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- 🎯 How to Encourage Repeat Bookings for Your Short-Term Rental
🎯 How to Encourage Repeat Bookings for Your Short-Term Rental
Getting bookings for your STR is great- but how do you build loyalty and relationships with guests? 🤔 🤝
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March 24th, 2025
Good afternoon STR Report Community!
In today’s issue, you will find:
📱Today’s Article: 🎯 How to Encourage Repeat Bookings for Your Short-Term Rental
📈 Trending Market Highlight: San Diego, California & Logan, Ohio
✉️ STR News: Vrbo reveals its 2025 vacation rentals of the year & more
💸 Mortgage Rate Watch
🌾 Unique Airbnb of the Week
🏫 Subscriber Perks: Beginner’s Guide E-Book, Guest Communication Messaging Templates, Airbnb Welcome Guide Template, STR Buy Box Template, & Tax Savings E-Book
✅ Community Perks: Personal Airbnb Investment Finder & STR Loans & More
📬 See our collection of newsletters here: Prior Newsletters
Your guests begging to stay at your property again:
🎯 How to Encourage Repeat Bookings for Your Short-Term Rental
For short-term rental hosts, attracting new guests is important, but securing repeat bookings is the key to long-term success. Repeat guests save you time and money on marketing, increase your occupancy rates, and help build a solid reputation for your rental. If you want guests to return, you need to go beyond just offering a place to stay—you need to create an unforgettable experience.
Here’s how you can encourage guests to book with you again.
1. Provide an Exceptional Guest Experience
First impressions matter. A spotless, well-maintained, and thoughtfully designed rental will leave a lasting impact on your guests. Consider these key aspects to enhance their stay:
✅ Cleanliness & Comfort: Ensure that your rental is professionally cleaned before each stay. Fresh linens, plush towels, and a welcoming ambiance make a big difference.
✅ Amenities That Stand Out: Offer thoughtful extras such as a high-quality coffee maker, fast Wi-Fi, premium streaming services, and local guidebooks. Small touches like cozy blankets, board games, or an outdoor seating area can make guests feel at home.
✅ Personalized Touches: Leave a welcome note with the guest’s name and a small gift, such as a bottle of wine, snacks, or a discount voucher for a local business. A little personalization makes guests feel valued.
2. Communicate Effectively & Build Relationships
The way you communicate with guests can shape their overall experience. Effective communication should be:
🔹 Timely: Respond to inquiries and messages promptly. Guests appreciate hosts who are available and helpful.
🔹 Informative: Provide detailed check-in/check-out instructions, house rules, and local recommendations in advance. A digital or printed guestbook with FAQs can be incredibly useful.
🔹 Friendly & Professional: A warm welcome message upon arrival and a follow-up message after check-out thanking them for their stay can make guests feel special.
A positive and seamless communication experience increases the chances of guests booking with you again. Check out our guidelines for guest messaging here.
3. Offer Discounts & Incentives for Returning Guests
One of the simplest ways to encourage repeat bookings is by offering exclusive perks for returning guests. Some ideas include:
🎉 Repeat Guest Discounts: Offer a 10-15% discount on their next stay if they book directly with you.
⏳ Free Late Check-Out or Early Check-In: Providing flexibility in check-in/check-out times is a small but highly appreciated gesture.
🍷 Complimentary Extras: Offer a free bottle of wine, a discount at a local restaurant, or a free night for extended stays.
Guests love feeling like VIPs, and incentives give them a reason to return instead of booking somewhere else.
4. Encourage Direct Bookings to Save on Fees
While booking platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo are great for visibility, they charge both guests and hosts service fees. Many travelers prefer to book directly to avoid these extra costs.
To encourage direct bookings:
🌐 Set Up a Professional Website – A simple website with booking capabilities, rental details, and testimonials can help drive direct reservations.
📧 Collect Guest Emails (With Permission) – Send occasional newsletters with special offers, local events, and discounts for returning guests.
📲 Utilize Social Media – Stay engaged with past guests by sharing updates, guest testimonials, and limited-time promotions on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Direct bookings benefit both you and your guests, leading to higher profits and stronger relationships.
5. Encourage and Leverage Positive Reviews
Great reviews build trust and credibility, which can influence a guest’s decision to return. Here’s how to encourage more positive feedback:
✅ Request Reviews Politely: After checkout, send a message thanking guests and kindly asking them to leave a review if they enjoyed their stay.
✅ Make It Easy: Provide a direct link to your review page so guests can leave feedback with minimal effort.
✅ Respond to All Reviews: Thank guests for positive reviews and address any negative feedback professionally. This shows that you care about guest satisfaction and are committed to improvements.
Guests who leave great reviews are more likely to rebook, and their testimonials can attract new visitors.
6. Create a Loyalty Program
A simple loyalty program can encourage repeat bookings and long-term guest relationships. Consider offering:
🎁 Stay 3 Times, Get 1 Night Free – A great way to encourage guests to keep coming back.
🏷️ Tiered Discounts – Offer increasing discounts for guests who stay multiple times (e.g., 10% off for their second stay, 15% off for their third stay).
🏡 Referral Program – Give a discount to returning guests who refer new travelers to your rental.
Loyalty programs work particularly well for vacation rentals in popular destinations where guests return year after year.
7. Stay Connected Through Email & Social Media
Engagement doesn’t stop after check-out. Stay in touch with past guests to keep your rental top-of-mind.
