Wales Cottages, part of cottages.com, is delighted to announce that Luke Hansford has been appointed as its new Regional Sales Director for Wales.

Luke will oversee a five-strong team of Business Development Managers and a portfolio of over 1,700 rental properties in the country. Luke and his team will be responsible for driving recruitment and growth in Wales not just for cottages.com, but also its sister brands Welsh Country Cottages and Wales Cottages.

With its mix of beautiful landscapes and vibrant towns and cities, Wales is an important location for cottages.com. Bookings for luxury properties in Wales are up 11% year on year and areas like Gwynedd and Anglesey are experiencing growth of 38% and 15% respectively.  Demand for hot-tub properties in Wales is also on the increase with Pembrokeshire hot-tub bookings up 39% and Ceredigion bookings up 16% year on year.

Luke’s team is therefore on the lookout for high-end accommodations to add to the brand’s extensive portfolio, as well as providing support to existing property owners to help them to generate the highest possible revenue for their rental property.

Luke brings unrivalled experience of property letting from previous roles across Awaze UK’s portfolio of brands. He first joined cottages.com in 2012 as a Regional Manager before becoming a Development Manager for sister brand, Hoseasons Lodges and Parks, and then later, Landal GreenParks UK, which is also part of Awaze. As a result of his previous role, Luke played an integral part in the opening of five new Landal GreenParks locations in the UK.

Luke, who also plays Welsh Championship rugby for Newcastle Emlyn RFC, was born and raised in Pembroke, giving him a great understanding of Wales and its tourism hotspots.

“I am thrilled to be spearheading the business development, recruitment and investment for cottages.com across Wales,”

said Luke.

“Wales is a truly wonderful destination with something for everyone and I’m particularly keen to capitalizie on the demand for luxury properties, which continues to attract visitors from across the country. Standards of UK accommodation have improved so much over the last decade that holidaymakers are now actively seeking out luxury hassle-free short breaks closer to home. There’s a real opportunity for us here in Wales.”

Shelley D’Arcy, Vice President of Property Recruitment for cottages.com said:

“This is a really exciting time for cottages.com and we are delighted that Luke has ‘returned to his roots’ at cottages.com. His hard work, dedication and results across other roles within Awaze UK means that he is not only in a strong position to lead growth in Wales, but will undoubtedly provide astute business support and expert advice to local property owners and those considering holiday letting.”

Holiday-makers considering a holiday let, or property owners interested in making a better return on investment, are invited to get in touch with cottages.com or they can also visit Luke and his team at the cottages.com stand at the Pembrokeshire Show (13 – 14 August) or Anglesey Agricultural Show (13 – 14 August) this summer.