Airbnb Bookings Hack: Get 20% More Bookings Starting Today

Airbnb Bookings Hack: I’m in many Facebook and LinkedIn groups for Airbnb hosts and vacation rental managers, and I’m seeing many people complaining about a lack of bookings.

To be honest, I’m not surprised.

Supply is outstripping demand. The number of listings just keeps on growing. Here at HiChee, we collate all of Airbnb’s, Booking.com’s, and Vrbo’s listings. As of today, those 3 companies have 14,695,254 short-term rental listings between them.

This number is increasing by around 4,000 listings a day!

With such fierce competition, it’s no surprise that getting bookings is becoming more and more of a lottery.

In this article, I will show you how to get more bookings at the click of a button. Today!

This really works, so read on…

Before we start…

Because getting bookings has become a lottery, I asked ChatGPT a question…

Please give me some advice as to what numbers to pick, so I will increase my chances of winning the lottery.

Here are a couple of ChatGPT’s suggestions…

Avoid Common Numbers: Some players avoid commonly played numbers, like those related to birthdays (1 through 31). Choosing numbers above 31 might reduce the likelihood of sharing a jackpot if you win, as many people use birth dates for their picks.

Play Less Popular Games: Opting for less popular lottery games with fewer players can increase your chances of winning. These games might have lower jackpots but better odds.

I’ll come back to these answers. As you’ll see, they will come in very handy.

Not all listings are equal. 

When it comes to the lottery, every number has an equal chance of being drawn, but this isn’t the case when it comes to people selecting a property and booking it.

Photographs

Some listings have better photos than others. If your competition has better photos than you, your competition will get more bookings than you. This is Bookings 101, serve up better images, and you will get more bookings.

Badges

Some listings are badged ‘SuperHost’, ‘Premier Host’, or ‘Guest Favorite,’ and these listings are shown to potential guests more often than those without these badges. Airbnb themselves say that Superhosts earn 64% more than what they call ‘regular’ hosts. 

What Airbnb don’t mention, but needs bearing in mind, is that Airbnb also makes 64% more from Superhosts than regular hosts. 

Imagine that the lottery operated a system where some people were likelier to win than others. 

There would be uproar.

Filters

Potential guests can and do, filter their searches. Commonly used filters include private pool, hot tub, pet-friendly, EV charging, etc.

By providing these things (where possible), your listing will get more targeted exposure.

Here’s the key…

Increasing the odds of getting more bookings?

We need to take some of ChatGPT’s advice on winning the lottery…

We can, 

Avoid Common Numbers:

In our case, common numbers would be ‘Apartment in Panama City Beach,’ or ‘Cabin in The Smokey Mountains’, or ‘Villa with pool in Kissimmee’.

Anything generic drops your listing into the pack of other generic listings. And there are millions of those.

Play Less Popular Games:

When it comes to short-term rentals, less popular games would be ‘Pet-friendly home in Panama City Beach,’ ‘Romantic cabin in The Smokey Mountains’, or ‘Harry Potter-themed Airbnb in Kissimmee.’

These options remove you from the generic crowd and put you into smaller markets with less competition.

In short, we can go niche.

The term niche is almost made for the short-term rental industry as it’s the Latin word for nest. It is an environment that creates the best outcomes for your Ideal Customers, as well as the highest net profit for you.

niche

noun

a specialized market segment for a particular kind of product or service

adjective

denoting products, services, or interests that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population

Why go niche? Why play less popular games?

1. We reduce competition
2. In a segment with strong market demand
3. We solve a practical need
4. With a higher profit potential

So, here’s the hack: Pets or no pets?

In many ways, the pet-friendly niche is the easiest niche to enter. There’s little to no start-up cost; better still, pet-friendly vacation homeowners can charge a premium of 10% to 30% above the average rent in a specific area.

Pet ownership data shows pet industry expenditure in the United States reached over 126 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. In 2020, some 70 percent of American households owned one or more pets, in comparison to 56 percent way back in 1988.

These figures are pretty healthy across the world. And they went up during Covid. 57% of UK households own a cat or a dog, 44% of Spanish households own a cat or a dog, and 55% of French households own a cat or a dog.

97% of pet owners consider their pets to be a part of their family

But, here’s the kicker – 52% of pet owners travel with their pets.

