New Booking System

I think  we should  all put our reviews on TripAdvisor,  that way you get a more or less instant reply from CAMC, I know the reply is mostly a load of bull, but at least you know it has been read.🤨

Are the replies on Trip Advisor not mostly generated by a robot . . . ?

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I think we truly don’t care any more PD. Even if the Club does more eco pitches, or metering, they will still not be as good value as Britstops, most CLs or a good deal of small private sites. Different touring models, but all we need. Happy to leave Club Sites to those who like them🙂

Mention of holiday insurance is in Club’s new T&Cs as well DD. I fear there are going to be a lot of folks who get caught out this next year or so. Will happily tick that box without reading, then get stung badly if anything does happen. 

There’s some seriously cute selling going on at the Club now, all looking to fully maximise whatever income they can. Book early, and you risk money making any changes, or having to cancel. Book later and you will likely pay extra. Not communicated clearly either☹️

I am sure that will have an impact on some members, particularly those who see their discretionary spending power being reduced and not helped by the seemingly constant moving of support goalposts by the Government. How that impacts on the Club, particularly with the new booking system, we have yet to see. I think it was Peedee who mentioned that 2023 will likely be the first "normal" year since 2019 in terms of people getting back to regular holiday patterns with probably a reduction in staycations. Its difficult to predict anything at the moment but you could see a situation where it creates a perfect storm for the Club. People returning to previous forms of holiday, it won't be all but there will be a percentage. People unwilling to book sites so far in advance as they will be unwilling to invest in large deposits. Made worse because of uncertainty over energy and other prices as we go into next year. People generally cutting back because of all the financial uncertainty. Now that is not the fault of the new booking system per se but the Club could find that it puts a brake on people booking in advance. I suppose dynamic pricing works both ways and if the Club do see bookings reduce to any degree they have the option to lower prices as well as increase them?

David

The large holiday company sites such as Parkdean or Haven, which rent static vans do tend to lower their prices the nearer it gets to the dates that their vans are rented and the price of their vans if very reasonable, out of season, compared with the prices of the CMHC rented accommodation.  

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Insurance was our major cause of disagreement with the Club as well. More smoke and mirrors at the time, unclear T&Cs. We happily walked away, got a better deal. 

Re holiday booking websites, most we use (cottages, hotels, niche B&Bs, etc…..) discount properties, rooms etc…… the closer the cut off date gets. It’s a well known marketing tactic, and will tempt in those who don’t like to over plan, or don’t fixate on a small platform of offers.
Having no shame, and the bargaining skills of  a Souk Arab, I will happily walk into a nice residential pub around 6pm and see what price I can have a room for. If it’s too expensive, I will politely leave, but go back an hour later and ask again. Got two nights for £70 in a gorgeous Fowey hotel a few years ago, they should have been £150 each. We did eat in restaurant, only polite to do so with a bargain like that. Even got the pooch fee waived🤣 An empty room, cottage, pitch brings in no income at all. Given the profit margins on such commodities, soaking up the odd discounted room, cottage, pitch can cover costs, better than nothing at all🤷‍♀️

Perhaps the Club might consider using Trivago, AirBnB……that would be fun😉

The Club won’t commit to much in the way of discounts because it knows it has a loyal, largely unquestioning, well off, need to be booked well in advance, core of Members, who hardly ruffle a feather at every single price increase, large or small, that the Club imposes. They cannot lose in a situation as comfy as this. Hence why it’s so quiet  from the loftiest perches in HQ. 

CAMC is a not for profit organisation and as such any profits get ploughed back into the organisation. Profit margins are probably tight so trying to "work the system" probably won't bring a lot of success. The club has said that discounts will be on offer so we'll see at some point what appears as I'm sure they bring in revenue especially the mid-week discounts.