Tag: short-term rental

The Glamping Business: How To Increase Your Revenue 

Posted on by Andjela Toncev

You’ve heard of camping and probably enjoyed a night beneath the stars yourself. 

Make way for camp’s fancy cousin – glamping! 

With winter around the corner and many tourists wanting the camping experience but not the weather discomfort that comes with it, glamping is a perfect solution.

This blog will discuss how to take your business to the next level. We will also mention some marketing tips and tricks here and there.

Most of all, we will focus on helping you increase your revenue as a business owner.

Let’s dive right into the world of glamour and glitz of glamping!

What Is Glamping?

The word originates from a fuse of two words: glamourous and camping.

As the name suggests, this form of vacationing appeals to travelers who want to experience adventure and nature, but don’t want to compromise on comfort. 

This trend has gained a lot of traction in recent years and has attracted a new audience of nature lovers and luxury tourists.

A glamping accommodation could be:

✅ Luxury Tents

✅ Yurts

✅ Geo Domes

✅Bell Tents

✅Cabins

✅Pods

✅Shepherd Huts

✅Treehouses

How The Glamping Business Rose To Popularity

The hustle of the city never slows down. Gone are peaceful evenings with the family, big cities never sleep.

Paired with the marketing efforts of this new hospitality branch, the glamping experience quickly appealed to a broad audience. Not giving up comfort yet having an opportunity to escape to nature appealed to many.

The main draw for this kind of vacation is the visual experience. Accommodations are usually set in beautiful nature resorts or scenic locations.

Catering to these travelers can be a bit of a challenge. These tourists expect the sites to be sustainable and eco-friendly since their stay is about connecting with nature. 

3 Types Of Glamping

If you want to focus your brand, you should know what different types of glamping there are. 

Once you find something that rings a bell, focus your business plan and marketing strategies according to your brand. 

3 types of glamping: luxury glamping, adventure glamping and eco-friendly glamping. Tips on how to increase your ROI in glamping.

1. Luxury Glamping

Tourists interested in luxury glamping want an exclusive experience and fine dining set in picturesque nature sites. High-end hospitality combined with the beauty of nature is what makes the allure of this type of experience.

💡Marketing Pro Tips

  1. When trying to appeal to these kinds of travelers, emphasize the look and design of the accommodation you offer. Showcase the blend of luxury, comfort, and scenic nature that surrounds it. Focusing on what sort of guest experience you offer can be something that separates you from the crowd in social media marketing.
  2. You can film a video that showcases a day in the life of a guest glamping at your site. Make sure you’re showing both the comfortability of the accommodation and the beauty of nature that surrounds it.
  3. Rainy day? Don’t put that camera down just yet! Showing someone being cozy in your glamping site while the elements rage around them can emphasize what you offer.

2. Adventure Glamping

What are thrill seekers and nature enthusiasts supported to do when they don’t want to compromise on comfort? They should go adventure glamping, of course!

Branding yourself as an adventure glamping site means offering exciting nature-related activities. Being close to hiking trails or bungee jumping sites can also be an added benefit for this sort of glamping business plan.

Collaborating with a local nature guide or a local business that offers quad rental can be an added benefit to your business.

💡Marketing Pro Tips

  1. When trying to appeal to these adventure seekers, don’t forget to list all of your amenities as well. It’s a given you will show beautiful hiking trails and thrilling activities. Don’t forget glamping is all about not compromising comfort.
  2. Do you offer massages after a long and tiring adventure? Or a comfortable chair or a hammock people can relax in? Don’t forget to show it!
  3. These adventurers tend to be rather social as well. Making a campfire in the evening can be very appealing for them. If you don’t mind the noise, you can get them an acoustic guitar and watch them come back to your campsite year after year.

3. Eco-friendly Glamping

Fostering a connection between humans and nature, this accommodation style is all about the green agenda. Tourists seeking sustainability are the target audience here. 

