Providing a personal service in an online world

Online sector?

For the customer, booking a holiday means that he or she can start looking forward to pure relaxation. And the booking itself is no longer a big deal. Are you in the mood for a holiday? A few clicks of the mouse take you to a hotel, holiday home or bed and breakfast. People sometimes forget that a travel agency can be a great help! Moreover, people think that booking online is guaranteed to be cheaper. At Cap, we want to distinguish ourselves online and we keep a close eye on the trends in the travel sector. This way we can offer our customers all the comfort of online booking, combined with everything that is needed to experience a quality trip.

Travel trends 2019

Large-scale research into this year's travel trends has shown that people are still looking for more when they book a trip.

Advertisements do make people believe they are buying an experience, but on many large booking sites, you as a customer are just an account number. You then miss out on many aspects that contribute to a real holiday experience. On holiday, we want to be completely immersed in a holiday atmosphere, to relax completely and not have any worries. But what really creates a holiday atmosphere?

These are the biggest and most noticeable travel trends this year.

1. The more personal, the better

Although information about every destination can be found on the internet, people increasingly prefer personal advice and tips. Due to the abundance of information online, people filter which advice they find reliable. To avoid advertisements, they rely more on reviews, travel blogs and travel industry companies.

This is a strength that Cap likes to build on. We are a small team that is passionate about travel and we like to share our experiences with clients. Moreover, we visit every home ourselves so we can take pictures and get an accurate impression of the house, the surroundings and the atmosphere. We select each holiday home according to certain standards such as comfort, cleanliness, family atmosphere and the surrounding infrastructure. But also the local culture, sights and nature are important criteria. This is where our personal service begins, long before the guests book their holiday.

2. Short but sweet

More than half of travellers say they want to plan more weekend breaks this year. A short break from the busy working week is an effective way to gain new impressions and a dose of vitamin D without the stress that sometimes comes with booking a faraway holiday. Sometimes, less is more! Cap totally agrees with this statement, so we offer a selection of easily accessible holiday flats and holiday homes within Europe that are close to all kinds of sights. We also offer holiday homes that are close to Belgium, for example in Northern France. Moreover, outside the high season, we offer the possibility to book short stays from 4 days. The key to a successful weekend is a central location and a house where all the essentials are present.

3. Digital travel trends

In addition to a personal approach, customers expect everything to run smoothly digitally. There are apps to keep track of your travel plans, flight tickets are already largely digitalised, etc. But the offer must also be given a digital treatment: the overload of possibilities can get your customers lost. So pre-sorting and offering suggestions is important. At Cap we keep an eye on trends, try to promote a selection of holiday homes each time and regularly offer suggestions. This way, the owners of the properties can expect a new influx of bookings, and the client can make a better choice. At Cap, we are also always ready to listen to the client's wishes so that we can match them with the perfect holiday home!

4. Conscious and sustainable travel

This trend is emerging strongly. With the constant flow of news, people are investigating what social or environmental problems are taking place before they consider a destination. By visiting each location ourselves and getting to know the owners, we know that our holiday homes are a safe haven for guests regardless of their gender, orientation, age, or origin. A good tip to pass along is the website Destination Pride, which allows you to check each location for social equality and therefore safety. We also inform our guests about possible water shortages at their destination so that they can take this into account.

To get to your destination in a sustainable way, we also advise clients to take the TGV to the South of France. Many of our properties are easily accessible that way and it is also a relaxing journey.

5. Getting healthier while travelling

Living in the city and having a busy schedule can take its toll on your health. People use their holidays as a break from stress. They expect to eat healthy, enjoy the outdoors and exercise while travelling. For clients looking for such a 'detox' holiday, we at Cap have a wide range of houses with swimming pools surrounded by panoramic natural views. We encourage people to enjoy the local produce, some of which you can pick right off the trees. Cycling holidays are also part of the trend and with destinations close to some of the best cycle routes in Europe (Mont Ventoux, Calpe, ...) the ideal mix of relaxation and sport is easily planned.

6. All generations under one roof

More and more often, grandma and grandpa take the family on holiday. Elderly people enjoy life to the full and have extra free time, often recently freed up by retirement. The travel party then consists of all generations of the family. Here, a diverse offer in the region is essential. We always try to learn as much as possible about accessible activities for all ages. Besides age differences, there are also mobility differences among people. For people with mobility limitations it is essential to know how accessible a property or region is. Cap also has bungalows and houses with adapted facilities in its selection.

7. Unburden

Just like 'unpacking' and 'unplugging', this trend is a counter reaction that wants to get rid of an excess of modern worries. On holiday there should be no hassle. So at Cap we see it as our job to arrange everything for our guests. We give tailor-made advice for every travel group and are always open to questions. We can even help with the choice of a holiday home. In a time when everything can be done online, it is wonderful to have someone who thinks along with you and takes your wishes into account.

These trends perfectly illustrate that the personal service of Cap is perhaps even more relevant than ever. In online times, people are not replaced by computers, but it is even more important to ensure qualitative and conscious personal communication.