Taxi drivers here in New Orleans are starting to feel threatened by Uber, so they pull this little trick. When they drive someone to my neighborhood from the airport (Uber isn't allowed to pick up at the airport), the driver tells the guests that "this is a dangerous neighborhood" and they shouldn't walk around, and they give the guests a personal card with a number they can call anytime they need a ride. It's a trick to get more business!
This puts a pall on the guest's trip with the uneasy feeling that the location is not safe.
New Orleans has a lot of interesting yet safe neighborhoods, mine included. Most of my guests use Uber after the initial visit, and Uber drivers never seem to think my neighborhood is dangerous. In fact, statistically speaking, my neighborhood is safer than the French Quarter, which is where everyone goes the minute they get here.
I've been getting around this "your neighborhood is dangerous" thing by offering to pick up guests at the airport (thus avoiding the conversation with the taxi driver altogether), but this is getting kind of old. (Airport is 25 minutes away) Question is, would you recommend I mention in the listing about this taxi driver trick? Or maybe just with guests that have booked, who have said they are taking a taxi?
Another option is to offer airport pickup for a fee that is less than the taxi. I wouldn't mind so much if guests would pop me a tenner or something when I do the pickup. The first few guests did this, the rest have not done that since then.
Thoughts?