Cumbria Business Survey

Self Catering Survey

Tourism Business Survey

Cumbria Tourism has commissioned a broad ranging study into the county’s self catering, camping, and caravanning sector by The Research Solution. Your help in completing this questionnaire will contribute greatly to this study.

Please provide your name and contact details below. This will allow us to link your property information to your response and avoid asking for information that you have already provided. This will also ensure you are not contacted again regarding this survey.

	Contact Name
	Business Name
	Address
	Address
	Address
	Postcode

1.a	If other, please specify

2.a	If other, please specify

How would you describe the location of your accommodation (please tick one only)

Large Town/City

Small Town

Village

Rural

Coastal

Is your business based

Inside National Park

Outside National Park

Is your business? (please tick all that apply)

A purely tourism business

One strand of a wider range of business activity

A single-site operation

Part of a larger multi-site organisation

Can you please indicate whether your holiday business is: (please tick all that apply)

Main home

Second home

Inherited property

Investment property

Commercial venture

Other (please specify)

6.a	If other, please specify

Please specify whether your self catering/camping/caravanning business is: (please tick ONE only)

Main source of income

Secondary source of income

'Lifestyle business'

Occasional holiday lettings when not in use by yourself

Other (please specify)

7.a	If other, please specify

Has your business diversified from a previous business e.g. farming

No diversification

Development of traditional farming business to increase revenue

Expanded existing business to include self catering

Expanded self catering business into others

Part of an official Farm Business Development Scheme

9.	Approximately how many years has: (please type in number of years)
	Holiday accommodation been provided at this location?
	Have you / the current owners run the business?

10.	What percentage of your caravan/mobile home/lodge units are: (please ensure total adds up to 100%)
	% Rented from a private owner
	% Only used by a private owner
	% Rented through an agency/holiday company
	% Rented direct from the park owner

11.

If your business is not open all year, for what reasons do you restrict trade? (please tick all that apply)

Lack of demand outside the main tourism season

Planning/other opening restrictions

Closure for maintenance etc

To allow time for own holidays/other business

12.

Do you think that your customers: (please tick all that apply)

Bring the bulk of their food with them

Shop locally whilst here

Have supermarket deliveries brought to the property

Don't Know

13.

Do you use a letting Agency?

Yes - marketing/booking only

Yes - access/cleaning/maintenance only

Yes - full service use

14.

If yes, what are the key benefits of using an agency? (please tick all that apply)

Access to exisiting database of potential visitors

Advice and information

Extensive advertising across many media channels

Hassle free lettings

Other (please specify)

14.a	If other please specify

14.b	If no, what are the drawbacks/reasons that you do not use an Agency?

15.

Which of the following do you use to market your business?

Own Website

Presence on a tourism body website

Other letting agency website

Other websites e.g. lastminute.com

Brochure/leaflet

Word of Mouth

Repeat custom

Media Advertisement

16.

What options are available for your visitors to book their accommodation?

Full on-line booking and payment available

On-line reservation only

Email reservation

No on-line booking or payment available

17.	Have you noticed an increase or decrease in any of the following visitor markets over recent years
17.		Increase	About the same	Decrease
	Families
	Couples
	Friends
	Extended family groups
	Larger groups - reunion/celebratory
	Organised Groups i.e walking/birdwatching groups

18.	In recent years, which seasons has trade increased or decreased?
18.		Increased	About the same	Decreased
	Christmas/New Year
	Winter
	Spring
	Summer
	School summer and half term holidays
	Autumn

19.	Approximately, what percentage of repeat business do you receive?
	Percentage of repeat business

20.	How many staff are employed directly by your business - including YOURSELF
	Full time
	Part-time
	Seasonal

21.

Have you experienced any of the following issues in recruiting/retaining staff? (please tick all that apply)

Finding staff willing to work

Providing pay level to attract staff

Travel/access to the property(ies)

Availability of staff accommodation

High turnover of staff

Attitude to the sector

22.	Could you please provide the following details on the cost of running your business (percentages to add up to 100%)
	Staff
	Maintenance
	Marketing
	Legals/Licences/Insurance
	Cost of purchases/supplies
	Financing/loans

23.	Could you please indicate the levels of investment over the last 3 years on the following:
23.		Building/structure	Content/product	Marketing budget
	None
	<£1,000
	£1,001 - £10,000
	£10,001 - £20,000
	£20,001 - £50,000
	£50,001 - £100,000
	£100,001 - £250,000
	£250,001 - £500,000
	£500,001 - £1,000,000
	£1,000,001+

24.

Do you feel that the level of investment you have made has benefited your business in terms of: (please tick all that apply)

Increase in occupancy levels

Increase in revenue

Increase in repeat trade

Improved or gained quality grading

Other (please specify)

24.a	If other please specify

25.	Do you have any plans to improve/upgrade or expand any of your facilities in the next three years?
25.		Yes	No	Don't know
	Improve/upgrade facilities
	Expansion plans

26.

What sources of finance have you used to set up and develop your business (please tick all that apply)

Self financing

Bank loans

Grants

Sale of property/units

Other (please specify)

26.a	If other, please specify

27.

If you are not intending to upgrade or expand, what are your reasons (please tick all that apply)

Not interested in expanding

Lack of customer demand

Lack of capital

Unable to easily access capital

Lack of time

Bank interest rates

Restricted space to make change

Other (please specify)

27.a	If other reason, please specify

28.	Which of the following factors have most affected your business performance over the past two years - both positively and negatively (please tick all that apply)
28.		Positive effect	Negative effect	No effect
	£sterling exchange rate
	UK tourists going abroad
	UK tourists holidaying at home
	Weather
	Legislative costs/requirements
	Competition from other self catering/caravan providers
	Competition from serviced accommodation
	Marketing of this destination

29.

What impact do you think any future plans for a Furnished Holidays Letting Tax will have on your business? (please tick all that apply)

Reduce the level of investment/improvements to your business

Reduce staffing

Reduce profitability

Cease trading

Other (please specify)

29.a	If other reason, please specify

31.

Has that turnover increased, decreased or stayed the same compared with the previous 12 months?

Increased

Stayed the same

Decreased

Don't Know

33.

Has that gross profit increased, decreased or stayed the same compared with the previous 12 months?

Increased

Stayed the same

Decreased

Don't Know

34.

Over the years that you have been in this business, do you think it has become:

Easier to make a living from the sector

No real change

Harder to make a living from the sector

Don't Know

35.	What opportunites do you feel will be available to your business in the future e.g. tapping into new markets, offering flexible breaks and packages

36.	In your opinion, are there any threats you feel would affect your business now or in the future?

Thank you for your assistance with this important research survey.

Findings from this survey will be published during August 2010 and can be downloaded free of charge via the Cumbria Tourism website at www.cumbriatourism.org/research/