Calendar Management: How Far Ahead to Open Your Calendar

[Linda3345]

I'm new to hosting, doing well so far. I have not opened my calendar past the end of 2021 yet. Well, I guess I did, but I have January/February blocked for now. I'm feeling ready to start opening the calendar more. When is best to open the calendar for all of 2022? 

And if one is going to raise prices, like for summer of 2022, how large of a price rise is feasible/justifiable? We do have continued improvements we plan to make by summer 2022, with the idea of a little bit higher pricing. 

When do you all open your 2022 calendars for bookings?

Thanks.

[Linda3345]

By comps, I'm guessing you mean similar homes in my area?  How many other homes should I look at for comps?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Linda3345 we open our calendar 6 months ahead as we never know when we might want to stop hosting. It very much depends on your market. In some areas guests will want to rebook places for their next Summer holiday at the time they leave their current holiday (although why people put these repeat guests through Airbnb I don't know).

Regarding prices the market has been distorted by Covid. Will staycations continue next year at the rate they did this year? It may be that prices have to fall next year but no one really knows.

[Caroline1936]

Hi, we are very lucky as we have two caravans on the same site, one which we keep for ourselves and one which we rent out on Airbnb 100%.  I have opened up the calendar for what appears to be years and years.  The dates that are more than 18 months out are set at a minimum nightly rate just to encourage people to contact us with an offer of even a solid booking.

Apart from that, I find that other caravans of an equal quality are being priced extortionately high for all of 2022 and we just don't want to follow that track.

Between us we have tried to pitch the price at something that a family can afford, they will be happy, take good care of the caravan and come back again next year, a marketeers dream.

We agreed we are happier to have the caravan full all year for less money than have empty weeks which take any overall profit through the floor.

We will see if the plan works 🙂

Caroline

[Helen427]

@Linda3345, it all depends on one's own personal circumstances.

You can always block of family celebration, holidays away etc days and the like.

I find 3 months out suits my circumstances.

Think of where you want to be at that future times you are looking at.

All the Best

[Wende2]

@Linda3345   Hi......I just block days I know family or friends are visiting.  I don't feel the need to wait to open months, I'm not using the apt personally.  I have people book a yr in advance of 1 of 2 triathlons, those dates book the week after the triathlon.  Something else I don't do is raise the price for summer or events in the area, I'm happy with what I get.  I do know others raise the price significantly the 3 - 4 days people are here for those races.  Your place looks lovely, I'm sure you'll be booked up in no time.