Bed bank enjoys Greece bookings bonanza
Bed bank Youhotels.com is considering a further review of its programme following flat sales in Spain and the rest of the Western Mediterranean.
Head of UK trade sales Hannah Wheeler said in contrast the company was enjoying its strongest sales ever in Greece.
"We’re certainly not seeing any downturn or even uncertainty with regards to bookings to Greece, if anything, we’re seeing our strongest year to date," she said.
"We have a number of exclusive 5 star properties offering AI from just £19pppn and as the season in the Eastern Med gets underway, we’re expecting this early growth to continue."
Wheeler said the bed bank had seen its biggest growth in Greece and Egypt where it had managed to source exclusive and high quality products, such as the five-star Nautica Blue in Rhodes. Bookings are up 18% and 36% respectively.
However, in Spain it is competing with agents who are able to book direct with hotels via direct xml links and contracts from resort properties and with agents.
"All of these factors make destinations such as Spain, rife with competition and results in low margins for hotels in which we do not hold exclusivity," said Wheeler. "Given these circumstances and on-going challenges in the Western Med, we’re currently considering a further review of our programme in these areas.
"We’re considering taking a close look over all properties in this region where we do not hold exclusively and reviewing if they are worth maintaining in our portfolio, from a product and margin perspective and also based on customer feedback to date."
Youhotels has been focusing more heavily on four and five-star properties following a review of its product late last year, in which it stripped out many cheaper properties and added more exclusive, high-end hotels.
It said four-star hotels had since become its most popular offering with five-star properties in second place. Three-star hotels have fallen from second to third place.
Its latest booking figures also show a growth in all-inclusives, which now account for 60% of the company’s UK sales, an increase from 37% in 2011.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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