to provide high-quality experiences at competitive prices are going to be the winners as the overseas alternative looks increasingly expensive."

It also found it had more foreign bookings, with 40 per cent of its guests from Germany, followed by Ireland, Canada and the US.

At Devon-based Farm and Cottage Holidays, which has more than 1,300 properties, bookings were also up. Andrea Conneely said it was turning into a very busy season.

"We are adding properties all the time, so it's difficult to say, but I would think that we are up at least 10 per cent. We also have an increase in demand for brochures of between 20 per cent and 25 per cent.

"The past two summers have been hard for tourism, but the combination of the exchange rate and the good weather, so far, is really helping business."

Last month, a nationwide survey carried out by Travelodge found Cornwall was the number one destination for holidaymakers in the UK in 2009. After two appalling summers, businesses and hoteliers had been hoping that British holidaymakers would head to the South West this year.

However, tourism chiefs have warned people not to be over-optimistic.

Malcolm Bell, director of South West Tourism, told the Western Morning News that for a "bumper year" to happen, 25 per cent of people who normally went abroad would have to come to the South West instead.