New Site Booking System
Comments
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Actually i did take your advice ,and re read both articles , one in the magazine and the other on clubs web site ,
You post
You have continually said that the 25% of bookings which are cancelled are speculative. They are not. 25% of bookings were often cancelled. That is not the same as saying they were all speculative. Nobody knows how many were speculative.
Never posted ALL ,but 25% is a huge figure
Also your comment
They are not. 25% of bookings were often cancelled.
The club says the article you told me to read, this has become a growing problem
Maybe you should take your own advice0 -
Give it a rest. You used to be an effective debater.
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The Clubs comments
As you can imagine, a lot of members all cancelling a few times a year soon adds up! After reviewing the market, speaking to members and looking at other campsite providers the best solution to reduce speculative bookings is to introduce a deposit system. This will reduce the number of speculative bookings and create more availability for members.
Read ,The club specifically states speculative bookings.Please read
In a normal year, we often see over 25% of all bookings being cancelled (that’s over 950,000 cancelled nights...every year!)
Of those cancelled nights, over 25% are made within four days of arrival, so it’s very difficult for other members to take advantage of the newly vacant pitches.
And it’s not just a small minority of ‘block bookers’ who are cancelling, almost half of all members who make a booking each year make at least one amendment or cancellation too. As you can imagine, a lot of members all cancelling a few times a year soon adds up! After reviewing the market, speaking to members and looking at other campsite providers the best solution to reduce speculative bookings is to introduce a deposit system. This will reduce the number of speculative bookings and create more availability for members.
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As ‘appy-ippy’👍🏻
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Cheers, Rocky. I was close to saying that👍🏻
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I wonder if the Club could tell us how many of the the cancelled 25% of bookings were later taken up by those like us who book either a couple of days in advance, actually while on the road travelling, or extending a stay if a late cancellation happens? We have done this dozens of times, and that us, just one couple. So be interesting how many others do the same. All three stays at YRP we have extended our stays, last year we got the only pitch going on a Friday night at Marazion. That will make inroads into the 25% of cancelled pitches, but by how much we are unlikely ever to find out.
Figures and statistics can be made to fit almost any point of view if change is in the offing. I know because it was part of my job for 25 years. I am not opposed to the Club bringing in deposits, or only giving folks more than three weeks to cancel. Couldn’t care less to be honest as it will affect our touring style and choice of Site not at all. If the Club gets easy income in via this, then I suppose the Club is joining the many other businesses who operate the same, as has been said before, it’s a business that needs to survive. It is going to affect some negatively, maybe others positively. Only time will tell.
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And it’s not just a small minority of ‘block bookers’ who are cancelling, almost half of all members who make a booking each year make at least one amendment or cancellation too
It just goes show that almost half of all members are using the system as it's designed to be used, the club would be well and truly broke without them and not in the financial secure postion it's in now.
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TDA, I doubt whether the club could fill over 200,000 late cancellations at short notice, I'm sure some get taken but this seems an excessive amount to fill. Even if all sites were open 365 days that would require around 548 per day bookings maybe more to make up the shortfall.
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The weather is going to provide interesting feedback in terms of payback parameters for deposits. Forecasts some 5 days in advance are usually 90 odd% accurate. This drops to below 50% ten days in advance, so having to make a decision to honour a booking three weeks in advance, or lose the deposit, isn’t going to be very accurate weather wise. High winds and storms are an ever present concern for most folks that either drag a big box, or drive a high sided box, so I for one do wonder what the Club’s stance will be on this. Go and risk an accident, or don’t go and forfeit deposit loss? Clarity required I think.
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I understand that all existing bookings will be put onto HS pitches before the new system goes live. Then people can opt to change their bookings to grass if they want.
I think this is somewhere in the Q & A on the web site, and it was also discussed up thread (a long way up!!)
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It’s been explained that all old style bookings will be transferred to the new system before it goes live. As far as possible old bookings will be allocated HS pitches within their choice of awning/non-awning/serviced pitch choices. Therefore, new bookers will only have the choice of what’s left.
Edit: sorry, hja, it’s the time lag.
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I don’t disagree Brue, I don’t think they could fill that many either. But it would make inroads into the potential losses, and that’s why quoting the 25% figures to stand alone is actually flawed. 25% of 25% get cancelled, but how many get rebooked/reused is what I am wondering?
