Uncategorised – Hamptons on the Bay Holiday Accommodation Rocky Hills Swansea East Coast Tasmania 7190 https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au Luxury Holiday House and Superior Cabin Accommodation in Rocky Hills, Swansea for families, couples and small groups visiting the East Coast of Tasmania Fri, 09 Apr 2021 08:43:39 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.15 https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/cropped-IMG_6961-1-32x32.jpg Uncategorised – Hamptons on the Bay Holiday Accommodation Rocky Hills Swansea East Coast Tasmania 7190 https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au 32 32 Booking.com Award 2018 https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2019/01/21/booking-com-award-2018/ https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2019/01/21/booking-com-award-2018/#respond Mon, 21 Jan 2019 06:12:12 +0000 https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/?p=858 https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2019/01/21/booking-com-award-2018/feed/ 0 Luxury Travel Guide 2017 Award https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2017/06/06/luxury-travel-guide-2017-award/ https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2017/06/06/luxury-travel-guide-2017-award/#respond Tue, 06 Jun 2017 07:18:22 +0000 http://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/?p=732 Luxury Travel Guide – Asia & Australasia Awards 2017

Hamptons on the Bay is very pleased to announce that they were independently nominated and were successful in winning the award for: Luxury Villa of the Year – Tasmania – AUSTRALIA for the 3 Bedroom House located in Rocky Hills – Swansea region on the East Coast of Tasmania.

In conferring the 3 Bedroom House at Hamptons on the Bay with its prestigious award, the LTG had this to say:

“The Luxury Travel Guide Awards represent the pinnacle of hospitality achievement, championing the best in their respective fields; therefore to come out on top is truly an achievement you should be proud of.

We are delighted to pay tribute to and commend all those who have excelled in the industry. This year has seen an unprecedented number of shortlisted companies, providing strong competition in every category.

All winners of the Luxury Travel Guide Awards are subject to the same rigorous assessment criteria, carried out by our in-house professionals. This ensures only the most deserving firms and individuals walk away with one of these prestigious accolades and gain a place in our awards winners’ guide, which will be distributed to over 500,000 professional & affluent people worldwide.  We have a massive sponsorship deal with Aspire so the guide will be found in airport lounges worldwide, as well as on cruise ships, a further 10,000 hotels, holiday specialists and tour providers.”

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Support Australian Made or Owned https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/10/14/support-australian-made-or-owned/ https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/10/14/support-australian-made-or-owned/#respond Fri, 14 Oct 2016 09:05:39 +0000 http://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/?p=460 A lot of attention has recently been given to foreign owned companies that sell services into Australia who end up paying little or no tax from income derived through the Australian economy.  The figures reported in mainstream media are staggering.

It is the case that many businesses legitimately structure their operations to minimise their taxation obligations and no issue is taken with those strategies.  However, even when online travel agents (“OTAs”) (foreign or local) are legitimately operating within the rules, there are some less obvious outcomes that often have a direct impact on the bottom line of mum and dad operators whose services or products are being offered and sold through OTAs. Especially so, if the OTAs are not registered for GST in Australia.

It is common for OTAs to charge commissions of anywhere between 6% and 20% of an accommodation provider’s gross nightly room rate.

Whilst accommodation providers rely heavily on OTAs to engage and attract customers, the combination of:

  • foreign non-resident OTAs, with limited operations in Australia; and
  • those entities not being registered for GST in Australia,

can have a significant impact on a small business’s cash flow and margins.

Why an OTA being registered for GST matters

Let’s start by looking at some of the basics:

–       generally, OTA commissions are calculated on the gross room rate per night.  Where a room is sold for $250.00 per night, the OTA earns anywhere between $15.00 (6%) and $50.00 (20%);

–       accommodation providers must remit to the Australian Taxation Office 1/11th of the $250.00 per night room rate as GST.  This GST goes to the benefit all Australians;

–       an OTA that is outside of Australia and not registered for GST, means that the accommodation provider is unable to claim back an input tax credit on the commission paid;

–       if an OTA is registered for GST in Australia, an accommodation provider may, generally, claim back an input tax credit of 1/11th of the commission.

On a per night basis, the input tax credit based on a:

–       12% commission of $30.00, equates to $2.73; or

–       15% commission of $37.50, equates to $3.41.

Whilst these amounts may seem insignificant, the table below shows how a small input tax credit may translate into the difference between a business breaking even or suffering a substantial loss.

