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Sanibel Accommodations Newsletter - Vol 5 No 2, October 2006

RATE AND TAKE OUT TIME LETTER SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER

It's time to start thinking about your rates and take out time for 2008.

In November you will receive our annual rate letter, which shows you the rates in the computer for 2007and our recommendation for 2008. The rate form should be returned immediately so we can complete entering the data into the reservation computers before January 1. This assists in booking 2008 time to the 2007 renters in your unit.

In general rates were increased 5% in 2006 and also in 2007. We are recommending the same 5% increase for 2008 rates. Once you receive the rate letter, please call Tom Hogue, Owner Relations Director, if you have any questions or wish to discuss your rate further.

Also, please be sure to put owner take out time on the space provided on the rate letter. It is always much easier for all of us to put owner take-out time in at the beginning of the year than finding the time you wanted already booked.

NEW E-MAIL PROGRAM HELPING TO BOOST RENTALS

As reported in a previous newsletter, Sanibel Accommodation's purchased a state-of-the-art technology tool in late 2005. After a year of use, we can now report that we are very pleased with the results. Our new program enables us to e-mail our entire pool of past guests as well as recent inquiries. We can now target our marketing directly to our entire customer database with customized messages. This is an advanced program that allows us to sort by specific criteria such as type of property desired and time of year they are interested in coming. We have been able to efficiently get customized marketing messages, such as upcoming specials, out to thousands of prospective renters in just a matter of minutes! Of note, our current customer database numbers in the thousands-including our large pool of prior guests built up over thirty years in business, as well as, our recent inquires-which average over one hundred per day! In 2006 we sent over ten thousand e-mails to current and prospective customers- all with focused messages targeting strategic marketing demographics. We received many responses back with interest in our properties. The best news, we were successful in converting many into property reservations. Our successful results thus far have us excited for future use of this technology! We will continue to leverage this technology in 2007 to further capitalize on its dynamic capabilities, in order to help us better reach potential customers for your properties.

SA INVESTS MORE INTO INTERNATIONAL MARKETING

Florida is the third most frequented destination of overseas visitors to the US receiving 20.2% of 21.7 million. The average stay is 11.5 nights in Florida with average spending equaling $2,913 per party. In light of this data, Sanibel Accommodations recently initiated an aggressive strategy to go further after the International market with increased advertising and marketing throughout Europe and Canada.

Even greater exciting news! Sanibel Accommodations now has our own reservationist with offices in Germany and Switzerland. We are very excited about this, as we have positioned ourselves to capitalize on the ever-growing European market!

SA STAFF RECEIVES "KUDOS!!!"

I am proud to say that our staff continues to receive positive feedback from our guests. Below are just a few of the recent examples:

Robin,
I believe we have just booked our 4th or 5th stay at Coquina Beach on Sanibel Island I can't say enough about the location and the outstanding service we get from your organization. We are truly beginning to feel like members of an extended family. Your charm and professionalism as well as the company's customer service policies are simply outstanding. We look forward to next year's visit and many more to come. Thanks again for your courtesy and friendship.
rich and sandy C.

Mary Ann,
I wish to thank you for your superb, efficient and always pleasant service!
Carol V.

General Manger, Brad Lear, wrote to the SA staff congratulating each of them for their success and further stating, "Clearly, your going the extra mile in customer service makes an extremely important difference to our customers versus our competitors. As a result, our reputation shines -we receive repeat bookings and we receive great "word-of-mouth" communication in the market place for future bookings! GREAT JOB!!!!

