The high season is the ideal time to maximize the profitability of your vacation rental. Travelers flock to popular destinations in search of memorable vacations. It can also be other types of highlights of the year. Certain events, whether leisure or professional, are capable of causing rental rates to increase over a very short period. To take full advantage of these opportunities, you need to put in place smart strategies. In this article, we will explore with the help of our concierge agency in Saint-Pierre on the island of Reunion how to optimize the profitability of your seasonal rental during the high times of the year.
Adapt its pricing policy to the reality of the market
During the high season, the demand for vacation rentals increases. However, it is essential to remain competitive by setting attractive rates. Examine the prices of vacation rentals similar to yours and adjust your rates accordingly. The most important thing here is to compare what is comparable: accommodation capacity of the property, equipment, proximity to places of interest, comfort elements (terrace, balcony, garden, private parking, etc.) and general quality/decoration. Pay particular attention to confirmation bias, which pushes you to look for the most expensive goods and unconsciously validate prices that are too high. Make sure to remain objective about the potential of your home vis-à-vis the local market. At YourHostHelper, we have tools dedicated to market analysis but also in-depth experience in each of our sectors of operation, allowing us to determine, for you, the best price per night at any time of the day. 'year.
Improve the visibility of your ad on Airbnb and Booking
Make sure your online ad is attractive and well optimized for search engines. Use high-quality photos, write a compelling description, and include relevant keywords. The more visible your ad is, the more likely you are to attract bookings. This applies to search engines but also within the Airbnb and Booking platforms, market leaders. The optimization criteria are very numerous and may require professional know-how: writing optimized texts, taking professional photographs and retouching... These actions may seem dispensable, and yet... Airbnb indicates for example that the use of professional photographs allows to increase the price per night, on average, by +26%. A striking figure that very quickly justifies calling on a professional concierge agency like YourHostHelper to access these specific optimizations without jeopardizing the profitability of your project.
Offer benefits to tenants
To stand out, offer attractive extras, such as welcome baskets with local products, packages and benefits from partner merchants, etc. These additions can encourage travelers to choose your seasonal rental over another. Many travelers are fond of these small benefits in kind and include this in their property selection process. This costs you almost nothing financially and can be one of the triggers for new reservations while increasing the price of your nightly rentals. By planning your partnerships and these welcome gifts in advance, they will only require minimal effort from you to set up on the day you welcome the tenants. For example, the welcome kits offered by our concierge service in Saint-Pierre are very well received by our tenants and are part of the added values of the YourHostHelper concierge services.
Optimize criteria related to length of stay
Encourage travelers to book longer stays by offering discounted rates. Longer stays can guarantee you stable occupancy during high season, thus reducing holiday periods. This approach is generally called up-sell in the field of commerce and makes it possible to change the average basket of customers. Here, it is not a question of selling off your rental but of offering a preferential rate to tenants to motivate them to book longer stays. The result is a better housing occupancy rate over the year. Unreserved nights are always a loss and, by reducing them, you increase your rental income in high season in particular.
Be responsive and available to respond to requests
During high season, travelers are often looking to book quickly. Be ready to respond quickly to reservation requests and questions from potential tenants. The speed of your response can make the difference in converting inquiries into confirmed bookings. This point is also true throughout the year: whether your tenants plan their stay several months in advance or not, your responsiveness is essential to establish a relationship of trust with your tenants from the first discussions. In the high season, higher nightly prices should lead you to offer a seamless travel experience to your tenants. Responsiveness is then essential so that your tenants perceive the rental price requested as justified with regard to the quality of service offered to them. If your responsiveness or availability cannot be guaranteed, call on a rental management agency dedicated to this.
Effectively manage housekeeping and maintenance
During the high season, changes of tenants can be frequent. Make sure your cleaning and maintenance team is well prepared for quick turnarounds between stays. If you do it yourself, prepare your equipment in advance so you don't miss anything during your cleaning session. Actively monitor the condition of your home by setting up a complete checklist of home amenities. It will allow you to monitor the proper functioning of your rental on a day-to-day basis and avoid affecting the start of your next tenants' stay. The high season is often stressful since the influx of travelers increases your intervention time tenfold. Again, calling on a professional service provider is a good idea. if you dispense with it, be sure to hold yourself to the highest standards on this point.
Stay flexible, available and in a good mood
High season can be unpredictable. Stay flexible to meet changing traveler needs. This may mean adjusting your booking policies or being ready to resolve unforeseen issues quickly. Your attitude is key here. Of course, you cannot comply with all traveler requests, which often turn out to be far-fetched or even totally unrealizable. However, never forget to remain friendly and courteous with your tenants even in the toughest times. A human and friendly approach is often reflected in traveler comments and a trigger for future reservations. Flexibility, availability and good communication will be your best allies to make the most of the high season in your sector.
By following these strategies, you can maximize the profitability of your vacation rental during the high season in France. Make sure you are well prepared and responsive to guest needs to ensure successful bookings and a positive experience for your renters. As you have seen, calling on an external service can make your life much easier. We invite you to study YourHostHelper concierge and rental management services if an agency is located near you. You will quickly see that in our complete management offer and its 15 services, you will find all the answers to your daily problems.
