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The ASSC Committee, with 'Scrabble', the face of the Paws for a Break campaign.
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Paws for a Break Award 2016/17 Now Open
Do you go the extra mile for pet owners? Why not nominate yourself for the Paws for a Break Award or ask for nominations from your guests? You can self-nominate your property online via the EmbraceScotland website or Facebook page, or you can encourage your guests to put your property forward for the award. (Please note the property must be listed on EmbraceScotland).
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Paws for a Break Marketing Campaign
VisitScotland has awarded the ASSC £20,000 in Growth Funding to support a digital marketing campaign targeting the “Hound Pound” – the money spent by pet-owners who take their four-legged friends on holiday. Read more...
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Support the Future of the Self-Catering Sector
The ASSC has commissioned Frontline Consultants to carry out a major study to measure the Economic Impact of the Self Catering sector in Scotland. Self-catering is one of the largest sectors in the Scottish tourism industry and evidence from the Great Britain Tourism Survey suggests that 9.9% of visits to Scotland stayed in self-catering accommodation. However, we suffer from a lack of sector-specific evidence and are currently unable to place a value on the total contribution that these visitors make to employment and economic growth in Scotland. Read more...
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New Trade Supplier: Insurance for Holiday Homes
If you own or are purchasing a holiday home in Scotland then Insurance For Holiday Homes can offer you insurance for buildings and contents designed exclusively for these properties. Insurance for Holiday Homes has over 10 years of experience providing specialist holiday home cover to those with properties. Log into the Members News area to find out more.
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Barclay Review of Business Rates
The Barclay review group has been set up to make recommendations that seek to enhance and reform the business rates system in Scotland to better support business growth and long term investment and reflect changing marketplaces. The Group will report to Ministers in July 2017. You are invited to contribute to our conversation so we can design a solution together on how the system can be reformed, whilst still maintaining the overall level of funding to provide the services upon which businesses rely. Please submit your comments by 7 October 2016. Find out more...
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The Barometer
A huge thank you to everyone who completed the ASSC Barometer Survey - we had our largest response to date. Results of the survey will shortly be available in the Members' Area.
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Searchability
Are you pet-friendly? Do you offer accessible accommodation? Do you have hot tubs? Don’t forget to include these in your description. It will help your property to get found in key word searches.
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Rentivo Survey on OTA's
Rentivo recently surveyed holiday home owners and managers on their use of the major OTA’s (Online Travel Agents). The OTA’s that were included were those that they believe constitute the vast majority of rental bookings: Booking.com (and Agoda), Tripadvisor, HomeAway, VRBO, FlipKey and Airbnb. Read more...
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Pets Welcome Charter
The ASSC believes that self-catering should be a perfect fit for holiday-makers with pets and if you're pet-friendly we’re asking you to meet the requirements of our new Paws for a Break Pets Welcome Charter.
ASSC Members offer guests a warm welcome and many members already welcome pets. The Paws for a Break Pets Welcome Charter allows you to show potential guests that you make an extra effort to ensure pet owners feel comfortable on holiday, with appropriate facilities and services that demonstrate an alignment to the ASSC’s long-standing commitment to quality, which helps us stand out in a crowded marketplace. Find out the requirements.
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STA EU Referendum Impact Assessment
According to a Scottish Tourism Alliance survey we’re feeling that it’s not all doom and gloom as an industry. Bookings remain very much the same, in fact some are up for the following 12 months. However, the key theme to emerge from the research is the feeling of uncertainty within the industry and the ‘not knowing’ quite what the future holds for our tourism businesses in relation to the issues and areas which will affect the growth and success of our industry. Read the key findings here...
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Rise in bookings since Brexit vote
Self-catering accommodation owners in the UK have enjoyed a rise in bookings since the Brexit vote.
Bookings for self-catering properties in the United Kingdom (UK) increased by 1.7% in July and August compared with the same period last year. This is despite the doom and gloom forecast since the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU) in late June. Read more...
