Whistler Vacation Rental Owner Survey 2003/04
Compliments of ResortAc.com

Follow this link to view 2002/03 Survey Results

Total Percent
Total Surveys 52 100%

 

 

 
1.  Compared to last winter season your bookings for this winter season were: See Graphs
 worse than last year 20 38%
 same as last year 18 35%
 better than last year 10 19%
 don't know 4 8%

 

 

 
2.  Compared to last winter season, your rates this year were: See Graphs
 same as last year 25 48%
 lower than last year 21 40%
 higher than last year 3 6%
 don't know 3 6%

 

 

 
3.  How many websites do you use to advertise your Whistler rental? See Graphs
One 20 38%
Two 12 23%
Three 5 10%
Four 4 8%
Five 3 6%
Six 1 2%
Seven 1 2%
Eight 4 8%
More than 10 2 4%

 

 

 
4.  Do you have your own Whistler rental website? See Graphs
No 32 62%
Yes 20 38%

 

 

 
5.  Do you advertise your Whistler rental in printed media such as magazines or newspapers? See Graphs
 No 44 85%
 Yes 8 15%

 

 

 
6.  Which of the following is your BEST source of Whistler rental bookings? See Graphs
 Internet 49 94%
 Word of mouth 1 2%
 Don't know 2 4%

 

 

 
7.  Please enter the name of your favorite search engine: See Graphs
Google 33 63%
Yahoo 7 13%
MSN 3 6%
Altavista 1 2%
Don't know 8 15%

 

 

 
8.  Select the option, below, that best describes you: See Graphs
 Owner of Whistler rental 24 46%
 Manager of Whistler rental 4 8%
 Both 24 46%

 

 

 
9.  Please include any information you would like to share with other ResortAc.com members:
Use Visa or Mastercard. Be a member of the Whistler Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and hold a Whistler Business Licence and support ResortAc.com and Troy so that he can better market your property.
I did not answer the first 2 questions as we just purchased our rental property Dec 2003. This is my favorite website! I receive the most inquiries and rentals through this site. Don't change anything!
Would like to have a forum posted for "bad or messy renters"
Remove non TA zoned properties from ResortAc
ResortAc provided very little return on investment and very few replies from guests. There are obviously too many subscribers and too much inventory for inquirers to sift through.
Lots of discounting went on last year. In more difficult rental markets, we should avoid discounting relative to each other (ie relative to other private rentals). If we take care to only discount off of what the commercial rental agencies are offering, there is enough business, even in a poor rental year, for all private renters to sell all their availability.
This summer rentals are down!
May - oct is when rentals are less than adequate. What kind of places do well then?
A great summer tip - people are looking for a pool or lake access.  If your property is  close to a body of water - feature that fact predominantly in your property summary.
I joined ResortAc late in the season last year looking ultimately to find strategies...  Accordingly, not many of my bookings came from ResortAc.  However, so far...ResortAc guest inquiries tend to come from an overwhelming number of flaky...lets say "economically challenged" people who want something for nothing, whereas the Allura flow seems to be more upscale.  They generally don't haggle, particularly the UK crowd and I get my "hey, this is Whistler dummy" rate.  They are generally NOT from Seattle and Vancouver.  Thus, it seems so far, even though the flow is greater in magnitude from ResortAc than Allura, I get fewer conversions to paying customers.  We'll see how it goes this season.  I keep a detailed marketing record of all my bookings...I know exactly where they all come from and what they cost me per night booked.  Last year's results were (for the top 3 conduits and ResortAc):
1. Alura: 23.6% off all nights booked, cost per booked night was $23.21 US dollars.
 
2. VRBO: 27.9% off all nights booked, cost per booked night was $2.21 US dollars.
3. RezRez: 22.6% off all nights booked, cost per booked night was $0 US dollars (commissions added to rates).
4. ResortAC: 1.9% off all nights booked, cost per booked night was $42.56 US dollars.

Whistler Vacation Rental Owner Survey 2003/04
Compliments of ResortAc.com

Follow this link to view 2002/03 Survey Results