A Cotswolds holiday home rental business has reported a record month as three bank holiday weekends boosted the number of visitors to the region.
StayCotswold said it had secured its highest letting income and guest numbers for a single month in May. Bosses forecasted record delivered gross booking value of £8.5m for the year to March 2024 - up 38% on the previous 12 months.
The Gloucestershire company, which relocated to a larger office in Stow-on-the-Wold in the autumn, said it had expanded its portfolio of properties, including shepherds' huts and lodges, from 140 at the start of 2023 to almost 200, putting it ahead of schedule as its target 250 by the end of 2024.
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The business said a “flourishing” market for UK breaks and its “agile pricing strategy” had helped to attract property owners and guests alike.
Director Tracy Archer said: “We are extremely pleased with our trading performance. During May, we saw a 92% year-on-year increase in arrivals value and an 81% increase in bookings.
“We look forward to building on these strong results, delivering benefits for property owners and the region’s tourist industry as a whole, and responding to the wishes of visitors to the wonderful Cotswolds, many of whom come from the London area for a short break or holiday.”
Founded by Fergus Mitchell in 2009, StayCotswold was acquired in April 2021 by Mat Faraday, Tom Burdett and Tracy Archer - all of whom had previously held senior roles in other holiday cottages businesses.
The business said it had since grown its head count to 13 staff and in the year to March 2023, StayCotswold secured more than 6,000 bookings – more than double the figure for the previous 12 months.
Earlier this year the firm said year-on-year letting income for the final quarter of 2022 had doubled to £1.7m, and it was "on track" to achieve gross booking value of around £6m for the 12 months to the end of March - up from £3.2m the year before.
The business has in recent months forged partnerships across the region with as Hawkstone Brewery, Cotswolds Distillery, Visit The Cotswolds and the Royal International Air Tattoo.
Ms Archer said: “Collaborating with and supporting local independent businesses, attractions and events is very important to us, as it helps to reinforce our position as a business which is also independent and totally committed to the Cotswolds region.”
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