💡Marketing Pro Tips

  1. Showcase sustainable practices. Highlight your environmental commitment by showcasing your eco-friendly practices on social media and your website. Share behind-the-scenes content of your sustainable building materials, energy-efficient systems, and waste reduction efforts. 
  2. Partner with Eco Influencers. Invite them to stay at your glamping site and share their experiences with their followers. Their authentic reviews and captivating content can amplify your message and attract eco-minded travelers eager to support green businesses.
  3. Create special promotions for guests who prioritize sustainability. Offer discounts or perks for those who bring reusable items, participate in on-site conservation activities, or travel using eco-friendly transportation. Highlight these incentives in your marketing materials to attract environmentally aware travelers and build a community of like-minded guests who value and support your green initiatives.
Glamping amenities. List of things to do to upgrade your glamping business and make bigger glamping profits.

5 Make Or Break Factors That Will Determine Your Income On The Glamping Market

1. Tent Type

Running a successful glamping business depends greatly on the tent type you have to offer. This is also a big factor in determining what kind of business model you should choose.

Tent type doesn’t necessarily determine the type of glamping you offer. A lavishly furnished treehouse can be considered luxury glamping. 

Your main focus should be researching the renting cost of the type of tent you offer. It’s important not to overcharge or undercharge your customer. 

2. Location

Location is extremely important in determining your earnings in the glamping industry.

Being located near a national park, ski resorts or hiking trails is what could be drawing the crowds in all year round.

On the other hand, tourists look for easily accessible accommodation. Good roads and parking spots are usually a concern for travelers when choosing their glamping stay.

How To Increase Your Revenue?

Does your location draw tourists in only seasonally? Here’s a fresh idea for you! You could offer event venue services. Register and market your accommodation as available to rent for events. Perties, weddings or teambuildings. This could draw potential guests in during the low-season months!

3. Number Of Bookings You Get Per Month

Your revenue is sure to fluctuate from month to month. This is related to the number of bookings you get. It is completely normal. 

The number of units you offer is also a factor in this equation. 

How To Increase Your Revenue?

Are you trying to get your bookings up? Partner with a company that offers various activities like hiking tours or car rentals in the area. You can link to each other’s websites. An accommodation that offers activities besides just a place to stay will be more interesting to potential customers. 

Besides this, using a tool like a channel manager can help you manage your platform presence. Watch closely which platform brings you the most customers monthly. After that, it’s only a matter of research on how to increase your traffic on each platform.

We have a blog on this subject.

4. Operating Costs

Operating costs will affect your prices and earnings. Watch out for these key expenses: 

  1. Cleaning: Regular cleaning is essential but can be expensive.
  2. Laundry: Costs for washing linens and towels can add up.
  3. Marketing: Spending on ads and promotions helps attract guests, but keep track of these costs.
  4. Maintenance and Repairs: Regular upkeep and fixing issues can be costly. Plan for these expenses to avoid surprises.
  5. Insurance: Protecting your business with insurance is important but can be a significant cost.
  6. Taxes: Be aware of your tax obligations to avoid penalties.
  7. Utilities: Water and electricity bills can vary. Monitor and manage usage to keep costs down.

By keeping an eye on these expenses, you can better control your costs and improve your profitability.

Operating costs of a glaming business. Ways to increase glamping revenue

5. Ameneties You Offer

When you start a glamping business, you know it’s not just about creating a place for someone to spend the night at. It’s making sure guests want to spend time at your accommodation.

The more amenities you offer, the bigger your revenue is going to get.

How To Increase Your Revenue?

Upgrade your amenities and facilities. Some of the amenities glampers love are:

✅ Kitchenettes

✅ Internet Access

✅ Bathtubs

✅ Bars

✅ Televisions

✅ Swimming Pools

Try offering anything that could create an unforgettable experience for them.

Luxury glamping bell tent and yurts. Advice on how to upscale your glamping business.

Top 9 Tips On How To Increase Your Revenue Potential

1. Explore Dynamic Pricing Options

The ever-changing hospitality business calls for a flexible pricing approach. Adjusting rates seasonally allows you to capitalize on high demand during peak times while maintaining steady profits in slower periods.

This requires a careful review of your pricing model to align with regional peak travel times, ensuring you maximize revenue without deterring guests during the off-season.

