Amenities recommended activities and partnerships

[Luke763]

Hello,

I hope this topic or question is allowed as I truly am just looking for input from other hosts.  We have a small motel, a couple of newer vacation cottages and a houseboat that we are about to make available in an upper Midwest lake vacation area.  Our primary business, however is boat and pontoon rentals and we operate in many northern lake destinations.  From experience with hosts in the past as a guest, and when planning our property offerings,  as well as from conversations with potential guests regarding lake home rentals and vacations, boat/pontoon inclusion or rental availability is a common consideration.  Including, packaging, or adding on a boat rental will be easy for our properties and we currently work with a handful of hosts or property owners to provide (at our marina locations as well as delivery) daily or extended vacation boat rentals. Certainly we would like to develop our program and partnerships further but my questions are also more broad.

Regarding host recommended activities, attractions, restaurants, outfitters, bike rentals and in my case boat rentals, what types of partnership programs have you seen, if any?  Can and are these a source of additional revenue and what would make a program attractive to you as a host?  Is packaging services or activities with a booking something that works?  Is it a competitive advantage for resorts and hotels if they offer more activities or equipment rental options?  What range of guest discounts and or host referral fees or commissions are typical?

Thank you in advance for any input or advice.

[Chippy3 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Luke763 Your approach of integrating boat and pontoon rentals with vacation stays is a smart move, especially in a lake vacation destination. Here are some insights based on what successful hosts and property managers have done:

1. Partnership Models for Activities & Rentals

• Commission-Based Referrals – Many hosts partner with local businesses (bike rentals, outfitters, boat rentals, etc.) and receive a 10-20% commission per referral. Airbnb’s Experiences program is another way to formalize this.
• Exclusive Guest Discounts – Offering guests a special discount (e.g., 10-15% off rentals) can increase conversions while providing a competitive edge.
• Bundled Packages – Some resorts and vacation rentals successfully include rentals in their pricing (e.g., “Stay & Play” packages with a kayak or pontoon included for a set number of hours).

1. Benefits of Offering Rental Add-Ons

• Higher Booking Appeal – Listings that offer unique amenities like boats or adventure packages tend to attract more guests.
• Upsell Opportunities – Even if boat rentals aren’t included by default, presenting them as an easy add-on during booking or check-in can significantly increase revenue.
• Longer Stays & Repeat Guests – Providing an all-in-one vacation experience encourages longer bookings and positive guest reviews.

1. Making the Program Attractive to Hosts

• Seamless Booking & Payment Integration – Hosts prefer partnerships where guests can book services easily, whether through a direct link, a discount code, or concierge service.
• Hassle-Free Management – A simple referral system where hosts don't need to handle logistics (i.e., just provide a code/link) is ideal.

1. Competitive Advantage

• Resorts and hotels often stand out by offering onsite activities and exclusive partnerships. Providing a full vacation experience with easy access to rentals can make a property more appealing than competitors.

If you're looking to expand partnerships, reaching out to hosts with a structured revenue-sharing proposal could help grow your program.