Colum 1 Colum 2 Colum 3 Colum 4 Colum 5 Colum 6 Colum 7
 Assumptions Direct Sale no discount Direct Sale Discount offered to Guest Australian Owned OTA registered for GST Foreign Owned OTA not registered for GST Australian Owned registered for GST Foreign Owned OTA not registered for GST
Commission payable/discount offered 0% 5% 12% 12% 15% 15%
Sales method 100% Direct 100% Direct with discount 100% OTA 100% OTA 100% OTA 100% OTA
Total Available Nights 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000
Gross Room Rate $250.00 $250.00 $250.00 $250.00 $250.00 $250.00
Commission paid to OTA or discount to customer $0.00 $12.50 $30.00 $30.00 $37.50 $37.50
Room Rate Nett of Commission $250.00 $237.50 $220.00 $220.00 $212.50 $212.50
GST on Gross Room Rate $22.73 $22.73 $22.73 $22.73 $22.73 $22.73
Room Rate Nett of Commission and GST $227.27 $214.77 $197.27 $197.27 $189.77 $189.77
GST – Input Credit $0.00 $0.00 $2.73 $0.00 $3.41 $0.00
Cost of Opening Room $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 $200.00 $200.00
Gross Profit/Loss per room $27.27 $14.77 $0.00 -$2.73 -$6.82 -$10.23
Annual Profit/Loss $54,545.45 $29,545.45 $0.00 -$ 5,454.55 -$13,636.36 -$20,454.55
Outcome Profit Profit Base Case – Break Even Loss Loss Loss

If the example in column 4, OTA registered for GST in Australia (12% commission), is taken as the base case and represents a break-even scenario, the impact of being unable to recover just $2.73 on all room nights sold (with all other things being equal) translates to a $5,454.55 loss (see column 5).  The potential loss is amplified as the commission rate rises to 15% and the differential between an OTA that is registered or not registered for GST increases to $6,818.18 (columns 6-7).

The figures used in the example are to demonstrate the potential effects that recovery/non-recovery of the GST input tax credit may have on the bottom line and does not take into account whether the pricing structure or margins are appropriate.  Further, it should be noted that most accommodation providers source their bookings through a combination of direct sales and OTAs.

Book direct or use an Australian based OTA who is registered for GST

The buy “Australian made” campaign applies equally to services such as accommodation.  Travellers wishing to support the local economy can:

–       significantly benefit local businesses;

–       ensure that more of their holiday dollars are retained in Australia; and

–       obtain at least equivalent rates and possibly lower rates directly from the accommodation provider,

by adopting a couple of basic strategies:

–       book directly with accommodation providers; or

–       purchase accommodation through an Australian based OTA who is registered for GST in Australia.

An accommodation provider who is on the ball should gladly share a portion of the commission that might otherwise be payable to an OTA, with a valued customer who books directly.  Note that some OTAs seek to limit the way in which accommodation providers may offer rooms at lower rates than those offered by an OTA.  Customers should walk-in, email or telephone the accommodation provider directly for the best rate.

By making these small changes, Australian holiday makers can significantly benefit the overall economy and convey a message to foreign companies that whilst their trade and services are welcome and valued, the Australian spirit of giving everyone a fair go is still alive and well.


Articles and information published on this website are general in nature and do not constitute advice of any kind.

The matters set out in the articles are the opinion of the author and do not reflect the opinions of the website owner.  The author and the website owner do not guarantee the accuracy of information on the website, including information provided by third parties, at any particular time.

The website owner and authors of articles published on the websites do not give any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of information which is contained in or on this website. Except insofar as any liability under statute cannot be excluded, the author and website owner and their directors, officers, employees, agents and contractors do not accept any liability for any error or omission on this website or for any resulting loss or damage suffered by a user of the website or recipient or any other person. Copyright of information provided on this website is owned by the individual authors or the website owners. You are not authorised to alter or modify this information in any way, including the removal of this copyright notice.

Users accessing the website must not rely on this information to make any business, legal, financial or investment decision and should seek their own legal, financial, taxation and accounting advice.

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Travellers should shop around for lowest price https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/10/04/travellers-should-shop-around-for-lowest-price/ https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/10/04/travellers-should-shop-around-for-lowest-price/#respond Tue, 04 Oct 2016 06:20:18 +0000 http://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/?p=294 On 2 September 2016, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission announced that it had entered into an agreement with 2 of the largest online travel agencies in the world. Under the agreement Booking.com and Expedia (including Wotif) have agreed to amend room price and availability parity clauses contained in their agreements with various Australian hotels and accommodation providers effective from 1 September 2016. In its media release, the ACCC noted that in the past:

“Parity clauses generally require accommodation providers to offer best price and availability to online travel sites. This guarantees the online travel site the accommodation provider’s lowest rate and prevents competitors and consumers from negotiating better deals directly with the provider.”

