Accommodation Providers
This page is a guide for all accommodation providers registered with Padstow TIC.
Availability, Customer Requirements, Special Offers, Photographs, Opening times, Keywords, Reports, Bookings, Online Bookings, Eviivo Frontdesk Providers, Tips
Availability
It is imperitive that you let us know both your availability and prices for your accommodation using the extranet http://extranet.swt.nmspace.net/. If you don't you won't appear on all the searches. If you're not sure how to input your availability please contact Sian.
If your availability and prices “won’t stick” make sure you’ve added your opening dates and prices (see “opening” below).
The TIC is receiving bookings as far in advance as Christmas and New Year. Make sure you have your availability in for the whole year.
N.B. Self catering owners. The computer adds up the price from every box to give the weekly price. Either put in the price once on changeover day or put in a "daily price". Check you entry to see the price views correctly.
Advice:
Set your availability to empty (put a “1” in the unit box) for the whole year then block out the bookings as they come in. You can use the paste function (...) to paste into the entire year in a couple of clicks.
The updating guides are available on the general information page of the members section of www.padstowlive.com
Did you know that when you update you go to the top of the list for searches? The properties are listed by most recently updated. If you want to stay at the top of the list update regularly even if all you do is set something to full and back to empty again.
What do TIC customers want?
The majority of accommodation enquiries at the desk are for a single night accommodation, double room, close to the harbour, en suite, with parking for no more than £70 per night. We know this property physically doesn't exist!!! The skill of the staff in the TIC is to encourage the customer to compromise on one or more of these requirements in order to make the booking. Cheaper properties with parking tend to book quicker, not many enquiries are for the luxury end of the market - sorry!
A lot more customers are asking for short breaks (3-4 nights) in self catering even during high season.
If you don't feel you are getting enough bookings talk to Linda in the TIC and she will advise you on how to pick up more last minute bookings. Don't leave it until the end of the season!!
In June 2011 the TIC conducted 80 bookings totalling £100,22.00 and 255 bednights. The average length of stay is 3 bednights (1.5 nights in a double or twin room) and the average booking cost is £125 or £39 per person per night.
Bude TIC have recorded the following statistics from their online booking which make a useful comparison.
Length of stay:
48% of Serviced bookings were for a 1 night stay (27% 2 nights / 9% 3nights / 8% 4 nights)
70% of Self Catering bookings were for a stay of 7 days. 24% were short breaks
Booking notice:
21% of Serviced bookings were for a stay within 4 days
8% of Self Catering bookings were for a stay within 7 days
Booking value:
Average Self Catering booking for a stay of 1 week is £480
Average Serviced booking for a stay of 1 -3 nights is £114.
Special Offers
You can advertise last minute availability and special offers on our website.
You can find the special offers tab in the “edit product” section when you log in to update. In the “package” box select which category you would like your offer to appear under. Type your offer into the text box beside it and press apply. This will appear on the special offers page on www.padstowlive.com and also at the bottom of your listing. Don’t forget to delete the offer when it is no longer applicable using the red cross beside it. If you just delete the text it will leave an empty box on the website.
Photographs
Good quality photographs make your property look more attractive to visitors browsing www.padstowlive.com. You can have up to 6 photos per listing. If you want to change or add your photos email them to Sian (remember to mention which property you are from!)
Opening
Make sure that you have put the dates that you are open each year in the “opening” tab. You can also amend your price ranges here. You may not be able to put in your availability if this isn’t done.
Keywords
We use the key words to make it easier for guests searching. These are different from the keywords you use in search engine optimisation.
Each listing will have “PAD” indicating that you are a Padstow TIC member, “VC” if you are a Visit Cornwall member, your property name, location and your surname. Sian has created different pages for each location. Please don’t add Padstow or Wadebridge unless you are in these areas. Please use Trevone, St Merryn, Chapel Amble etc so that you appear on the right page.
On www.padstowlive.com I’ve added some pages with searches to make it easier for guests to find your properties. If you have any other page suggestions please let me know.
Add the following keywords if they apply:
Child friendly, dog friendly, single room (serviced accommodation only), family room (serviced accommodation only), triple room (serviced accommodation only).
Accessible - if you have a grading under the National Accessibility scheme e.g. mobility 1 etc.
Ground floor (serviced only) if you have either a ground floor room or a lift but aren't necessarily graded as accessible.
Those self catering providers that have indicated that they are willing to accept bookings from the TIC have "SCB" as a keyword.
Reports
Did you know you can see how many hits you’ve had from Visit Cornwall, www.padstowlive.com and from the TIC?
Select “reports” when you are updating your availability. Under “provider statistics” you can select the date range you wish to view and the marketing channel. The main 3 marketing channels are:
Visit Cornwall (VC main web), EMS (the Enquiry Management System which is used by all TICs), Padstow website (www.padstowlive.com). You can select them all by holding down the CTRL key. (N.B. It can be a little slow retrieving the information).
Extranet edit is the function that you use to update your own availability, it will only tell you how many times you’ve updated.
Visitsouthwest.co.uk is obsolete and will soon be removed.
Padstow members is a group used to find you all!
N.B. The system went live on 1 May 2009, you cannot search before this date.
Bookings
The TIC can make bookings for both serviced and self catering accommodation. In all cases it charges a booking commission of 10% of the first night. It is your choice if you wish to accept the booking.
The TIC will take bookings in advance as well as short notice bookings. You need to make sure your availability is up to date if you wish to take advantage of this service.
Online Booking
Visitors can book your property online via www.padstowlive.com for which you will be charged a 10% commission of the whole stay.
Online Booking is available to you in 2 ways. Either sign up for Eviivo Frontdesk (contact us for more details) or via the extranet (coming soon). More info from our online booking page.
N.B. Online booking didn’t go live on www.padstowlive.com until November 2009 and as far as we are aware is still not available on Visit Cornwall.
Eviivo Frontdesk Providers
If you currently run Frontdesk, your availability is taken from Frontdesk but all other details are provided from the Destination Management System (DMS) that Sian maintains. You do not have access to the extranet so please contact me if you wish to amend your entry or view your reports.
Tips
Please check your listing on www.padstowlive.com regularly and email Sian if you want to change something that you cannot change in the extranet or if something is not working.
Grading
We require that all accommodation registered with us is inspected under a recognised inspection scheme. There are now 3 recognised schemes:
Quality in Tourism and the AA will give you a star grading.
Visit Cornwall have introduced a scheme called the Visit Cornwall Approved Inspection Scheme (VCAIS). You will receive a day inspection to check that you meet the minmum standards required for an accommodation i.e. that you are green, clean, legal. If you have this inspection you may still be a member of PATBF but as you will not receive a grading, we cannot book your accommodation for you either in the TIC or online. As such you will not have an availability calendar on your listing and we do not require you to tell us of your availability.
