Rachel and Richard Rice hosted guests via Home Hosting in 2019, and encourage other locals to sign up and help the festival.
With the Parkes Elvis Festival shaping up to be one of the biggest ever, the help of the community is needed to provide accommodation for the more than 24,000 visitors expected to attend.
Parkes accommodation providers are booked to capacity and with six months to go, the festival is already receiving an unprecedented volume of enquiries for alternative options.
“Home hosting is a great opportunity for festival fans to experience the welcoming community essence of Parkes,” said festival director Cathy Treasure. “What better way for locals to showcase their commu-nity spirit by opening their homes to new and potentially ongoing friendships for future festivals.”
Cathy said accommodation was the biggest challenge to the growth of the festival. “We are receiving calls every day from people wanting accommodation. Many attendees are feeling disappointed; they have attended our festival religiously for many years and are struggling to find a place to stay in 2022.”
Cathy said there were over 200 people currently on a waiting list with Ray White who needed a bed.
Ray White’s Home Hosting manager Gail Richardson urges homeowners to register early. “Fans want to know they have accommodation early.”
Rachel Rice first joined the Home Hosting program in 2019 to support the festival. “I found it very easy working with Ray White, and will definitely do it again.” She said the bonus was that the income they received helped to pay for the holiday they took when renting out their home.
“We urge anybody going away over the festival period or with a room to spare to consider the Home Hosting program so we can continue to take bookings,” said Gail. Ray White’s policies ensure that all homes have necessary contents insurance and are inspected for cleanliness, suitability, and comfort.
For those with reservations, Ray White works with homeowners to match suitable tenants to relevant households. With payment for Home Hosting debited into participants’ account before Christmas, the program offers homeowners an incentive of a bit of extra cash to cover the expenses of the festive season. If you are interested in the Home Hosting Program, you are invited to attend an information session at the Parkes Leagues Club on 14th July from 5-7pm. To register for the information session or for further information contact Gail on 6862 1900 or via elvis.parkes@raywhite.com.