Setting a fair holiday boarding price

Is it reasonable to charge a holiday surcharge for boarding pets? Hotels charge more during holidays. I want to be fair to my clients, but I also want my clients to be fair to us!

"Rather than charging a surcharge, we place a boarding minimum in effect for the days leading up to and immediately following all major holidays," says Dr. John Martin of Metairie Small Animal Hospital in New Orleans, winner of the Hospital of the Year award in Veterinary Economics 2004 Hospital Design Competition. The practice has 71 indoor boarding runs. "During these times, the minimum is four days of boarding," he says. "This seems to work out better, as our clients don't feel overcharged, and we can maximize our boarding income during the holidays."