These pioneers of holiday parks give you an insight into their formula for success. How do they boost the off-season, how do they deal with peak traffic and how do they ensure guests keep coming back with Booking Experts? Today's speaker: Lex de Groot, General Manager of Vakantiepark BreeBronne in Maasbree.
Lex, could you tell us a little more about BreeBronne and your position?
Of course! My name is Lex de Groot, and since about two years I've been the General Manager of holiday park BreeBronne in Maasbree. We are a 5-star park, mainly aimed at families. Our park is surrounded by a lot of water, which creates a unique and relaxing atmosphere for our guests.
It is indeed beautiful here! Can you tell us something about the development of the park since you took over?
Sure. We took over BreeBronne several years ago. Since then, we have been transforming from a traditional campground into a comprehensive holiday park. This means that we have not only expanded the facilities, but also taken the overall experience of our guests to the next level. In addition to camping spots, we now have a wide range of other accommodations.
That sounds like quite a transformation. You also decided to switch reservation systems. Why did you choose Booking Experts?
We made that choice because the previous system didn't meet our needs. We were missing some important functionalities, especially in the area of data analysis. During our search, we came across Booking Experts and were immediately excited about the extensive capabilities they offered. Booking Experts makes it possible to do in-depth analysis of KPIs and guest data. We wanted more than just a simple reservation system; we really wanted to be able to drive data and trends.
What metrics are important to you, and how do you manage them?
We mainly look at the occupancy rate, the origin of our guests and the length of their stay. German guests often have different wishes than Dutch guests, and we take this into account when purchasing our catering assortment. If we see that we have more German guests, we purchase specific types of beer that better suit their preferences, for example.
Two years ago you switched to Booking Experts. How did that onboarding go?
The onboarding actually went very smoothly. We were able to get started quickly and were well guided with a clear step-by-step plan. This ensured that we could easily set up the system and immediately pick up on things we had not previously thought of.
How did your team experience the collaboration with Booking Experts?
In my opinion, Booking Experts' support is the best of all providers. During the onboarding we of course had many questions, but we were helped incredibly fast and professionally. Within 20 minutes anyway, but often faster. That is really a big plus. By the way, this does not just apply to the onboarding, even now we can always get our questions quickly.
'In my opinion, Booking Experts' support is the best of all providers.'
What do you think is the biggest advantage of working with Booking Experts?
We went for the complete solution, so in addition to the PMS system, we also contracted marketing and BEX CMS. This allowed us to convert everything at once. Our website is always up-to-date, and we can make changes ourselves at any time. Previously, we had to communicate this to our web host and then wait for days. Now we have much more freedom, which is very nice.
Can you share concrete figures on the impact of your switch to Booking Experts?
Definitely. Since switching to Booking Experts, we have seen a 50% increase in the occupancy of our vacation rentals in two years. The occupancy of camping and glamping accommodations has also increased significantly. Of course, the marketing of Booking Boosters has played a big role in this.
'Since switching to Booking Experts, we have seen a 50% increase in the occupancy of our vacation rentals in two years.'
You also use various links to service providers outside Booking Experts. Can you share a little more about that?
We have many software applications linked to the system, such as access to barriers and properties, and communication with the technical department. From BEX PMS we can control everything, which works much more smoothly than if we had to manage everything separately through different channels. In addition, Booking Experts offers many links to OTAs through their App Store. This really does define the market. If an OTA cannot be linked to Booking Experts, they are actually no longer of interest to us.
What are the future plans for BreeBronne and how is Booking Experts helping?
We are still expanding our park significantly and will be adding many new properties over the next few years. With Booking Experts, we can enter these new properties effortlessly, after which they are automatically displayed on our website and with the linked OTAs. This makes the accommodations instantly bookable. Moreover, a large part of our accommodations are private investments, and thanks to the owners module, we can easily and efficiently send financial settlements.
Why would you recommend Booking Experts to other holiday parks?
I would recommend Booking Experts because if you want to be the best, you have to partner with the best. That is the reason why we did not choose the cheapest solution, but the best system. By the way, we follow that rule for all our suppliers: if you really want to be good, you have to work with the best.
'I would recommend Booking Experts because if you want to be the best, you have to work with the best.'