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STA AGM & Conference
New Horizons – The Challenge and the Opportunity
The Scottish Tourism Alliance Autumn Conference and AGM will take place on Wednesday 5 October at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall. The conference will explore the future of Scotland’s tourism industry post-EU Referendum, with thoughts, insights and evidence presented by a expert on future trends. Book your ticket here...
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Resource Efficient Scotland
Save money and reduce your environmental impact with free support from Resource Efficient Scotland – a programme funded by the Scottish Government and the European Regional Development Fund to provide you with free money-saving expertise on your use of energy, water and raw materials.
If you haven’t done so already, grab yourself some savings with one of Resource Efficient Scotland’s free audits. Read more...
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Insurance Tip from J L Morris
Damage by guests
During the peak of the holiday season it is more likely that damage will be caused by your guests.
It is essential that you are 'up and running' as soon as possible so take photographs and send these to your insurance broker with full details of the incident.
It may be that the name and address of the holiday makers will be required as a recovery of the moneys paid to you may be pursued. As a consequence, there could be a loss of income claim. You will be guided as to the documents needed. Contact J L Morris.
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Member Poll
Are you interested in using the ASSC website with a smart phone or tablet? This would enable you to access the Members' Area and your account from a mobile device.
Take the survey...
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ASSC Conference 2016
Wondering how to stay connected with guests and exceed guest expectations? Want to learn more about Search Engine Optimisation, how to connect with a wider audience and simple ways to make your guests fall in love with your property? The ASSC Self-Catering Conference will give you tools and ideas to take back to your business to help it grow. Read more...
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Abellio Scotrail Tickets
Abellio Scotrail are generously offering delegates 50 free tickets travelling to the Conference in Glasgow.
ScotRail are committed to supporting the development of tourism in Scotland and wish to encourage travellers to explore by rail. Submit your ideas for a great short break which is easily accessible by rail, which Abellio Scotrail could promote to their customers. The first 50 great ideas will receive standard class return rail tickets to and from the Conference.
They are also offering a free Spirit of Scotland pass in a competition at the Conference!
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The Importance of Quality-Assurance
We recently conducted a survey on the importance of quality assurance, asking for views through social media and the EmbraceScotland newsletter.
We wanted to know how important it is to visitors when booking a self-catering holiday, log into the Members News area to see what we found out.
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Insurance Tip from Boshers Ltd
Getting your holiday let insurance right - Public and Employers Liability
Every holiday home is different, so making sure you have the right insurance in place for your holiday let property is incredibly important. You may think that a standard home insurance policy will do the job, but when guests are paying to stay in your holiday let, the Public and Employers Liability Insurance from basic home insurance won’t cover you. Nor will it if you have any employees (cleaners, gardeners, seasonal staff etc).
Whilst we understand that you do your best to keep your guests and employees safe, we know that accidents can, and do, happen. If someone does get hurt whilst staying at your holiday let having the right insurance can save you a lot of time, money, and stress. Read the full article here...
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2017: Year of History, Heritage & Archeaology
Over 32% of visitors to Scotland cite ‘history and culture’ as a key motivator for their trip, second only to ‘scenery and landscape’ (49%). From World Heritage Sites to ancient monuments, listed buildings to historic battlefields, cultural traditions to our myths, stories and legends, the year-long programme for 2017 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s fascinating past.
VisitScotland invites you to join them at the official industry conference for the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology on Wednesday 5 October
at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
. Book your free ticket now...
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Recruitment Drive
We are launching an active recruitment drive in the nest few weeks to increase membership and grow the Association. We will be sending out a mailer in the post to self-catering operators throughout Scotland.
You may well be on the list! If you receive it, you don’t need to do anything.
But do feel free to pass it on to anyone that is providing self-catering accommodation but isn’t a member of the ASSC. Don’t forget, if you refer a new member, we’ll give you two Signposted Properties for free!
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A very warm welcome to new Members:
Neil Lewis, Glenlochy Nevis Bridge Apartments, Fort William
Jane Ryder, non-marketing member, Perthshire
Very best wishes,
Fiona Campbell
Chief Executive
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The ASSC is happy to be working with leading industry partners:
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