The pioneers of lodging recreation give you an insight into their formula for success. How do they boost the off-season, how do they deal with peak traffic and how do they ensure returning guests? Today's speaker: Wendy van Essen, owner of Landhoeve in Oosterwolde. What has Booking Experts delivered for her in concrete terms? More bookings, time and cost savings.
- Landhoeve
- Oosterwolde, the Netherlands
- Vacation farm
- BEX PMS
Wendy, could you give us some background on the Landhoeve?
Sure! I'm Wendy van Essen and together with my husband we started the Landhoeve in 2015. We started as a small farm campsite with five Farmers Bed glamping tents. My husband managed the campground while I had a full-time job on the side. Later we expanded to include a B&B and Bell Tents. In 2023, we replaced the tents with wooden cabins and switched to Tommy Booking.
'The investment was big, but this pays back double.'
What made you decide to use Tommy's reservation system?
I come from an IT background myself, so I am aware of the importance of good software and the advantages it provides. I knew Booking Experts was next level, that was really clear to me. I made a booking at a vacation park that used Booking Experts and I was immediately impressed by this guest journey. I wanted the same for our guests! Still, I chose Tommy first, mainly because of the price.
In 2025 you finally switched to Booking Experts, how did this go?
In our old reservation system I ran into a number of issues, such as payment reminders were sometimes sent while the guests were still at the park, I could not link with my accounting package and I had no cash register system. In addition, I noticed that I was still getting a huge number of phone calls from guests about things that were unclear in the booking process. Having used Booking Experts as a guest myself, I knew how smooth and simple the guest journey could be. So I spoke to them again at the Recreation Trade Show and they convinced me of the value that Booking Experts offers.
How does that value pay off for you?
After the switch I thought 'now I'm going to find out what can't be done', but so far I haven't been able to catch a single error in the system. The investment was large, but it pays off handsomely. It saves me time, money and gives me more bookings.
- Saving time - since we have been working with Booking Experts we receive far fewer phone calls from (potential) guests. This is mainly because the booking process raises far fewer questions. For example, the Search & Book shows all the information you need to make a good choice and alternative options when the chosen dates are not available
- Cost savings - because BEX PMS is so comprehensive and so much more than a booking system, I no longer have to pay separately for a mailing system, cash register, and scheduling tool. This is really a big savings.
- More bookings - precisely because the booking process doesn't raise any questions and runs smoothly I'm sure I'm getting more bookings. In addition, my guests get a better vacation experience because of the seamless guest journey. This in turn provides me with positive reviews which in turn has a positive effect on bookings.
Would you advise similar entrepreneurs to work with Booking Experts?
Absolutely! Especially as a small business, you benefit from the efficiency. Booking Experts really feels like an extra employee to me. The community is also valuable. Through events and training you get to know other entrepreneurs and you get access to a team that thinks along with you. Their support staff are actually consultants: they really give advice. And what I find perhaps most important: even as a small company you are taken seriously. You don't do it alone, you do it together. I would definitely recommend Booking Experts to small business owners, it's definitely not a cost but a growth accelerator.
Are you curious what Booking Experts can do for you? Schedule an introduction!