📩 Send Personalized Emails – Wish past guests a happy birthday, send holiday greetings, or offer exclusive discounts.
📱 Use Social Media for Updates – Post about new features, local events, or promotions. Invite past guests to follow your page and interact with your content.
💌 Seasonal Promotions – Offer special rates for returning guests during holidays, off-season months, or local festivals.
Keeping past guests engaged ensures they think of your rental when planning their next trip.
8. Provide Local Perks & Recommendations
Enhancing your guest’s overall travel experience makes them more likely to return. Consider:
📍 Local Discounts & Partnerships – Collaborate with nearby restaurants, cafes, or tour operators to offer exclusive guest discounts.
📖 Custom Travel Guides – Provide a list of hidden gems, top-rated attractions, and your personal favorite spots in the area.
🎟️ Event-Based Offers – If a guest visits for an annual event, send them an offer for next year’s event dates.
Giving guests insider access to the best local experiences can leave a lasting impression.
9. Celebrate Special Occasions
If a guest books for a special occasion, such as an anniversary or birthday, take note of it. The following year, send them a personalized offer, such as:
🎂 “Happy Anniversary! Enjoy 15% off your stay this year.”
🎄 “Holiday Special: Book again and get a free night.”
Personalized follow-ups create emotional connections, making guests feel appreciated and more likely to return.
10. Maintain a High Standard of Cleanliness & Upkeep
Guests will only return if they feel comfortable and safe. Ensure that:
🧼 Cleaning Standards Are Consistently High – Hire professional cleaners or do thorough deep cleaning regularly.
🛠️ Appliances & Amenities Are Well-Maintained – Regularly check for needed repairs and upgrades.
🏡 Décor and Furnishings Stay Fresh – Small updates, such as new bedding, fresh paint, or modern appliances, can enhance the guest experience.
A well-maintained property ensures guests always feel welcome and relaxed during their stay.
Final Thoughts
Encouraging repeat bookings isn’t just about offering a place to stay, it’s about creating a memorable experience that makes guests want to return. By focusing on exceptional service, thoughtful incentives, and maintaining strong guest relationships, you can turn one-time visitors into lifelong customers.
✨ Start implementing these strategies today and watch your short-term rental business thrive! ✨
San Diego, California 🌅
Downloadable San Diego, California Short-Term Rental Market Report
|
Average Daily Rate (ADR): $432.14 per night
Occupancy Rate: 62.13%
Annual Revenue Potential: Around $97,994 per year
Read our full San Diego, California Short-Term Rental Market Report attached above.
Logan, Ohio 🌅
Downloadable Logan, Ohio Short-Term Rental Market Report
|
Average Daily Rate (ADR): $366.26 per night
Occupancy Rate: 53.17%
Annual Revenue Potential: Around $71,073.14 per year
Read our full Logan, Ohio Short-Term Rental Market Report attached above.
🏜️ Vrbo reveals its 2025 vacation rentals of the year
Vrbo has revealed its 2025 Vacation Rentals of the Year, featuring top-rated holiday homes across the U.S., including properties in Florida, South Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Wyoming, Tennessee, California, New York, and Michigan.
🧑🏽💻 How hospitality operators can combat payment fraud
Security threats in the hospitality industry are rising, with over a third of hotel businesses reporting increased fraud attempts, and many hotels still relying on insecure manual booking methods, highlighting the urgent need for improved security measures and ongoing compliance with PCI standards to protect against financial and reputational damage.
📝 Vacasa accepts revised acquisition proposal from Casago
Vacasa has accepted an increased acquisition offer from Casago, raising the price to $5.30 per share in cash, rejecting a competing bid from Davidson Kempner Capital Management, and aims to finalize the deal by the end of April.
🏠 Airbnb Calls Vrbo Billboards 'Confused' and 'Desperate'
Airbnb criticized Vrbo's billboard campaign as "confused" and "desperate," claiming it inadvertently gave more visibility to Airbnb, while Vrbo aimed to position itself as a cooler alternative by emphasizing privacy and full-home rentals.
💸 Mortgage Rate Watch – March 24, 2025
Current Mortgage Rates (as of March 24, 2025):
30-Year Fixed: 6.95% (+0.04%)
15-Year Fixed: 6.40% (+0.01%)
30-Year Jumbo: 7.30% (+0.01%)
30-Year FHA: 6.30% (+0.01%)
30-Year VA: 6.32% (+0.02%)
7/6 SOFR ARM: 6.83% (+0.03%)
Market Overview:
Mortgage rates have shown minor upward movements across most loan types, with a slight increase in response to economic data suggesting a stable economic recovery. While mortgage-backed securities (MBS) performance remains stable, Treasury yields have been fluctuating, reflecting concerns over inflation and future Federal Reserve actions.
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has fluctuated between 6.11% and 7.52% over the past year, and recent rate increases suggest that mortgage borrowers might face a more challenging environment for affordability.
However, the housing market remains difficult due to low inventory and high home prices, with many potential buyers feeling the pinch of higher borrowing costs.
Rate Trends & Forecast:
Short-Term: Mortgage rates are likely to remain volatile, with modest fluctuations based on the ongoing economic data and signals from the Federal Reserve on potential rate hikes or cuts.
Long-Term: The Federal Reserve's future decisions on interest rates will play a critical role in determining mortgage rate trends. If inflation continues to stabilize, we may see rates adjust gradually throughout the rest of 2025.
For real-time mortgage rate updates, visit Mortgage News Daily.
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