What are your top strategies for maintaining high occupancy rates throughout the year?

[Daniel14106]

As Airbnb hosts, we all strive to keep our properties booked as much as possible. What strategies have you found effective in maintaining a high occupancy rate, especially during off-peak seasons? Whether it's offering special promotions, improving your listing's SEO, or enhancing guest experiences, I'd love to hear what works for you and any tips you might have for fellow hosts.

[Elisa3589]

@Daniel14106 There isn’t just one tip, there are a few combined that make a full occupancy rate. My rate is currently 98% and it would be 100% but I like to save a couple days per month for my own usage. 

1. Theme the decor of your flat. It must be cohesive and carefully curated. Eg. choose “French chic- coastal” and fill the house with only that interior styled furniture and decor. If your listing looks the same or similar to others, it won’t sell as often, your listing must be obviously different in the photos to attract sales. 
2. get professional photos taken, and show the photographer a good example of an Airbnb listing that already has amazing photo styling, so they know what to aim for. 
3. Make your listing pet friendly, there is a huge market of people who want to stay somewhere nice with pets. 
4. set the price in the mid-to-high range, but monitor what your competitors are pricing at. Don’t be the most expensive, don’t be the cheapest. 
5. Use instabook. move your base price up gradually by comparing listings of the same type and price point of your own. Stop when you notice sales slowing. 
6. if there is unsold nights, week before, move your nightly rate down to be in the lowest pricing range by comparing your rate. 
7. Remember, it’s better to sell all nights, even some at a small discount, rather letting unsold nights pass. 

[Robin4]

@Daniel14106 

There isn't a generic formula that gives your listing universal appeal. @Elisa3589  has given you some good tips and she has a high rate of bookings.

I to have averaged a high rate of bookings over the last 5 years. We have had 4 vacant nights since the start of October last year.......

And yet, with my hosting strategy, I would disagree with Elisa on every one of her tips.....

1.  My listing is an old building so, I furnish it to be as eclectic as possible! You can sit for hours taking in what you are seeing. No particular theme here.

2.  Professional photography is in many instances not real, It distorts room sizes and can give guests a false impression of what they will get. I Keep it genuine with good quality phone pictures which reflect my style.

3.  Since a guest brought along 2 Burnese Mountain dogs that absolutely destroyed our garden I do not automatically accept pets....

I do not advertise as pet friendly but I will accept a pet that I can assess it will not be a threat to my property.

4. I do not take any notice of market pricing or external pricing comparison software. I have a comprehensive spreadsheet which I regularly update, and I price to cover my costs and give myself the profit margin I require. That puts me at the lower end of the price scale but I don't get undesirable guests.

5.  I use IB but I do not alter my price. I consider it counterproductive to raise you price at times of high demand to simply give it back during periods of low demand. My Guests like consistency.

6. This is related to point 5, if by chance we do get an odd night not booked, I just relish having the day off, not try to chase another booking.

7.  50% of something is not better than 100% of nothing if you are simply trying to fill vacant nights. Many hosts are not aware of, or take into account all their costs in running an STR and are shocked to find out by chasing price they are actually losing money.

So, I am not saying I am right and Elisa is wrong, her hosting suits her situation, mine suits mine.

The best strategy I can offer Daniel, pick yourself a market that you wish to attract, Don't try to be all things to all people. My strategy to attract guests is....'A pit stop at the end of a days journey' where the guest can unwind in my garden with a cheese plate, quiet peaceful surroundings and a bottle of wine.....and I have a never ending supply of potential guests that want just that.

Do some research on what brings potential guests to your area through your local tourism centre and work out what aspects of your property will attract the guests you desire, be they business travelers, function visitors, young families, retired couples. Set your listing up to appeal to a particular group, and from my experience, with over 1,000 guest stay here over the last decade, it works!

Cheers.........Rob.

[Alex]

Hi @Daniel14106!

This is a great question! Many other members will be able to come to this post and get tips and advice from the answers. Have you checked the answers you’ve already received? There are a lot of valuable tips. 🌟

Kind regards, 

Alex