6 Airbnb guest profiles to attract in 2021

Over the past year and a half, COVID-19 has turned the vacation rental industry upside down.

While some countries have recovered and are booming, others remain deeply impacted by lockdown restrictions. Different cohorts of travelers are turning to short term accommodation for their trips, from the new wave of digital nomads taking extended holidays to the surge in domestic travelers exploring their own backyard.

This means that now more than ever, property managers need to understand their guests intimately. In this article, we’ll explore the new guest profiles emerging in response to changing travel behaviour and how best to secure these bookings.

The Pent-up Traveler (recovering markets)

With so many people forced to delay travel plans and with some countries now opening up, there exists a new type of traveler that will pay a premium for their trip.

Hometime’s Tip: To attract The Pent-up Traveler:

• Ensure your calendar is open at least 6 months (and preferably 12 months) into the future and consider 3 night minimums for peak times.
• Use a professional photographer to shoot your place and invest in the hero scene with special styling and attention to detail - this will help your listing stand out from the rest.
• Make sure weekends and holidays are priced at a premium to maximise value and ensure cancellation policies are moderate to flexible to encourage bookings.

The Domestic Traveller

With overseas travel not being an option, we have seen a substantial rise in the demand for domestic travel and weekend getaways with families and their children. We expect this trend to continue as the domestic restrictions ease and international travel remains limited and somewhat unpredictable for the rest of this year.

Hometime’s Tip: To attract The Domestic Traveller:

• Think about how you can make a rental family-friendly. This includes anything from providing games and activities for kids to ensuring your guest guide has plenty of local family attractions and things to do.
• Consider going pet-friendly as locals like to travel with their companions. Some pet friendly listings are commanding a 30% premium.
• Promote late checkout on Mondays to entice guests to stay an extra day.

The Extended Stay Traveller

Business and other non-leisure travel has changed dramatically since the start of the pandemic. In order to reduce any travel-related risks, many have reduced the frequency of their travel and instead, extended the length of their stay for the trips they have to take. This means we have seen greater demand for non-hotel accommodation in this segment. Hotels have always served as a good option for a day or two, but home-like accommodation has always been the primary choice for those taking longer trips.

Hometime’s Tip: To attract The Extended Stay Traveller:

• Think about how your rentals meet hotel standards. Consider taking professional photos of your property, providing cleaning and hotel quality linen, and adding a welcome pack filled with local goodies upon arrival.
• To go the extra mile, promote the local grocery stores, enticing restaurant options and the health and fitness facilities nearby.

The Digital Nomad

COVID-19 has forced many companies to adopt remote working policies. As a result, a number of people are questioning their usual location of residence and instead, are seeking alternative, usually scenic, options to live and work from - even for just a month or two.

Hometime’s Tip: To attract The Digital Nomad, be sure to provide all the amenities that remote workers need:

• High speed Wi-Fi - a remote worker staple. You can even add a photo of your internet speed just to boost their confidence.
• Have at least one area where you can set up a laptop to get work done with a comfortable office chair.
• Provide a decent coffee machine to keep their concentration going.

The Relocator

A shift towards working from home has made many people reconsider the cities and locations they live in. We have seen a number of guests relocate interstate while others have used Airbnb as a temporary rental within their own city, in order to explore areas they would later like to buy their own property in.

Hometime’s Tip: To attract The Relocator:

• Beef out your guest guide to provide details about what to do in the neighbourhood.
• Go the extra mile and link them up with local experiences and events in the area.
• Provide your personal highlights to help them make the most out of their stay.

The Renovator

Homebuilder programs and longer periods of time spent at home have resulted in a surge in home renovations. As a result, many families have turned to Airbnb for temporary accommodation while their home is being refurbished.

Hometime’s Tip: To attract The Renovator:

• The renovator will typically require a longer stay, so build in monthly discounts and longer minimum stay lengths to win them over.
• No one likes doing the dishes either, so make sure your kitchen is adequately stocked with utensils and cutlery for longer term guests.

For more tips, tricks and property-related support, get in touch with us at support@hometimeapp.io