How far into the future do you open your calendar for bookings?

[Chris1492]

So I'm making this post approx 2 months after opening my (first) listing (and I don't intend opening more). At the very start I had my calendar 'Booking Window' set as 'Unavailable by default'. I relaxed that as I gained bookings and experience.

Currently my 'Booking Window' is set to '3 months into the future'.

The other possible settings are:

1. 6 months out...
2. 9 months out...
3. 12 months out...
4. All future dates. 

I'm curious as to what other folks do - and why. 

Thanks for any thoughts, experiences and education you want to pass my way 🙂

Chris 

[Ricardo85]

@Chris1492

9 months

Ricardo

[Chris1492]

Thanks @Ricardo85, appreciate the input.

[Elena87]

@Chris1492

It really depends on who is likely to book your place and what the probable trends are going to be.

If you are a magnet for international tourists who need to plan things, then probably a year ahead is prudent.

If you regular visitors are more likely to be Bobs and Joans from Oldham for the weekend, they will probably book reasonable close to their arrival time.

Three months cuts you off for summer months, perhaps you can extend to six months if you think you will receive some summer holiday visitors.

If you have some special events in the area you can open a window for such dates outside your usual cut off point to allow potential guests to see and book too.

You can also view established listings nearby to you, check their calenders to see how populated they are in the future, as a rough guide to what to expect.

[Chris1492]

Hi @Elena87, you raise some really useful points there, thanks:

1. Interntaional guests - I've had a couple, but I'm based in a small seaside resort town, not a major city. Trade is seasonal.
2. Accepting that trade is seasonal, then it would make sense to (at least) have the summer (peak) months open for booking.  
3. Special events: I hadn't thought of openning dates just for such events - great idea - thank you.
4. Looking at establioshed nearby listings - again, pretty obvious, but I didn't think of that (duh!) - thank you. I've just had a peak and it seems that there is a good selection that look as if there're open for "all future dates".

My overall feeling is that I'll probably end up with a combination of (a) opening up 6 months ahead as a general rule, with (b) additional opennings for 'special events'. Seems to feel right for me, given that (as I said in response to @Sarah977) Airbnb is not my only income - it needs to fit around the rest of my business & personal life.

Thanks so much, all you of you for your input. Chris 

[Sarah977]

@Chris1492 I've had mine set to 3 months in advance since I started hosting about 2 and a half years ago. I really don't want to be held down to bookings farther out than that, I want to have more freedom in my life in case something personal comes up for me, I didn't start hosting with the intention to be a slave to it.

It seems that all my guests have never booked more than a month or so in advance anyway, so I don't see it as losing me any bookings. 

[Chris1492]

Hi @Sarah977, that's a good point you raise - not beng a slave to your rental property. It's true that Airbnb is not my only income, and so the rental calendar has to fit around the rest of my life - not the other way around. Thanks, Chris

[Sudsrung0]

Being on an Island of Phuket is very much an international holiday destination our calendar is open lots of people do still book in advance only today we took a booking for 23 days in December but also Dec, Jan, Feb is peak season for us, then I guess if you need time out just block your calendar 

[Chris1492]

Really interesting, as I too am more in a tourist place that a business destination. Thank you @Sudsrung0 for your insight. 

Reading the other responses, I'm coming to the conclusion that I need to have peak seasone open (that's June to August here), plus dates around Christmas too (when we see an uplift in bookings, related to families getting together).

Valuable insight: thank you.

[Sudsrung0]

My husband is English he says pick all the school holidays and open also you have easter coming soon 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Chris1492

I used to have 6 months while my daughter and I run this together. Since she start working another job and I am left alone, I've set it to 3 months. I don't know what can happen in my life and will I be able to host so far in the future.

[Chris1492]

I can see how this makes sense for you - thanks for the input.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

My calendar is open 9 or 12 months into the future - because most of my guests are international exchange students who usually book 3~4 months in advance and they stay anywhere from 1 to 4 months. I've had a guest book as early as 7 months in advance for a 4 month booking 🙂 

But I think this should really depend on individual host situations and the type of guests you tend to get. 

[Chris1492]

I take your point - that;s makes a lot of sense for you in your market.

It's been really interesting reading all your comments. I think I'm going to open my calendar for 6 months - thatfeels right for me.