VILLA PRICES TAKE A PLUNGE

tbbr · Post by **tbbr** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 8:20 am

This is the alarming headline of an article in this weeks sunday times.
It refers to " dramatic " falls in the prices charged for Villa rentals this summer.

40% reduction is not unusual.
One example " Villa Casa Terasa " in Carvoeiro was £1969 now £1591.
( flights not included ).

However as I know of owners who have no trouble renting via owners sites is this a reflection of a trend away from booking with holiday companies to direct booking with owners !!.

Also horrific picture in todays daily mail fo drought conditions across europe including Portugal

e-richard · Post by **e-richard** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:01 am

I also read that article, but my first reaction was that the "discounts" are merely bringing the prices down to what they should have been in the first place - even through Agencies. Its not hard to research prices on the Internet these days, and sensible buyers are doing research.

tbbr · Post by **tbbr** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:11 am

With the ease of using the internet and established sites why use an agency if you have reliable management/maintainence.

If you look at the prices charged by agents, holiday companies they must be making a huge margin if you compare similar properties on the " direct sites "?
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Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:23 am

Seems like more of the same to me - not necessarily a drop in tourism - merely another example of the shift to "do it yourself" (same as the fall in package bookings) - as these things change there will certainly be some "shift" in the nature of the "support businesses" and some will fail (as some package operators will eventually abandon Iberia as a whole in favour of other destinations).

Although there are these symptoms of change all round it doesn't necessarily mean decline - just structural change in response to changing markets