SA RECOMMENDS UPDATING PROPERTIES

Given that today's consumers have many properties to choose from in this very competitive vacation accommodations industry, properties that are not updated and are without High Speed Internet are at a competitive disadvantage. The research shows that the majority of guests now coming to Florida on vacation want updated furnishings and décor as well as High Speed Internet connectivity in their rental unit. In fact, we are receiving feedback from our guests stating that they desire accommodations that are modern and updated. This often makes the difference in a property being booked or being lost to a property that is updated. Likewise, we often have guests who choose to rebook into a different unit because it has been updated. Thus, we are strongly recommending that all properties update, and as well, install High speed Internet. If your property is within a condo association, we urge you to encourage your association to install the high speed Internet. Of note, Pointe Santo recently installed High Speed Internet and the feedback from guests has been very positive. If you would like to discuss updating your property, please call Eric Vartdal at (239) 472-7124.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES

Are you thinking about investing in Florida's housing market? If so, J R Realty Group Inc, parent company of Sanibel Accommodations is again providing full real estate services to its clients, both owners of vacation rental units and renters of those units. We would be happy to help you get the most out of your purchase or sale. Who better to sell your property than the company that has been selling it every day for as long as you have been in our rental program? We know your property better than anyone on the islands! Therefore, if you ever have any real estate needs, we ask that you allow us the opportunity to represent you.

SANIBEL-CAPTIVA RESEARCH DATA 2005-2006

On September 12'th, Operations Manager Robin Lear and General Manager, Brad Lear, attended a Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce luncheon where Walter Klages, of Research Data Services, Inc. presented the Sanibel/Captiva 2005 Visitor Profile. For your benefit, we have hi-lighted some of the more pertinent data presented at the luncheon:

OCCUPANCY '05/'06

January -4.4%
February -6.4%
March -3.7%
April -6.6%
May -4.5%
June -3.6%

During his presentation, Mr. Klages stated, "we are in a tough time." Some of the challenges he discussed are listed below:

INDUSTRY CHALLLENGES

WATER QUALITY ISSUES

The problems caused by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and SW Florida Water Managements policy of diverting excess Lake Okeechobee freshwater into our estuary via the Calloosahatchee River continue. Nutrient-laden fresh water releases from Lake Okeechobee have caused algae blooms and fish kills in addition to stressing sea grasses and, some say, creating red tide during the past two years, all of which are stressing the survival of the estuary. Three Sanibel beaches were closed by the Lee County Health Department from September 21-26, due to high levels of bacteria. Clearly, this is a serious threat to our tourism industry. Sanibel Accommodations General Manager, Brad Lear has become active in addressing this concern. He has written to the Army Corps of Engineers and also joined the local non-profit organization, PURRE, "People United To Restore Our Rivers and Estuaries. We will continue our efforts to be a part of a solution to restore our estuary with the full and abundant life that we, as well as our tourists, have come to enjoy. We encourage you to also get involved. Besides joining PURRE, you may write letters to governmental officials as well as vote for candidates who support proper ecological management of our waters. It is vital that we all get involved in order to help save our beautiful Sanibel waters!

SPECIAL BOOKING INCENTIVE

To encourage bookings in the slow off-season we are marketing twenty percent off on all properties for the period up to December 15, 2006. This will also hopefully help offset the negative impact that the "fear of hurricanes" has on our customer base during this time of year, especially given the onset of increased hurricane activity in the Gulf- beginning with Hurricane Charley and then the recent Hurricanes of the 2005 season.

SA ATTENDS GUESTS FIRST WORKSHOP PUT ON BY VCB

In August and September, our entire staff attended the Guests First Workshop put on by the VCB. The workshop addressed customer service and interpersonal relationship skills. Topics included Customer Service Self Defense, Dealing with Kids – They're Our Customers Too", and the "Magic Behind the Curtain", and Individual Behavioral Styles. Skills discussed during the training were, Steps to Affective Listening, Proactive Problem Solving, Modeling Professional Behavior to Colleagues and Customers and Keeping Your Cool When Dealing with Confrontational Clients. Participants had the opportunity to discuss the seminar topics with each other along with employees from other companies to process ways to improve our services at SA. At the conclusion of the seminar, participants were awarded a Guests First pin to wear on their lapel. This is Sanibel Accommodations' fifth year to participate in the VCB program offered annually to hospitality industry employees.