So, in the US, around 35% of guests travel with their pets. If you aren’t running a pet-friendly rental, you are refusing bookings from over a third of the market.

Overall, only 28% of Airbnbs are pet-friendly. In some locations, this percentage is much lower.

So, just by clicking a button in your Airbnb (or Vrbo) dashboard, you can increase guest reach by a whopping 35%.

Pros of becoming pet-friendly

What do you need to do to become pet-friendly?

The pet-friendly niche is possibly the easiest niche to enter. There’s little to no start-up cost; better still, pet-friendly vacation homeowners can charge a premium of 20% to 30% above the average rent in a specific area.

Fenced gardens or yards

This will depend on your individual property, and although not essential, it could sway more potential guests to book with you if your property is fenced, especially if you are near a busy road.

Pet beds

Again, this isn’t essential, as many pet owners will bring their own pet beds, but if you do provide one, it shows that you have gone the extra mile. This could be appreciated if you are in a fly-to destination. In any case, a pet bed for a large dog is less than $50.

Pet blankets

Providing pet blankets is a win in two ways. Pets like sitting on blankets, but better still, pet blankets will protect your furniture.

Welcome gifts

Providing pet treats on arrival will go down a storm with the guests and the pets themselves. I’m sure that some pet waste bags would also be appreciated.

Walking trails

Adding some recommended walking trails to your digital guide or house book would show that you have considered guest pets and their owners.

Pet-sitting services

There may be times when the guests want to visit venues where pets aren’t allowed. Putting together a short list of local pet sitters will give the guests added peace of mind.

Our pets loved their stay

Doing some or all of the above will help get great reviews from guests traveling with their pets. This will lead to more bookings from guests traveling with their four-legged friends, and great reviews.

Things to bear in mind

Transitioning to a pet-friendly Airbnb can significantly increase your property’s appeal to a broader audience, including travelers who wish to bring their furry friends along.

However, there are reasons why you might face challenges or decide against becoming pet-friendly:

Homeowners Associations

Some properties, especially those in apartment buildings or communities with strict HOA (Homeowners Association) rules, may prohibit pets altogether.

Allergies

One of the biggest objections I see from anti-pet-friendly hosts is that future guests may have allergies to pet hair or dander (dead skin cells). One could argue that maintaining a pet-free environment ensures that your property is accessible to guests with these sensitivities.

According to the Asthma and Allergies Association, between 10 and 20 percent of the population have allergies to cats and dogs. Hence, the booking gains from pet-owning guests outweigh the losses from guests allergic to pets.

Additional Maintenance and Cleaning

Pets will leave behind hair and odors and sometimes cause damage to furniture or decor. This requires more cleaning and maintenance to ensure the space is pristine for the next guests.

Insurance and Liability Issues

Allowing pets may well increase your liability and possibly your insurance premiums. Pets can potentially injure themselves or others or cause property damage, leading to complex liability issues. This needs bearing in mind.

To maximize the potential increase in bookings:

Market Your Property

Clearly state in your listing that you’re pet-friendly and highlight any pet-specific amenities you offer, such as bowls, beds, or a fenced yard.

Set Clear Policies

Have a clear pet policy regarding the size, number, and type of pets allowed, and communicate any extra fees upfront.

Prepare Your Property

Ensure your property is equipped to handle pets, considering durable furnishings and easy-to-clean surfaces.

Ultimately, becoming pet-friendly is a strategic decision that should align with your business goals, target market, and personal preferences regarding pet accommodation.

Conclusion

The specific percentage increase in bookings you could expect by becoming pet-friendly depends on all sorts of factors, including your location, the demand for pet-friendly accommodation in your area, the type of property you have, and the overall competition.

However, becoming pet-friendly can significantly broaden your market reach and appeal, as a notable portion of travelers prefer or need to travel with their pets.

Now I know that this isn’t for everybody. Some hosts will just look at the idea of becoming pet-friendly and just say a flat-out NO!

But times have changed. Bookings are becoming harder to come by. It’s more of a lottery than it ever has been.

I’m not here to tell individual hosts and property managers what to do. I’m just proposing that you give this some thought. After all, more bookings at a higher rate deserve some serious consideration.

What are your thoughts? Tell us what you think in the comments.