Padstow Tourist Information Centre (TIC) has transformed its online presence, with a slick and easy-to-use accommodation booking platform. It gives visitors, TIC staff and accommodation owners, a simple to use and speedy way of making and managing online holiday reservations, in this key Cornish resort.
The Padstowlive.com website delivers a powerful Staylist, which offers a comprehensive choice of accommodation for would-be visitors. Featuring real time availability search, clear pricing choices, and a fast and secure booking and payment platform, Padstow TIC and its members are offering a stylish, mobile friendly, simple-to-use booking engine, that is packed with useful features – perfectly suited to the way guests now want to book.
“Our new website is the shop window for Padstow. It was important that we had a booking system to enhance our web presence and give visitors a speedy and clear route to book.” commented Deborah Thomas, Manager Padstow TIC “The Inn Style Staylist returns availability searches very quickly. It’s intuitive to use and we’re delighted with the result.” She added.
Cost effective solutions are key. Deborah continued “The Inn Style Staylist is much better value for money for us too. We all need to make sure that we are managing our budgets well. We now get great functionality at a sensible cost.”
Padstow TIC had previously been in a long standing contract arrangement with another website and online booking supplier. But, the TIC team had experienced a number of frustrations and made the decision to change.
“The Staylist is much more flexible and easy to use than our previous booking system”, explains Deborah. It is so much more suited to the way our TIC operates now. It’s been designed by people who understand what accommodation owners and visitors require, and how our TIC needs to work.”
“Inn Style’s customer service is brilliant.” She added. “The Staylist is very easy to use but, if we have any questions, Inn Style are always on hand to assist. The team has been excellent. They have worked very closely with the accommodation owners to make sure they have their accounts set up just as they want them.”
Padstow TIC operates to support the businesses in and around Padstow and give them a route to market through their web presence. It’s also a way for them, and the TIC, to encourage guests to book direct with the destination and engender a sense of ‘buying locally’.
“We have approximately 80 accommodation members of Padstow TIC. New members are always welcome and we encourage them to join us,” Deborah added.
“We only charge a very modest commission on any accommodation bookings taken through the TIC. Our offer compares very favourably with those of popular Online Travel Agents (OTA) so, I invite Padstow accommodation owners to join us and boost the number of direct bookings taken through the local TIC.”
“By all working together, we keep all accommodation booking revenue in the local economy and therefore support the other businesses in Padstow too.” Deborah concluded.
