Off-peak periods
How do I get more bookings outside of peak booking seasons?
This article is for property managers who want to fill more dates in their quieter months.
One of the big challenges of the holiday rental industry is that business is highly seasonal. Unless you are lucky enough to own a property that is in demand all year round, your bookings probably depend a lot on things like the weather or local events.
That does not mean you cannot get plenty of bookings outside of peak periods. It just takes a little creativity. Your.Rentals has plenty of features to help, so read on for some tips on getting more bookings when demand is lower.
1. Understand your seasons
This might seem obvious, especially to experienced property managers, but it is worth understanding the reasons behind your seasons. Why do you get more bookings during one period than another?
If you have a beachfront property, it makes sense that most of your bookings come when the weather is good. If you are in a location that hosts a high-profile event, you will probably see a lot more demand when it comes around. But if there is no obvious answer, the first thing to do is track when bookings and demand are highest and lowest, and list some possible reasons why.
Do your guests all want to visit a local attraction that is only open part of the year? Are there times when it is easier or harder for people to travel? If most of your guests come from Germany, for example, it is worth looking at German public holiday dates to see whether they explain your booking pattern.
You can check your previous bookings in your account.
2. Market for all seasons
Once you have worked out when people book and when they do not, think about why. It may be that your property only looks right for certain times of the year.
If everything a guest sees when they view your listing is photographs of a glorious sunny day, and your description keeps mentioning ice-cold drinks by the pool, they will assume the property is only worth visiting in summer. You can increase demand for other periods by making your listing appealing all year round.
Take photographs of your property and the local area in other seasons, and write a description that mentions things to do which do not depend on the weather, such as museums, galleries, or simply curling up on a comfortable sofa. You can even make bad weather a selling point. A bracing seaside walk in the rain appeals to more guests than you might expect.
3. Add amenities and facilities
Another way to get more bookings is to widen the group of people your property appeals to. Holidaymakers may only be interested at certain times of year, but business travellers look for somewhere to stay all year round. You can make your property more appealing to them by adding business-friendly facilities such as Wi-Fi, an iron and ironing board, or car rental.
You can also add optional extras and services, such as a laundry service, airport transfer or cleaning. The more clearly you set out the service you offer, the better your listing compares with others nearby.
4. Add seasonal rates and discounts
One of the most effective tools for filling quiet dates is Seasonal Rates, which lets you adjust your Basic Rates up during peak season and down during off-peak, or however else you choose to set your prices.
Lowering prices is rarely an appealing idea. But a slightly reduced rate can be the difference between a booking you needed and the property sitting empty.
You can also combine seasonal rates with discounts, such as reduced prices for Early Bird, Last Minute or Longer Stay bookings. Some channels show both the original and the reduced price, which makes guests more likely to take up the offer.
5. Relax your rules
Even if you would rather not lower your prices in the off season, you can adjust other parts of your listing to offer more flexibility. Within Seasonal Rates you can change the minimum and maximum number of nights a guest can stay, and the days on which they can check in.
You can also adjust your Booking Rules for things such as Advance Notice and the Guest Cancellation Policy. A more generous policy might win over a hesitant guest. Do bear in mind that Booking Rules apply to all dates, not to particular seasons.
Seasonal variation in bookings is part of the holiday rental industry. But these few adjustments give you a good chance of filling more dates, even in low season.