2. Reduce Costs Without Sacrificing Quality

Every cost-reducing strategy first needs to be weighed with how it affects the guest experience. As a glamping business owner, you should always prioritize the quality of guest experience. This drives your pricing power, after all. 

Analyze your utility costs, as they offer a great opportunity for savings. Consider switching to solar panels or energy-efficient appliances, reducing long-term expenses without compromising guest comfort or your site’s eco-appeal.

Next, review your supply chain. Are you getting the best deals without sacrificing quality? Negotiating bulk discounts or exploring cost-effective alternatives can save money while supporting sustainable practices.

Finally, regular maintenance prevents costly repairs, preserving your site’s high standards and prolonging the lifespan of amenities.

3. Upsell And Cross-sell

Upselling isn’t only about increasing your revenue stream, but also about creating personalized experiences for your guests.  Getting to know your guests and giving them options is what will make them feel valued.

Comparing upselling and cross-selling in glamping. Tips on how to increase your glamping site profits.

Successful upselling relies on time and relevance. Make sure your employees are offering upgrades upon booking or arrival. At this moment guests are the most interested in enhancing their stay. 

Cross-selling is about offering other complementary products. Making dining experience bundle deals or luxury spa offers can be a good idea to boost your business. 

A great tool that can help you with this is a Guest App.

We’re shining the spotlight on OTA Sync’s Guest App.

Ensuring guest satisfaction and more opportunities to upsell, a Guest App is a technological step in the right direction.

4. Streamline Operations For Efficiency

Achieving operational excellence often starts with simplifying and standardizing processes. By eliminating unnecessary steps and reducing complexity, you can ensure that each part of your business operates at peak efficiency.

This emphasis on streamlining helps lower costs and boost productivity, and ultimately enhances profitability by getting more done with fewer resources.

5. Include Add-on Services

To boost your glamping business profits and stay competitive, you need to find new ways to make more money. Adding extra services can create new revenue opportunities and fit well with your overall business plan. Some strategies are particularly effective at increasing profits and improving your services.

To boost profits, carefully plan how you add new services. Make sure each new service fits well with what you already offer. Understand your customers and what they want. Look at trends and preferences to find services that will attract them and increase revenue.

Examples include exclusive workshops, extended warranties, or personalized consultations. Focus on making these services high-quality and relevant for success.

6. Profit Margin Management

Managing profit margins is vital for running a glamping business successfully. It’s not something you do once, but a process that requires constant review and adjustment. By staying on top of this, your business can not only survive but thrive, even with seasonal changes and shifting customer preferences.

To keep a clear picture of your finances, it’s important to have a strong system for regular reviews. These reviews help you make smart changes to your business when needed. Whether you do them monthly or quarterly, check your income, balance sheet, and cash flow to stay aware of your financial situation.

The old saying goes: “If you don’t know your numbers, you don’t know your business.”

7. Adopt Technology Solutions

Using advanced technology can automate routine tasks, provide key data insights, and connect different parts of your business. Tools like property management software and AI can simplify complex tasks and support better decision-making, which helps you stay competitive and boost profits.

In short, combining streamlined processes with smart technology helps you achieve and maintain operational excellence, fostering continuous improvement and long-term profitability.

We’re shining the spotlight on OTA Sync’s all-in-one solution.

OTA Sync can greatly improve your operations by linking your Property Management System (PMS), booking engine, and channel manager. By automating data updates across these systems, OTA Sync streamlines bookings minimizes errors, and ensures real-time availability across all platforms. This seamless synchronization simplifies management tasks, improves accuracy, and boosts efficiency, ultimately leading to better decision-making and increased profitability.

8. Scale Your Glamping Business

Before expanding your glamping business, it’s important to create a clear business plan. Research the market, understand your target customers, and find what makes your site special. A solid plan helps make sure your business meets both market needs and your financial goals.

To attract more guests and grow your customer base, try offering different types of accommodations. You could add options like treehouses, yurts, or luxury tents. Having a variety of choices can bring in more visitors and boost your income.

9. Monitor Guest Feedback

As a glamping site owner, adapting to market changes is essential. Markets shift, new competitors appear, and guest expectations change—your success depends on your ability to keep up. Use customer feedback to improve your services and stay ahead of trends.