The ACCC noted that the benefit to travellers of the recent agreements is to remove the barriers to price competition between major online sites for hotel bookings. And “Australian accommodation providers will now be able to tailor their offers to better meet the needs of their customers and their own businesses requirements. They will now be able to offer lower rates through telephone bookings and walk-ins, offer special rates and deals to customer loyalty groups, in addition to offering deals via Expedia and Booking.com.”

But does the agreement struck by the ACCC go far enough to provide customers with the best deal or provide any tangible benefit to accommodation providers? An article on the website Travel Trends suggests that the industry doesn’t think so. In that article it was noted that:

“By far the biggest concern is that operators of accommodation businesses are prevented from advertising on their own websites a  lower room-rate than what these online travel agencies display.”

“The ACCC has seemingly overlooked the fact the internet is easily the number-one way consumers book accommodation.”

“Effectively, this means the online travel agencies can still dictate – from their offshore headquarters – to small motels in regional Australia what price they can charge for providing a service, when many of these accommodation businesses are struggling to be profitable.”

An article published on News.com.au notes that both France and Germany have recently outlawed the practice of online travel agents being able to dictate what hotels can and can’t do with their own room rates.

For the moment, the message for travellers in Australia is – email or telephone the accommodation provider directly to get the best rate.

http://www.traveltrends.biz/ttn555-hotelier-outrage-over-accc-rate-parity-agreement-with-booking-com-and-expedia

http://www.afr.com/news/accc-expedia-ruling-allows-hotels-to-reduce-rates-below-online-platforms-20160901-gr72x7

http://www.theshout.com.au/2016/09/05/article/ACCC-accommodation-agreement-slammed/PXBKHQQMXS.html

https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/expedia-and-bookingcom-agree-to-reinvigorate-price-competition-by-amending-contracts-with-australian-hotels

http://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/expedia-and-bookingscom-now-have-to-compete-on-hotel-rates-accc-20160902-gr749b.html

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/travellers-urged-to-shop-around-following-changes-to-online-hotel-room-bookings/news-story/941dc9fb5cb335c466e4350d0d5d1064

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-02/accc-expedia-bookingdotcom/7808780

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Swansea Region and History https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/09/25/swansea-region-and-history/ https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/09/25/swansea-region-and-history/#respond Sun, 25 Sep 2016 08:44:03 +0000 http://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/?p=263 Hamptons on the Bay is located just 12 km south of the historic town of Swansea and provides an excellent base from which to visit many tourist attractions on Tasmania’s East Coast.  If you’re interested in exploring Tasmania’s convict roots, Swansea is certainly a part of the story.

Being in the oldest rural municipality of Glamorgan, the township of Swansea, or Waterloo Point as it was known when first settled around 1821, is steeped in history. Several historically notable buildings including the 3 storey Morris’ Store (1834), the Swan Inn (1841), the Glamorgan Council Chambers (1860) and All Saints Church (1871) are all right in the centre of town.

Between 1835-45 convicts from the Rocky Hills Probation Station worked on the roads through the mountains to Avoca and south to Hobart. There are several notable structures including Spikey Bridge (previously known as La Farelle’s Bridge) and the Three-arches Bridge that can be seen near the Mayfield Conservation Area that were constructed by convicts and both are about a 5-minute drive from the Hamptons on the Bay property.

On the Hamptons property itself there is a culvert that was constructed by convicts using field stones similar to Spikey Bridge. Please visit the websites below for more information about Tasmania’s convict ancestry and history.

http://www.discovertasmania.com.au/home/local-tips/spikey-bridge

http://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/swansea-tas

http://ontheconvicttrail.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/the-spiky-bridge.html

http://www.glamorganhistory.org.au/

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Venue https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/07/29/venue/ https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/07/29/venue/#respond Fri, 29 Jul 2016 08:40:27 +0000 http://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/?p=195 Planning has commenced for a new venue for hosting events and gatherings.  Watch this space ]]> https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/07/29/venue/feed/ 0 Read Our Guest Comments https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/07/29/guest-comments/ https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/07/29/guest-comments/#respond Fri, 29 Jul 2016 05:09:32 +0000 http://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/?p=168 Please let us know how you enjoyed your stay.

 

These are some of the things guests have written.

 Awards and Certificates

  • Winner Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence 2016
  • Winner Tripadvisor Certificates of Excellence 2015
  • Winner Booking.com Award in 2016
  • Winner Booking.com Award in 2015
  • Winner Booking.com Award in 2014
  • Winner Trivago Award in 2017
  • Winner Hotelscombined.com Award 2015
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Upcoming Events https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/07/28/upcoming-events/ https://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/2016/07/28/upcoming-events/#respond Thu, 28 Jul 2016 13:19:24 +0000 http://www.hamptonsonthebay.com.au/?p=55 Please click on the Events & Retreats tab in the menu to view all upcoming Events

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