Tips for Increasing Winter Bookings

[Trina621]

Hello Hosts!  We are in our winter season here in Hagerstown, and I'm wondering what strategies other hosts are using to stay reasonably booked through the winter months.  I have reduced rates, updated the headlines, posted for monthly to month rental on zillow, used various booking sites, etc.   I was reading about changing the listing from whole house to individual room bookings.  Any thoughts or ideas from other hosts would be appreciated. 

[Victor4351]

Hi there!

It sounds like you've been proactive in trying to keep your listing booked during the slower winter months, which is great! Winter seasons can be a bit tricky for bookings, but there are definitely some creative strategies that can help.

I’d be happy to share some ideas tailored to your situation. For instance, shifting to individual room bookings could be a smart move depending on your space and target audience, especially if it offers flexibility to attract different types of travelers. Additionally, optimizing your listing’s headline and description to highlight cozy winter stays or nearby attractions might draw more attention.

If you'd like, I could take a look at your listing and provide some specific recommendations on how to improve visibility, enhance guest appeal, and increase bookings. Sometimes even small tweaks can make a big difference. Let me know if you’re open to it—I’d be glad to help!

[Elisa]

Hi @Trina621 😊, 

Thank you for bringing up this topic here!

When did you start hosting?

I’d like to share this conversation with you about ‌👉‌ Tips on how to get more bookings.

Let us know if you find a good strategy, it would be interesting to hear about it!

Warm regards, ‌🌻

[Trina621]

Hi Elisa, I started hosting two years ago. I will take a look at the post for more ideas. Thank you!

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Trina621 

We appreciate your bringing this question, I think it is a concern to many of us. 

One of the things we do in winter, as we do all year, is provide a calendar of events and seasonal fun things to do and places to explore. We provide local concierge services, at no cost to the guests. We also have various memberships and season tickets which we offer use of to our guests, if they express interest in something we are supporting. We always find out what are our guests' goals for their stay and do what we can to assist with trip planning. 

Like you, we have 4 seasons, each of which has its beauty.