Reality check.... no views, no bookings ;(

[Axel-and-Annette0]

Hi everyone - greetings from the Fiji Islands !   

Our brandnew guest room/apartment is now 5 weeks online ...barely 50 views, no inquiries, no bookings.   

We understand that the whole of Fiji has a total of about 400 airbnb listings, people book normally 3-4 months ahead (basically all int'l visitors no domestic business) and Fiji's total occupancy (all 11,000 hotel rooms plus airbnb etc.) averages ~ 50% accross the year.

Where did we go wrong ? Is it purely price driven ? Since our rate includes amenities, bkfst, airport transfer, we are really not able to go any lower (and worry that this attracts the 'wrong' guests).

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions.

Ciao, Axel

[Ben551]

Hahaha classic wasn't it @Ann72 - even when the professional reviewer called them out on it, they continued through the rest of the episode saying "our house in Byron".... on repeat.

[Ann72]

@Ben551 Exactly!  I love that frosty Juliette.  Opens the kitchen drawer, “Oh my, this isn’t very clean, is it?”

[Ann72]

@Sandra126 Hmmm, this has really got me thinking about how Airbnb gets a commission on my cleaning fee, even though it goes straight to my cleaner.  .  Don’t know if it’s something I could do as a post-visit request, but it’s tempting.   Tricky because (1) not everyone would cough up the dough even though they might have agreed ahead of time and (2) all the extra work for me might mean I’m happier to pay the commission and let it be.  

Looks likenive I’ve talked myself out of it lol!

[Sandra126]

@Ann72, I think the cleaning fee has to be included. But extras such as , well I don't know, hiring something? Extra service like airport pickup? can be done as a request money. I have used it a couple of times and always before stay.

[Axel-and-Annette0]

Thanks Ben for your comments!  Concering our missing  listing/marker on the map (as the map opens) - we spent 2 days with airbnb support....nothing came out. Even though we are located  in that district called 'Nadi, Western Div.'  airbnb system cannot put up the marker (which would be 10 mm from the map's edge) ... just can't be done! And they don't even tell us why (?) I really get the feeling that we are talking to nice people in the back office ...who are NOT 100% experts on all things airbnb.

In other words - someone only finds us on that  map after shifting, expanding ...if they really look for us because  they know our place/name ?!

So we are stuck WITHOUT map listing and consequestly appear on the last page (17).

We have lowered our room rate - took the breakfast out (at cost; cooked bkfst is expensive in FJ).

Honestly, right now we are deflated and  not very confident...

[Sandra126]

@Axel-and-Annette0, I would fix the photos a little. There are duplications, I would skip. Rather one stunning shot than three which don't do the job. I want to see a brighter clearer pic as the main one. The one you have is a little dark. The beach shots, write how far they are from the accommodation in the caption.