A Welsh holiday cottage company has recorded its most successful year to date securing over 20,000 bookings in 2021, covering over 20,000 weeks.

Family-owned Original Cottages – Wales Cottage Holidays national surge in staycations last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over the last 12 months, the business, which has five offices in Wales, took on an additional 274 new properties and recruited 11 staff, four of whom were recruited into brand new roles. The team also welcomes another four new starters due to join in February with another seven positions to be recruited throughout 2022.

With figures showing that domestic holidays are set to prevail in 2022, Original Cottages, which is set to celebrate its 30th anniversary this year, is planning further growth this year.

The team, led by regional manager Gareth Mahoney, plans to increase its property portfolio, strengthen brand awareness in Wales, enhance community engagement and support, increase its team and become a more eco-friendly company.

These plans which aim to bolster its five property brands situated across Wales include recruiting nine new staff in the first half of 2022, launching a new property management service, revamping its Mumbles office, as well as taking on new properties in Tenby, Saundersfoot, Aberscoch, Anglesey, New Quay, Aberdyfi and Brecon Beacons.

Reflecting on 2021, Gareth Mahoney, regional manager for Wales, said:

“We are incredibly proud of our achievements over the past year despite facing ever-changing rules and restrictions imposed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. We have continued to demonstrate a high level of quality through our properties and customer service, together with our national expertise and local knowledge which is what makes Original Cottages so unique.

“As we look towards the future, we plan to not only continue to enhance our property offering in Wales, but also create local jobs and enhance tourism within local communities by promoting Wales’ incredible tourism offering, helping everyone find the perfect holiday cottage for them.”

Original Cottages is a national holiday cottages company with a family of over twenty local agencies across England and Wales. Its current portfolio of brands in Wales includes its national umbrella arm ‘Wales Cottage Holidays’ which was founded in 1979 and hosts all properties on its website; premium, national brand ‘Best of Wales’ founded in 2009 which features 4 and 5* properties largely focused around Mid to North Wales; ‘Powells Cottage Holidays,’ founded in 1963 hosting properties around Pembrokeshire and West Wales; ‘Home from Home’ which was founded in 1972 and has properties in Swansea, Mumbles and Gower, as well as Cardiff and other places in South Wales; and finally, ‘Abersoch Holiday Homes’ which was bought by Original Cottages in 2016 and has properties in Abersoch and the Llyn Peninsula.