If you are NOT SHOWING UP ON THE MAP you need to read this, especially if you are a home stay or B&B which typically has shorter stays and only advertise on Airbnb.

[Jenny212]

I could not understand why I was getting such low bookings when in previous years my bookings were very good with Airbnb, the rate of bookings was so low I would be lucky to hold on to my 'Superhost' status.

I could not understand why I wasn't showing up on the map, it has taken me over a week, many conversations and emails to actually get to the bottom of the reason.

I have two rooms iin a B&B and two rooms in another property. We are open until the beginning of Sept 2022 then we close for refurbishment.

Presently the B&B has 49 nights available from now until close and the other property 13 nights available.

When I searched for our properties without specfic date, which I do a lot when looking for a short break away, none of them were showing.

The reason is, unless you have 7 consecutive nights available you will not show on the map.

Despite the fact that I have in total 62 nights to sell in the next two months, Airbnb think it's not necessary to show my properties.

If you do have 7 consecutive nights, even though a guest has not put dates in the calendar, it will automatically put the dates in the search and give potential guests the price for those 7 nights.

Unless the potential guest actually clicks on your property and looks at the drop down calendar, they will not be aware of the other nights you have to sell.

Airbnb started of with homestays, not self-catering holiday, which is fine but do not penalise the homestays by making them disappear off the map.

I'm in the enviable position that I have a great location and these available nights will get booked via Expedia, Booking.com and Google so I'm not worried.

However, if you only advertise on Airbnb and are not aware of this you may struggle.

I'm so incensed by the brain that came up with idea I have removed these properties off Airbnb (I've kept my self-catering ones as they are fine).

If we, as owners have nights, to sell we should always show up on the map.

I suggest if you have ended up in the same situation as I, then you should advertise on booking.com and Expedia to ensure you can sell your one and two nights available.

Hope this helps.

Jenny 

[Emiel1]

@Jenny212 

The defaut setting of the search homepage is set to "flexible", "a week".

It means without choosing other parameters, the search results are according this setting.

Offcourse only for listings having min. 7 consecutive nights ( a week).

But guest can still do "normal" search, without entering specific dates.

Then the major problem is a bug: the system still takes a week as default lenght of stay.

It is shown by this default search without parameters (in your region):

https://www.airbnb.com/s/Poole--United-Kingdom/homes?map_toggle=true

Unfortunatelly also Airbnb widened the default search area AND shows more results then the previous limit (max. 300) it means a lot of listings will be down in the results list (compared to the "old" situation )

Your listings are still showing up (i tested it, even with "flexible'). But maybe not as high as before and not as easy to be found.

[Jenny212]

Hi Emiel

Sorry, are you saying there is a bug in the system?  Airbnb told me that this is now their search criteria.

You say you tested the search results and I'm showing - I think you found my self-catering house which does show.  You would not have found my B&B and other 2 rooms as I have now unlisted them.  I do not see the point in advertising them if they are not going to be seen.

In my area, there are not hundreds of properties so there is no reason why they can not all be seen.

A simple dot to show where properties are would allow more to be seen where there are many properties and then as guests zoom in the price could show.  I would assume that for most guests the main criteria they would use would be price.

Thanks for your reply.

Jenny