One of the reasons I ask is because the Club has never used the tool of discounting close to date of sell pricing. It’s a policy used by many many holiday providers to entice folks into taking up a late booking, and the policy of getting some money in rather than no money does work. Cottage agencies use it, hotels use it, etc…. So it got me wondering, why doesn’t this Club?🤔 If it’s got that many pitches going begging three days before sell by date, why isn’t it doing anything about it before now, when it’s opted to impose a deposit scheme instead? Or is it simply that the Sites are in fact so busy, and that late take up is so good that they don’t need to🤔 I am of course only wondering, not party to any statistics, but it is intriguing.
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High winds and storms are an ever present concern for most folks that either drag a big box, or drive a high sided box, so I for one do wonder what the Club’s stance will be on this. Go and risk an accident, or don’t go and forfeit deposit loss? Clarity required I think.
Surely the club will follow what other similar organisations do in that respect, if one does not turn up one loses the deposit. They would have to take each and every reason for not arriving separately otherwise, and just think of the work that that would involve for those at HO!
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Not quite sure what you mean about the 25% being cancelled out TDA, I just see it as a quarter of the total quoted. As for discounts CAMC will perhaps be freer to offer some generally in the future if they've secured bookings on a stronger basis?
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TBH, my thoughts as well Nellie. That’s why such a long period between forfeiting deposit, and date of arrival could be a bit controversial. Again, we look at weather before we book most things, and book late. But I know quite a few don’t.
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I meant 25% of the 25% are cancelled in the last four days Brue, not cancelled out by being refilled🙂
I hope it means a bit more creativity on the discounting side might happen. They are certainly creative around upping the prices for school holiday periods😂 (But that’s another thread😂)
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This is perhaps a question for JK, I have not sure its been discussed thus far but I may have missed it. So the question is what if you leave a site early? Currently if you leave a site early (not to go to a different site) you forfeit one nights site fees but get a refund for any days in excess of the one you forfeit. What happens in future? Logic would suggest that you no longer get any sort of refund. Is this how it will work under the new scheme?
David
PS I posted this in the other discussion in error, probably better here.
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The answer (in relation to why I 'did it') is 'no'...as I've now been to the 'impossible to book' site 😉
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Ok thanks for replying BB.
Enjoy your trip away.
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TDA
We have often taken advantage of late cancellations. I have also rarely been on a site in the last two years, and before, that wasn't pretty full so I reckon that many of those cancellations are taken up. Maybe what the Club is trying to address is the perception that sites are always full and you can't book full weeks or weekends. I am sure there are financial positives for the Club in taking deposits but that aside it is the perception on no availability which is hurting so the deposit proposition is to make people think twice before they book. All that might happen, of course, is that the 72 hour cancellation is moved back to 21 days, thus giving much longer for members to sweep up the cancelled site nights. In truth we are going to have to wait and see how the new system pans out. It now seems to be set in stone and whatever the motivations for the change we are going to have to with, at least until the next change!!!
David
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You could well be right about the perception. Certainly going to be interesting, but like most changes, it is going ahead, and after the initial getting used to things period, will no doubt settle down. It’s certainly created some interesting points of view. 😁
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If you don’t rock up you forfeit the deposit is the fairest way👍🏻. If different levels of ‘it wasn’t my fault Guv’ excuses are put to the Judge it’ll be bedlam🤷🏻♂️.
Q-did you rock up?, A-no. . .Decision-you forfeit your deposit-NEXT Jobs a gud un, nice & clean & easy to understand👍🏻
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It would have to be exceptionally high wind to dissuade me. Think 'nationwide amber warnings' on TV. How common are they in the main touring season? On the odd occasion that I actually book ahead, it would only rarely be more than three weeks, so the new system may be favourable for me.
The current 'three day window' must only be helpful the the real last-minuters. I would imagine that the new timeframe and consequent penalties instead of a 'slap on the hand' will solve the non take-p of pitches at a stroke.
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If they(high winds) can blow a fully laden articulated Truck over they can blow over a Moho easily. Followed by the insurance claiming the driver showed negligence flying in the face of warnings-you have a very, very big bill to foot, & your own recovery. I’d rather lose a deposit than my LV. I may not be the sharpest tool in the box but I’m gifted with common sense👍🏻
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as later bookings have had the choice on the new system to book hard standing 