✅ Watch social media and review sites to see what guests are saying.
✅ Look at booking patterns to predict changes in demand.
✅ Stay updated on industry trends and innovations.

Managing profit margins and regularly reviewing your finances will help keep your business sustainable and profitable. Listening to market changes and customer feedback is key to running a successful site.

We have a blog on enhancing guest experience in your vacation rental.

Glamping tent with a view. How to increase your revenue as a glamping business.

Conclusion

In conclusion, boosting your glamping business revenue means using smart strategies and good marketing. Expand your offerings, streamline operations, and use the right marketing channels to attract more guests and increase profits.

Adjust your pricing, add unique experiences, and improve your online presence. Small changes can lead to big results, so review and refine your strategies regularly for long-term success.

How OTA Sync Can Help

OTA Sync is a cloud software solution for all hotelier needs.
Automating most of the tasks needed for running hotels, private rooms, or campsites, OTA Sync offers a unique opportunity for hoteliers with their all-in-one solution. Our clients report seeing an increase in revenue and fewer hours spent on doing manual tasks. Their employees were able to focus on creating the best experience for their guests, which tourists greatly appreciated.

✅ The Property Management System offers a top-of-the-line, quick and easy solution, with a soothing layout and intuitive features.

✅ Through a modern-designed Booking Engine allows the guest to make a reservation through the facility’s website, in real-time.
✅ Channel Manager connects all OTA’s channels via a single control panel which prevents overbooking and booking errors.
✅ The Guest App offers quick check-ins, tailored recommendations, and instant notifications, ensuring a unique and seamless experience for every guest.


OTA Sync software is suitable for medium and small hotels, boutique hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and apartments. The company has more than 2.000 satisfied users in 17 countries worldwide.

The software contributes to saving time and costs, increasing the number of reservations, and facilitating communication between the sales and reception departments.
A mobile app is also available for iOS and Android users, for even faster and easier management, from anywhere.

Everything About The Banquet in Hotel Feature

Posted on by Marija Glavonjić

Hotel Banqueting is one of the essential revenue sources for hotels because it allows you to sell additional amenities or services.

However, banqueting has many variables, such as different costs, food and beverage, marketing, etc., and you must have a systematic approach to reap its benefits.

What is a banquet in hotels, and how can the Banquet feature drive revenue?

Let’s find out!

What Is a Banquet in Hotels?

A banquet in a hotel is a large, usually formal meal or festivity for many guests in a hotel’s dining or event space. 

Hotels usually organize banquets for special occasions such as:

  • Weddings, 
  • Corporate events, 
  • Conferences, 
  • Gala dinners, 
  • Awards ceremonies and other celebrations that require a spacious venue, catering services, and event coordination. 

What Does Banqueting Cover?

Hotel banqueting covers various aspects that offer a sophisticated and upscale setting.

✨ Venue

Depending on the size and possibilities of your hotel, you can offer 

  • Banquet halls, 
  • Ballrooms, 
  • Function rooms and 
  • Event spaces to accommodate large gatherings for banquets.

These venues typically include seating arrangements, staging areas, dance floors, audiovisual equipment, and other amenities to host events successfully.

banquet-style-setups

✨ Catering Services

You can provide catering services for banquets, offering various menu options, cuisine styles, and dining arrangements to suit the event requirements.

Catering packages may include:

  • Multi-course meals, 
  • Buffets,
  • Food stations,
  • Pre-set services
  • Themed menus, 
  • Beverage selections and customized culinary experiences tailored to guests’ preferences.

✨ Event Planning and Coordination

Your staff, including hotel event planners and coordinators, is in charge of organizing the event, coordinating logistics, managing guest RSVPs, and ensuring seamless execution.

Naturally, your team should work closely with clients to plan event details, customize decor, arrange seating layouts, schedule entertainment, and oversee event flow.

✨ Decor and Ambiance

Elegant decor, lighting arrangements, floral displays, table settings, linens, centerpieces, etc., can enhance the ambiance of banquets and create a festive atmosphere.

You can customize decor to match the event’s theme, branding, color scheme, or style preferences.

