In the ever-evolving of travel industry, home sharing platforms and vacation rental marketplaces are continuing to make their mark. While traditional resorts and hotels currently represent the U.S. travel industry's fastest-growing sector, they are now competing with these new platforms. Airbnb connects individuals to authentic travel experiences in 65,000 cities in over 191 countries. With a span like this, it comes as no surprise that a powerful international stream of travellers looks to this home sharing marketplace when making travel plans. Holiday rental platforms such as Homeaway have also amassed a loyal customer base, providing a selection of 2 million unique places to stay in vacation rental homes around the world.
Airbnb, VRBO and other vacation accommodation platforms are especially appealing to the millennial population, who tend to prioritize travel and favour adventure and novelty. According to a report by Airbnb, roughly 60% of all guests who have ever booked on their platform are millennials, and the number of millennials who have booked on Airbnb has grown over 120% in the past year. This massive demographic of travellers considers Airbnb to be a key player in the vacation accommodation game, preferring to live like locals and be immersed in their travel destination.
The vacation rental marketplace appears to be growing exponentially. According to a report by TripAdvisor, in 2014, 52% of US travellers planned to stay in a vacation rental in the next year. In 2015, that number grew to 59%. Of this number, almost all of the respondents indicated that they were more likely to book due to increased availability of online information.
Given the popularity and international scope of these home sharing and vacation rental platforms, it’s worth getting on the bandwagon! Jetstream is a revolutionary, all-in-one solution for increasing the reach and visibility online for resorts and boutique hotels. This distribution and channel marketing tech connects multi-unit inventory to the most active vacation rental marketplaces around the world (check out our How it works page to learn more).
On top of offering an excellent tech solution to promote our customers’ properties on Airbnb and other holiday rental platforms, Jetstream takes it a step further. Our optimization team ensures content accuracy, all the while pumping up content and image quality to make sure our customers’ listings really shine. We also provide round-the-clock reservation and account support, responding to all guest inquiries and providing fun suggestions and recommendations for their travels to your destination. Our goal is to deliver happy guests. And we are fully prepared to do so!
With our team taking care of increasing your reach, optimizing your listings, and assisting with guests, the question becomes: is your resort ready for the vacation rental marketplace?
4 Tips To Get Your Multi-Unit Resort Airbnb Ready
1) Follow your stomach.
According to an article by Tripping.com, 64% of travellers choose vacation homes for the kitchen! Travellers, especially those with dietary restrictions or specific preferences, are prioritizing the ability to cook their own meals. Budget-friendly travellers also enjoy the ability to cook meals, as opposed to eating out. Basic cooking amenities, and updated kitchen features and appliances are key!
2) Get on top of the extras.
Extra sofa beds, extra services, extra amenities. Our customers let us know about the extras and we make sure the content reflects it! Extra space and outdoor access are incredible perks that feature high on traveller check-lists. Also, sustainable travel is booming, so eco-friendly facilities are a definite advantage. But, this also means that we want to know about extra fees, extra taxes, the complete booking process, and any restrictions. We always want to ensure that guests are happy and fully-informed.
3) Bring on the dogs (and cats, and other pets).
An article on Airbnb states that 53% of travellers with pets like to travel with their pets. Our pet-friendly customers typically experience less competition, higher occupancy, and longer stays. Additionally, travellers with pets tend to be willing to pay higher rates for pet-friendly amenities or features. Make accommodation pet-friendly by purchasing a couple of indoor potty pads, re-arranging some of the more fragile items, and investing in a pet fence. As you delve into this growing market of travellers, the benefits of making your accommodation pet-friendly are worth it!
4) Let the personality SHINE.
A noted selling point of holiday vacation rentals comes in the form of their authentic and unique character! Airbnb’s 2018 Travel Predictions demonstrate that while most travellers are looking for a more traditional stay in a home or condo, other types of accommodation are becoming increasingly popular, from yurts to tree houses. Gone are the days when travellers were seeking exclusively impersonal and scripted settings. Now, the traveller market is searching for alternative accommodations with personality. These travellers want to be immersed in their destination, to enjoy the full experience. Investing in some personal touches could create the sort of lively and genuine atmosphere that these travellers crave.
Join the Jetstream and get your resort ready for the vacation rental marketplace! Schedule a call back by clicking here.
Photo by Simon Migaj on Unsplash
