Blue Chip Holidays, which has over 800 high-end self-catering holiday homes across the South West, Wales and the Isle of Wight, has had a record start to the year with bookings in January up 86 per cent on the same period of last year. It anticipates that demand for the cream of self-catering properties in the South West will outstrip supply this year.

Alan Taylor, Managing Director of the Blue Chip Holidays, commented: “2010 was our busiest year to date and 2011 looks like it has all the makings of another record-breaker. We’re already seeing a number of our most popular holiday homes, coastal apartments, cottages and lodges booking out for the summer months, and we’re boosting our portfolio of high end self-catering properties to cope with demand.

“Customers have fallen in love with holidaying in the UK. Overseas uncertainty caused by extreme weather conditions, air strikes, ash clouds, poor exchange rates and increased air fares and taxes have all contributed toward this trend. As such we anticipate a sustained period of growth where demand for the cream of self-catering properties in peak weeks starts to outstrip the readily available supply.”

Alan Taylor added: “2011 has all the makings of a bumper year. January has been a stand out month and we’re anticipating a buoyant February following bonus season. Typically, this leads to a further boost in bookings as couples and families look to treat themselves.

“Our portfolio of enviable properties, which are set in stunning locations with amazing coastal or rural views and have high-spec interiors, certainly tick the ‘bonus box’ holiday profile. Add to this the anticipated positive impact of the Royal wedding and the Easter bank holiday cluster between 29 April and 02 May, where three days of holiday equate to eleven days off work, and we predict that bookings on www.bluechipholidays.net will continue to rise at a very healthy rate.”

Blue Chip Holidays’ top five South West areas to holiday in 2011
1- English Riviera (accounting for 41% of all bookings made in January 2011).
2 - Newquay (accounting for 16% of all bookings made in January 2011).
3 - Dartmouth & South Hams (accounting for 9% of all bookings made in January 2011).
4 - Weymouth (accounting for 3% of all bookings made in January 2011).
5 - Looe (accounting for 3% of all bookings made in January 2011).

Blue Chip Holidays’ top five fastest growth areas for holidays in the South West
1 - Weymouth (bookings for 2011 up 515% on Jan 2010).
2 - St Ives (bookings for 2011 up 231% on Jan 2010).
3 - Looe (bookings for 2011 up 161% on Jan 2010).
4 - Newquay (bookings for 2011 up 158% on Jan 2010).
5 - English Riviera (bookings for 2011 up 67% on Jan 2010).