Cairns

[Greg85]

Hi Cairnsians - is it just me, or have other hosts in this region noticed that guest bookings drop off severely from October onwards? Would reducing my prices help, or is there just too much competition from the many hotels in the region? Cheers. Greg.

[Cathie19]

Hi @Greg85. Not  a Cairnsian, but a North Australian in Darwin. 

Problems maybe  similar here. The tourists have left town and the business ready guest use inner city dwellings, many of them commercial- which are impossible to compete against. I won’t make a bed or clean the space at an equal price. My utilities would be given away for freeeeeeeee!  Lol - seriously.

I just discounted my pricing and had a nice couple stay who absolutely loved the space but couldn’t find the time to complete the lengthy review system.... again!

I also just knocked back a “verified” guest who has had no reviews in 12 months (red flag) The only verification is an email address  ( red flag), no profile (red flag) and no facial image - it’s deliberately obscured. (Red flag). My space can  cater for 4 adults plus infant.. 

The guest was coming alone, (red flag) and didn’t agree to my house rules (red flag) or address his one liner question to me using my Christian name. (Red flag), oh... & lives locally... ( BIG red flag)

So the old saying... “Better an empty house than a bad tenant” screams in my head. 

DISCOUNT  if you want, but BEWARE it changes the clientele, and maybe their interest in the Airbnb community ways.

[Pip6]

Hi @Greg85 and @Cathie19

Yes Greg, I have 2 apts in palm cove and it's looking pretty disasterous for forward bookings.

I've been running my apartments for 7 years in Palm Cove and haven't experienced anything like it (Had 1 apt in Darwin prior to this)..

I get the monthly tourism stats and they're showing around a 7% decline (Sept & Oct) in flight arrivals.

So this decline certainly is showing up in the figures.

I am currently offering  about $60 a night less than usual, but up to $100 or more at times.

This is not good news.

I got a last minute booking a week ago for my 1 brm apartment, at $65 a night less than normal.

Cathie I was in Darwin 2 weeks ago   (2 nts) and it was dead, so seems your experiencing something similar.

Let's keep in touch.

Cheers

Pip

[Greg85]

Thanks Pip and Cathie - it's nice to hear from fellow Northern Australians. We are all as crazy as one another! I shall stay in touch. Re the occupancy rates, this is my second year hosting and I can see a pattern emerging here  per tourist numbers during the silly season.  Fortunately the hosting gig is a sideline so it's not the end of the world when we don't have guests. 

Have a  great chrissie and NY.

Cheers,

Greg

[Adrian2797]

Hi all, I note these posts were all in 2018, pre COVID. I have an apartment on the esplanade that I an considering airbnbing. Can you recommend any services that can do the cleaning and meet and great as I will be an absentee 'landlord'.  Cheers

[Gillian166]

@Adrian2797  you might have better luck in a local FNQ ABB fb group.  It doesn't appear that Greg is hosting anymore.