How to keep your vacation rentals full during low season this 2023

How to keep your vacation rentals full during low season in 2023

Vacation rentals are a great opportunity for you to make money and provide a memorable experience for your guests. But it can be difficult to keep your property full during low season, when there’s less activity and fewer guests in the area. Fortunately, there are plenty of things that you can do to increase bookings, fill up vacancy gaps and keep your vacation rental full throughout the year.

Tips to increase bookings during low season

We know that some seasons are more difficult than others in the Airbnb property management business, that’s why we want to offer you some tips that will help you to attract more clients to your vacation rentals during low seasons. Read on and find out more:

Consider including a flexible cancellation policy

You may be thinking that a cancellation policy will discourage people from booking, but this is not the case. A flexible cancellation policy can actually encourage more bookings than one without one. In fact, a study by HomeAway found that 84% of guests would like to have the option of canceling with no penalty if plans changed, and 75% said they would be more likely to book with a host offering flexible cancellation policies.

The bottom line? If you have no-shows or cancellations on your calendar frequently, then it’s time for you to consider including a cancellation policy in your listing — even if you don’t think it will help!

Offer discounts and other deals

In low season, offers are more than ever a great way to attract guests who may be looking for something cheaper. So you can offer specific, seasonally focused offers to increase bookings for your property, such as offering special seasonal rates, discounted rates for all bookings made between February and March. Other examples are to offer discounts when booking in advance, or according to the length of stay, for example, if they stay more than seven nights.

Add in-demand amenities for guests

To keep your vacation rentals full during the low season, it is important to have a good range of guest services to suit each season.

These services may vary depending on the area in which your business is located, for example, depending on the weather: if the weather is cold and snowy in the winter months, more indoor activities, such as board games and movies, may be in demand.

If one thing is clear, it is that customers want their stay to be as memorable as possible, so it is crucial to make efforts to add new services in order to have a complete and varied offer.

Give your property a boost on social media

Social media can help you to boost visibility and bookings. Use your social profiles to reach a wide audience. Advertise your properties through them and share all the necessary information with all those people who may be interested in staying there.

Build a community of guests who can recommend you to others, and vice versa.

Broaden your appeal to longer-term guests

Among the most common types of guests staying in vacation rental properties are business travelers and families. If your home is ideal for both groups, you can offer a discount to guests who, for example, stay for an extended period of time, such as three weeks. For example, AirBnB offers a 15% discount on weekly stays over $100 per night if the stay is 14 days or longer. They also have special rates available during peak season and weekends.

Other ways to entice long-term guests:

  • Offer an extra bedroom for family members staying with you (e.g., grandparents)
  • Offer a discounted rate for extended stays (e.g., 4-5 months)
  • Offer a discounted rate for those who bring pets with them

Look into special interest groups that might be interested in your area

If you are looking to attract more guests, consider special interest groups. There are so many different types of people out there and creating interest groups with similar hobbies can be a great way to attract more clients, offering the possibility of being part of groups that will be able to enjoy special offers and services.

For example, if your home is near an attraction, a local group may want to visit, so you can offer them free private tours. Also, you may consider offering discounts on activities such as hiking, fishing or boating depending on the location of your property.

Let Hostify help you

We hope you find these tips interesting and help you fill your vacation rentals during the off-season. It will take some time, but if you put in the hard work now and keep at it, you’ll soon find yourself with a full booking calendar all year long!

Discover Hostify and all the functionalities it offers to make your business grow! A complete property management system (PMS) for professional hosts. Streamline your vacation rental business by automating processes and synchronizing with many booking platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, HomeAway, Expedia, TripAdvisor, and many others.  

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Enjoyed this article?

Subscribe to our blog for more insights, tips, and exciting content!

Are you ready to grow your business with Hostify?

Start today risk-free. Cancel anytime.

Latest posts