✨ Entertainment and Activities

Banquets may include entertainment options such as live music, DJ services, dance performances, interactive activities, photo booths, and other engaging elements to enhance guest enjoyment.

banquet-entertainment-and-activities-tip

Why is Hotel Banqueting an Important Revenue Stream? 

Banquet sales can contribute significantly to your hotel’s revenue stream because they help you make the most of your facilities and otherwise less-used spaces. 

This allows you to leverage their resources efficiently and maximize profitability.

In addition, professionally organized banqueting can:

  • Enhance your hotel’s reputation and attract new customers since you can showcase your services, amenities, and hospitality to a wide audience. Consequently, positive word-of-mouth can lead to repeat business, referrals, and long-term partnerships with organizations and individuals.
  • Diversify your revenue streams beyond traditional bookings and weather fluctuations in the hospitality industry.

What’s more, you can implement a variety of upselling and cross-selling opportunities for guests to buy additional services, curated packages, etc.

5 Hot Tips to Increase Banquet Sales in Hotels

Hotel banqueting provides abundant benefits and opportunities you can leverage even more by implementing the following tips:

  • Do benchmarking to see what your competitors lack, where you can shine, and offer something they don’t.
  • Target your audience so you can create and tailor the event and the accompanying elements to their specific needs.
increase-banquet-sales-tip-1
  • Advertise your Banquet feature across OTAs, your website, social media channels, etc. 

Opt for channels where most of your target audience resides to increase the possibility of booking.

  • Nurture relationships with previous banqueting guests and create a reward or loyalty program to entice them to return.
increase-banquet-sales-tip-2
  • Monitor OTAs, social media, and other channels to check guests’ sentiments and use them to identify what you do well and where you can improve.

Why Should You Opt For Hotel Management Software (HMS) to Automate Banqueting Service?

Although a banqueting service provides multiple revenue opportunities, organizing an event in your hotel can be a nightmare unless you have robust HMS.

Without an HMS that can automate and streamline online bookings, the process is time-consuming and requires many calls and emails.

This system enables your staff to track all guests’ requests from a centralized dashboard and provide them with accurate information about room and equipment availability.

Additionally, the real-time view and updates allow your staff to quickly respond to changes in guests’ requests and provide them with alternative solutions if necessary.

But, it’s not only about benefits for you.

Online booking possibilities make the process more flexible for guests, too. 

They can explore amenities, banquet spaces, and prices at their own pace to make an informed decision that aligns with their needs, vision, and budget.

Other noteworthy benefits of the banqueting feature within the HMS include:

✨ Customization — During the booking process, guests can make specific requirements based on their needs.

✨ Payment options — Thanks to integrated payment systems, your guests can quickly and safely pay online in multiple ways, using credit cards, digital wallets, etc.

✨ Better organization — Automated housekeeping management ensures all the staff gets real-time updates on room status, eliminating double or missed tasks.

✨ Upselling & cross-selling opportunities — From in-house catering to offering special discounts, promo codes, etc., you can elevate the guest experience.

ways-to-leverage-booking-engine-for-upselling-and-cross-selling

For example, you can offer special discounts to event attendees who want to stay at your hotel after the event.

Or include curated packages with city tours, spa sessions, etc.

✨ Revenue tracking — The Banquet function enables tracking the total revenue from events, making it easier to plan future events and decide on the necessary resources.

✨ Minimizing errors — The feature reduces the possibility of errors and incomplete documentation by tracking invoicing and payments

✨ Improved service quality — Having all the aspects of the event meticulously planned and organized creates a positive experience for clients and their guests.

How Does The Banquet Feature Work?

The Banquet function is just one of the features of the hotel reception system. When a client requests the organization of a Banquet and chooses one of the available options or special requirement add-ons, all the information flows to the reception system.

The system includes all essential information:

  • Guest details
  • Event details
  • Billing
  • Statistics and reports.

Payment calculation functions include advance payment, amount distribution, and automatic adjustment based on the final bill. 

Due to the automated system, any reservation changes or updates can happen instantly and immediately show in the centralized dashboard.

How Can OTA SYNC Take Your Hotel Banqueting to A New Level? 

