The flexibility of Airbnb has made industrialized tour operators and travel agencies nationwide take notice - but how do you manage Airbnb business effectively? Eyebrows were raised when news of the site went live on the web; mainstream news channels like the BBC and The Guardian quickly jumped on the story, shining a light on this new lodging option -- the number of shares on the site (similar to the shares of most social networking sites) went up from zero to more than 7 million in a little over 14 hours.
The success of Airbnb has allowed travellers to log on to short letting sites and find alternatives to hotels in private homes run by private individuals. On these sites hosts can post photos and write detailed descriptions of their properties. However, what’s harder to find is advice on how to manage Airbnb business well, how to become a success as an Airbnb host - and that’s what we’ll be exploring today.
How to manage Airbnb business well - the first step
The first step to learning how to manage Airbnb business well is to learn about Airbnb. So, what makes this site so popular? Booking sites like hotels.com and Expedia.com offer similar functionality and, although they also offer free booking via the internet, their costs are significantly higher (as much as $10 per booking through Expedia).
A quick search on the internet will also show that many popular national sites, such as Expedia.com, are offering impressive discounts and rebates on hotel rooms in exchange for advertising on their site. The argument is simple: booking sites like Expedia.com or Hotels.com don't make any money (or generate any return in the first place) unless people make reservations using their service. In this case, the online traveller gets a great service at a huge discount, while the hotel or resort makes no money.
Speaking of discounts, some booking sites make special deals available for travelers who book their reservations through them. Places like Vacations Discounts or Dollar Vacations allow travelers to lock in discounts with a purchase via their service. Again, it's a great deal for the traveler if he or she decides to lock in a discount online through these sites.
The most popular online travel sites boast extremely flexible and customer-friendly prices. There's no need to look around endlessly andiling about in search of the best deal. These sites constantly monitor airline prices and rebates and find the best rates available. Moreover, these online travel agencies offer the most famous hotels, resorts and packages at the lowest prices.
At least, that’s the old way of doing things. With today's technology, the internet is quickly reshaping the way people gather information about their travels, where they book, and how. This is one of the things that led to the rise of Airbnb, and since today information is quickly flowing online in the form of blog posts, news stories, and travel forum discussions, honestly we’re surprised that posts on how to manage Airbnb business effectively are so few and far between.
How to manage Airbnb business well - don’t sell yourself short
Before you decide to list your property online on Airbnb or one of its competitors, it's a good idea to find out how much a particular platform charges. You need to make sure that you are spending your money wisely, so do not purchase any packages from a site that charges an extraordinary fee - you’re just cutting into your own profit margin here.
How to manage Airbnb business well - understand your competition
Finally, take a look at the internet. The internet is indeed a great place to obtain information about your competition, and the services and facilities they offer to guests, and the prices they charge for them. You will be able to find a wealth of information online and beyond this all you need to do is utilize your common sense.