ADVERTISING - YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Most holiday accommodation providers will have seen a decline in bookings over the last few years. We don't need to go into the reasons for this here as they are all well documented, but the knock on affect is now resulting in fewer enquiries for estate agents. Obviously this will also affect other related industries.

For every enquiry from holidaymakers, accommodation providers are likely to be receiving ten offers to advertise from Internet sites and other mediums all promising a solution.

However, before you go jumping from the frying pan into the fire or before you decide to make the same mistake again this year as you did last year in the hope that things will pick up, consider these points.

More people are buying to let, or buying holiday homes and offering them for use to friends and family. The result is that supply has increased and demand has dropped.

If people are not looking for a holiday, they do not turn to the advertising sections of the press, they do not request brochures and they won't surf the Internet looking for a holiday. This type of advertising only works when people are actively looking for a holiday.

Are the companies offering to advertise your accommodation explaining how they plan to increase their share of the market and attract new markets?

Advertising is an investment in your business. If an Internet site is only charging a small fee to advertise, their advertising budget will be small. Your own investment in your advertising will undoubtedly be reflected in your bookings.

Only television advertising has the power to stimulate tired markets, create new markets, capture huge swathes of existing markets and reach millions of people at any given time. This is the only real solution to the current dilemma you face.

SCOPULA.com is a new search directory and brochure ordering service, specialising only in holidays, travel and property for sale with an UK television advertising campaign commencing in January 2005. Check them out by clicking here: www.scopula.com

Television advertising is expensive and the Scopula pricing structure reflects these costs. Many accommodation providers will therefore find that advertising on Scopula prohibitive. However, there are economic and potential alternatives that could prove just as profitable.

Numerous Internet sites that provide advertising facilities have already secured prime positions on Scopula and accommodation providers will be able benefit from the high level of holidaymakers that will expected to come through Scopula.

It is important top understand that the moment your rental income is reduced by more than you have saved on your advertising budget, you have already put yourself in a negative profit situation. All companies, big or small should set aside a marketing budget and determine the level of income they should expect to achieve from this investment. Work out what you need to invest to achieve the desired results.

Here are a few of the web sites that have already taken prime slots on Scopula:

• Holiday-Web-Sites: A holiday web site network. You can advertise your web site. Cost 150 Euro for 12 months.
• Lets Rent Direct: You can advertise individual properties. Cost £140.00 for 12 months.
• France One Call: A speciality availability information service. Cost £180.00 for 12 months.
• Where On Earth: You can advertise across a range of International web sites with one application form. Prices vary according to the size of package you choose.
• Follow the Sun: A book direct with owners web site. Cost £155.00 for 12 months.
• Well Earned Breaks: One of Europe's leading agencies who will want exclusivity over your property.

Plus scores of other web sites to choose from on www.scopula.com

All the above web sites are committed to benefiting from the Scopula TV advertising campaign. Check on Scopula to see if the companies who have approached you to advertise with them are as committed to obtaining you bookings as you are to making a success of next year.

Demand has to be increased and no one can expect to achieve this by advertising in the same passive manner as they have done in the past few years.