no bookings in december 2022. why not

[Gloria914]

i am a superhost in the adams point neighborhood in oakland, ca.  we have two private room listings.  since about october-november 2022, one of the rooms has been seldom booked, and for the month of december and beyond, we have but 1 weekend booking in january.  this seems odd, especially since it appears there isn't much competition in the immediate and surrounding areas.  all the booking settings are in order and we are reasonably priced.  is anyone else experiencing drastic declines in bookings?  any idea why and how that can be corrected?  i have the comparative listings features on, but i haven't received any communications about the listings that are getting booked.  i've spoken with airbnb staff and they have no answers beyond telling me my booking settings are fine.  any insights you can share would be much appreciated.  thank you in advance, and happy holidays to the community!

[Sudsrung0]

@Gloria914 

Nobody has the answer to your question,

Maybe the bubble has burst the airbnb party is over, 

Check to see what deals are on offer at hotels in your area, 

[Gloria914]

thanks, no hotel deals in my area

[Johannes336]

I have exactly the same problem. 

I am a Super host in Georgia and we try to get new guests but we haven't even inquiries from anyone! It's really weird. Even we tried to get guests with the lowest rates available for a luxury suite, but no one!  

[Sudsrung0]

@Johannes336 

You seem to mention "Prostitutes" a few time in your listing that might be putting people off, You are making it sound like it's a big problem.

Have you tired other platforms? 

[Johannes336]

Thanks for your comment. 

Sure it is a huge problem in Georgia because it is against the law as we are a strong Orthodox country and something like that is completely not tollerated. But maybe I can write it in a different way by using different words. Anyway thanks again for your preciouse advise. Have a nice day. 

Best Regards, 

Johan

**[Name hidden - Community Center Guidelines]

[Sudsrung0]

@Johannes336 

Have you tried booking.com? also agoda.com

[Rebecca1834]

My bookings have dried up too [and here's proof]

As a marketer as well as an Airbnb host, I keep copious notes, analytics, and screenshots to better understand what's working and what I need to work on.  

Quite a difference in views + income only one month (and a new algorithm change) apart [Nov 7 , 2022+ Dec 4, 2022].

And, no, I don't need to hear that I need to provide more service, care, or concern for my guests. My ratings and reviews speak for themselves.

AIRBNB: I need help!!  [and an explanation wouldn't hurt, either. This is beyond comprehension]

DECEMBER 4, 2022NOVEMBER 7, 2022

[Rebecca1834]

I can't see the December screenshot in my reply. So here it is again. Quite a decline.

December 4, 2022

[Helen3]

As a marketer you will know the starting point is market research to understand what drives demand with the type of guests you have identified as your target market. @Rebecca1834 

and that you should never just rely on one marketing channel ie Airbnb to promote your STR business 

airbnb analytics is just one part of the picture . 

do your market research and use your marketing skills to develop a marketing plan to identify the best channels and approaches to take and what sort of budget you need to set aside to support your marketing 

[Welcome-To-SD0]

I agree - we have noticed the exact same thing - we're SIGNIFICANTLY lower in bookings after their 'new and improved' upgrades and our Dec. 2022 bookings are dismal at best.  I called them and was given a non-answer.  So frustrating that they're not willing to assist or provide a valid reason.  My cases always get closed without resolution.

[Allen269]

I'm having the same issue here in Austin. I've been booked every weekend for the last 3 years but all of a sudden bookings this Winter have dried up. I've reduced my nightly price in half. I'm unsure what the issue is but I can't help to connect it with the new update. Possible factors:

1. People traveling less with economy woes

2. More listings in my area so increased competition*

3. Algorithm search issue with the Airbnb update

*I took a deep dive into this and there does appear to be a lot more listings in my area, mostly premium ones run by third party management companies. I'm guessing a lot more of investors/groups caught on and are throwing their hats in the ring.

I suggest a couple things:

1. Update/Add to your home to make it stand out from the rest. Something that catches the travelers eye like improved outdoor spaces, movie projectors, hot tub, fun paint and decor etc. 

2. Contact Airbnb to alert them of this trend. If it is a problem with the update and the search algorithm the only way they will adjust it is if the hosts make enough noise.

Best of luck to everyone. 

[Huma0]

---

@Allen269 wrote:

2. Contact Airbnb to alert them of this trend. If it is a problem with the update and the search algorithm the only way they will adjust it is if the hosts make enough noise.

---

@Allen269 hosts have already been making a huge amount of noise about this since May. Airbnb are well aware of how the changes to the algorithm have affected many of us. The question is, do they care?

I suspect the premium listings run by third parties are the ones that they actually care about.

[Scott62]

I do not believe this is a unique problem for any individual host or geographical area at the moment and does not appear to be limited to Airbnb. We are experiencing the same issue here in Rhode Island at all of our listings. I manage dozens of listings using a blend of booking sites such as Airbnb, VRBO, etc., in all of the high-demand tourist spots including Downtown Providence, Aquidneck Island and Narragansett. Nearly all of the calendars are below 30% occupancy this month with a few listings sitting empty. Granted, this is our off-peak season around here so traditionally our calendars are only full 50% of the time from November through February but we have never experienced a lull like we are having this year. 

I believe a large influx of new listings over the past couple years combined with a post-pandemic peak in travel demand from folks who were cooped up for too long is contributing to the lack of bookings. So many options for guests to choose from with less people taking trips at the moment. After all, most people are limited to the amount of vacation time they can take each year and the majority took as many trips as they could afford as soon as the world reopened. A down economy with high inflation is also not helpful.

When I first started in 2016 we only had a couple hundred listings in my entire State. Now there are thousands. The short-term rental business model is being pushed heavy on social media with the promise of huge income and is prompting individuals to believe they can simply buy any property and turn it into a goldmine. I can't even count how many adds I see nowadays trying to sell people on the concept of rental arbitrage. Combine this with a massive amount of new hotels that were constructed recently and lots of bad press for Airbnb, many folks are now favoring the traditional hotel experiencing and other booking sites over the Airbnb community . I do not believe this means Airbnb is dead, I just think it is in a temporary down cycle. 

I think the trick is to focus on filling our calendars using a diversified set of websites with the highest amount of occupancy and best rates during the peak season and staying patient and riding out the off season as best as possible. If your listings are of quality and are located in high-demand areas they will prevail over time. I don't believe that dropping your prices so low to catch any booking is wise as that attracts undesirable guests and leads to property damage and disasters. I also do not believe that this is something that Airbnb can help with. After all their business model is to get as many hosts as possible to join the community. Once the new inventory slows down or reduces I feel confident that things will return to normal.

Safe travels and happy holidays everyone!