Is it my imagination or has the number of new UK being added slowed down or as we’re getting into main holiday season the majority will have been already added? Was also starting to look at potential xmas sits but very little on at the moment- maybe a bit too early?
Too early for many hosts to list. Two or three months ahead is when many tend to post their sits. Alternatively, you could stay in touch with previous hosts and ask whether they’ll want a sitter. Or if there are particular places you want to go, you could apply for a sit that’s earlier and ask whether they’ll want a sitter; in that case, tell them you’re applying and will cancel the earlier application (because that’s how you can contact hosts you’ve never sat for before) and do that. (With this approach, personally, I’d only do it for sits that aren’t in popular locations.)
I did the latter for a location I wanted to visit — told the hosts that the sit I applied for wasn’t one I could actually do and I’d withdraw my application immediately, but I was applying to see whether they’d have trips later in the year and consider me for sitting. They ended up not only offering me a sit, but also later asked if I wanted other sits as they added trips or considered adding them.
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Hi @ChristineB
Apart from the odd listing it’s far too early for most HO’s to list Xmas dates. Many won’t list until October, November or even beginning December.
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I think it depends where you’re looking for.
We are completely booked for this year and our Christmas sit in Spain is booked. The bookings for next Easter and beyond are already coming in. We sit mostly in the south of England, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset. There are lots of sits still looking for their first application. It’s definitely a hot spot
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Thanks for your answer. I’ve liked a few to get alerts on future sits but guess I just need to be a bit more patient for those xmas listings!
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Hope you get the sit(s) you want!
Personally, I don’t sit during year-end holidays, but last year a host in Glasgow posted a sit for right between U.S. Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it worked out perfectly for me. And she didn’t post that sit till early November.
I loved the dog and Glasgow, as well as Edinburgh, where I did nonsit sightseeing before doing the sit in Glasgow. I’ve let her know that I’d love to repeat that sit if she travels again during that time frame. Meanwhile, she’s offered me two other sits, but unfortunately I’m not available.
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Thanks for replying. It sounds like I need to be a bit more patient.
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Hi @ChristineB, I’ve a saved search for Dec 21st to Jan 4th, dogs & cats and get alerts for about 1 listing a day. I’ve not counted but I guess I’ve got over 30 sits listed.
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I have saved a search for the period - there is probably more than it feels - as nothing has caught me eye.
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I’ve got a saved search worldwide for Jan 8-31st and mostly the listings are in the UK or USA and Canada.
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Btw @ChristineB if you’re not too fussy about where you sit in the UK over Xmas then there’s usually more HO’s looking for sitters then sitters for Xmas sits. I’ve been approached multiple times on THS to sit in the UK during this period even though I don’t do sits over Xmas due to family commitments.
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Just aside from Christmas sits, I do also agree that there seem to be fewer new listings at the moment (and I’m not looking at the UK but another country which usually is one of the active ones). A few months ago I would wake up to a bunch of alerts over night and also receive them consistently throughout the day. Now I might see none in a 24 hr period. I assume there will be some people who either are skipping travel this year for financial reasons or maybe because of the various other things going on at the moment globally.
It’s a shame THS doesn’t provide any year on year insights because it would be fascinating whether it is just a figment of ones imagination or not and could also help with planning eg if it actually is always quiet at this time of the year one would know to plan ahead and book some things earlier for certain months.
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We’ve noticed thst there seems to be fewer summer sits in both France and the UK this year. As you say, maybe it’s the economy?
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We are a bit picky over where so it’ll be interesting if anything pops up nearer the time.
Interesting- thanks for replying.
Thanks for replying. It’s very helpful to have other more experienced sitters insights.