Fast growing holiday cottage agency has reached 100 holiday cottages landmark

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) June 20, 2010 -- The four year old business is owned and run by Alex and Naomi Tarry who live in Aldeburgh, Suffolk and run the business from nearby Badingham. From humble beginnings, they launched the business in 2006 with a portfolio of six holiday cottages, two of which the couple own themselves. Right from the beginning the couple focused on stylish and inspiring places to stay, filling a gap in the market place for boutique self-catering.

With no traditional brochure, Alex and Naomi have concentrated their growth on internet marketing. Key to this is a lively Social Networking focus which sees the business regularly recommended Twitter, Facebook and their own Best of Suffolk Blog.

Alex Tarry says: "When we launched the business, self-catering in Suffolk was a sleepy industry: standards and styles of accommodation had changed little in 20 years and the industry wasn't keeping up with the changing marketplace of rising expectations. We were determined to offer visitors something better - inspiring places to stay that they'll want to keep coming back to.

"Our customers do much of our marketing for us - recommending us to their family and friends, through traditional routes but increasingly through social networking sites such as Facebook, Blogs and Twitter. These endorsements are far more valuable to us than traditional advertising. By focusing on giving our guests a really great experience on holiday they are rewarding us with recommendations and loyalty."

The business has doubled in size every year, growing from 6 to 13 holiday cottages in the first 12 months, rising to 35 in year 2, 70 by year 3, and now just over 100 their 4th year. The business will officially be 4 years old on 2nd August 2010.

Alex and Naomi are ambitious for the business and this summer are launching a second brand, Best Escapes - www.best-escapes.com. Best Escapes will market upmarket holiday cottages in any location anywhere in the UK with two common links that bind them all - stylish inspiring interiors in excellent locations. The website already has eight properties on it, ranging from properties with breath-taking sea views in St Ives in Cornwall, to chic countryside cottages in Norfolk.

The couple own a good proportion of the holiday cottages marketed by their brands. This has enabled them to give practical advice to people who are renovating investment holiday cottages, helping them to ensure that they are spending their investment money wisely on the things that will attract high numbers of holiday cottage guests.

Alex and Naomi Tarry both left corporate jobs to run Best of Suffolk four years ago. Alex worked for several years in marketing for NatWest in London where he launched their online banking and premium telephone banking services before running their biggest ever marketing campaign to return the bank to its leading position in the student marketplace in 1997. He was then approached by BT and took on a number of senior marketing and sales roles, which eventually brought him back to Suffolk in 2001. He has also found time to complete over 30 property developments, including The Workshop, Lime Tree Farm and Sandpiper Cottage (see www.bestofsuffolk.co.uk/press.asp).

Naomi previously enjoyed a career in PR and Government. Her highlights included organising Tony Blair's Essex press conference during the Foot and Mouth Crisis whilst working as Senior Press Officer for the Government; and working with David Attenborough to promote the BBC One TV series The Life of Mammals whilst at the BBC for six years. Prior to this she spent several years working in the Private Offices of Government Ministers, including as Assistant Private Secretary to various Education Ministers.

Alex says that investing at the top end of the market makes good financial sense: "Research carried out by East of England Tourism shows that holiday accommodation at the very top end and the budget ends of the market is thriving, whilst those in the middle performing much less well. We know that the expectations of our holiday cottage guests are high and we're rising to meet that challenge and enjoying every minute!"

See for yourself by visiting www.bestofsuffolk.co.uk.

[ENDS]

Notes to Editors:

1. For more details please contact Naomi Tarry on 01728 638962, naomi@bestofsuffolk.co.uk
2. High resolution photos of both the holiday cottages and Alex and Naomi Tarry are available on request.