Elk Springs Resort: Leveraging Whimstay to Optimize Last-Minute Bookings and Revenue

Elk Springs Resort, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, under the leadership of Managing Partner Andy Gladstein, has significantly improved its last-minute booking strategy through a strategic partnership with Whimstay. This case study examines how this established property management company with 19 years of experience using Escapia was able to address specific distribution challenges and achieve measurable revenue growth through this partnership.

Company Background

Elk Springs Resort is a well-established property management company with nearly two decades of experience in the vacation rental industry. As an early adopter of the Escapia property management system, the resort has built its operations on a solid technological foundation, allowing it to focus on strategic growth and optimization opportunities.

Challenge

Despite having a robust property management infrastructure and established distribution channels, Elk Springs Resort identified a critical gap in their strategy:

“We did not have a good last-minute channel offering to augment our last-minute booking strategy.”

– Andy Gladstein, Managing Partner, Elk Springs Resort

This challenge represented a significant opportunity cost, as properties that remained vacant on short notice constituted potential revenue that was consistently being left unrealized.

Solution: Partnership with Whimstay

Seeking to address this specific distribution gap, Elk Springs Resort partnered with Whimstay, a platform specializing in last-minute vacation rental bookings. The integration between Whimstay and Elk Springs Resort’s existing Escapia system was described by Gladstein as “tight and flawless,” facilitating a seamless implementation process.

Key Results

The partnership with Whimstay delivered concrete, measurable improvements:

1. Increased Booking Volume: Approximately 51 additional reservations were secured that would have otherwise remained vacant
2. Revenue Growth: Over $25,000 in incremental revenue was generated
3. Enhanced Distribution: Improved visibility on Google Maps, expanding the resort’s digital footprint
4. Complementary Channel Strategy: Successfully augmented existing distribution channels without cannibalization

Implementation Details:

The integration between Escapia and Whimstay played a crucial role in the success of this partnership. As Gladstein notes, Escapia has been fundamental to their business operations:

“Escapia is an elite property management software which equips our teams to effectively manage and market our properties while easily handling accounting and compliance.”

The integration between Escapia and Whimstay meant that Elk Springs Resort could implement this new last-minute booking strategy without disrupting their established workflows or creating additional operational complexity.

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