A new report claims average annual earnings on holiday lets of up to £7,070.

Recent booking data at Sykes Holiday Cottages shows that short-break demand spikes around these periods, with last-minute getaways becoming increasingly common as travellers look to make the most of the long weekends.

For owners willing to be strategic with pricing, availability and changeovers, the next few months can represent a significant earner, the firm claims.

Tap into new booking patterns

Last-minute bookings are increasingly the norm for Bank Holidays, with people booking within a month of departure. At the same time, booking behaviour has changed, with strong early bookings and a surge closer to the date of stay.

To tap into this trend, Sykes urges landlords consider being flexible with a property’s changeover days so that they can accept last-minute weekday bookings.

Consider which locations are set to be fruitful

Last year, North Wales and the Lake District were the most popular regions across the spring Bank Holidays, with Whitby, Windermere, and Ambleside topping the ranks for locations.

The firm says that if you have a property based in one of these spots, or similar locations, you can be bolder with your availability and pricing, as these are destinations it sees people actively booking holidays around year after year.

Be flexible with your changeover days

Sykes says: “The Bank Holiday period is short, and if your property has a standard changeover on Fridays, you might fit one 3-night break over a Bank Holiday.

“But, if you can be flexible, you could fit two bookings over the same period – for example, a changeover on Friday and Sunday to accommodate multiple stays over a short window, which can directly translate into revenue.”