OTA SYNC is an all-encompassing hotel management solution that can help you automate and streamline everyday operations, including pre-, during-, and post-arrival.

Thus, together with the Channel Manager and Booking Engine, it provides a robust asset to:

? Manage online reservations, room availability, invoices, billing, etc., from a centralized platform.

otasync-calendar

? Connect with point-of-sale systems, ERP solutions, and reporting tools to get a comprehensive overview of the hotel’s performance.

? Update room availability, rates, and bookings in real-time, ensuring consistency across multiple OTAs and booking platforms to avoid under or overbooking.

otasync-room-availability

? Manage multiple properties and events in a single view with real-time and accurate updates and changes.

? Get direct bookings and allow guests to check room availability, view pricing, and complete secure bookings in real-time.

? Access our Premium features:

  • Banquet & Event management — Facilitates efficient coordination of venue booking, scheduling, catering arrangements, and guest management tasks.

Thus, you can centralize operations, track event details, manage reservations, and generate invoices.

  • SPA & Wellness management — Includes features for appointment scheduling, client management, and resource allocation, such as treatment rooms and equipment. 

Furthermore, it integrates with POS systems and manages staff schedules for improved overall efficiency.

  • Housekeeping management — Provides a centralized platform for efficient task assignment, real-time updates on room status, inventory tracking, maintenance alerts, and seamless communication among housekeeping staff.

? Change pricing depending on seasonality and demand to maximize revenue and avoid gaps.

? Offer special deals, packages, and promo codes to boost loyalty and also attract new guests.

otasync-special-offers

? Enhance the guest experience via the Guest App, which hosts features for self-check-ins and check-outs, valuable tips on what to do and visit, information about hotel rules, etc.

And so much more.

Ready to test OTA SYNC?

Try OTA SYNC for free and ensure a seamless experience for event planners and attendees.

Keep Learning:

How To Reduce Hotel Operating Costs?

How To Promote Hotel Online [8 Expert Strategies]

Top Digital Transformation Ideas For Your Hotel

10 Ways To Improve Your Hotel Business In These Challenging Times

Posted on by Marija Glavonjić

If we’ve learned anything from the past few years, it is that change is the only constant. From the crippling pandemic to inflations and labor shortages, the hospitality industry has definitely taken the brunt.

Furthermore, stiff competition and the opening of new hotels have provided additional impediments.

Wondering how to deal with all the above challenges and boost your hotel’s revenue?

Read on to find out more about how to improve hotel business and turn pain into gain.

Let’s dive in!

How to Improve Hotel Business in 10 Strategic Ways?

With the right approach and strategies, you can tackle the biggest challenges and turn them into competitive advantage.

Not only can they help you improve your business and revenue, but also help you create the ultimate guest experience and build a loyal customer base.

1. Automate Hotel Operations

Automating hotel operations implies using technology to streamline and optimize various aspects of running a hotel, such as:

  • Reservations, 
  • Check-ins and-outs, 
  • Housekeeping, 
  • Guest services, 
  • Inventory management, 
  • Accounting, etc.
trend-indicator

Implementing the property management system (PMS) reduces manual tasks, leading to faster service delivery and better resource use.

benefits-of-property-management-system

Moreover, if you use the PMS, you can reduce human errors and improve accuracy in tasks revolving around inventory management, billing, and guest bookings.

? ProTip:

OTA SYNC, an online PMS, provides features that address the full hotel management and centralize hotel operations, allowing your staff to efficiently:

? Handle bookings, 

? Monitor room occupancy and 

? Manage guest services.

On top of that, the PMS integrates with point-of-sale systems, ERP solutions, and reporting tools to provide a comprehensive overview of your hotel’s performance.

2. Enhance Online Reach Via Channel Manager

It is super important to promote your hotel online and improve its visibility to increase bookings.

One of the most effective ways is to list your hotel on one of the popular OTA channels, such as Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, etc.

These platforms have a large user base and can help you widen your reach. 

A good way to distribute your hotel across multiple channels and platforms is to opt for a Channel Manager.

Besides multiple-channel distribution, it also syncs all the booking info in real time and minimizes double bookings.

hotel-channel-manager-features-and-benefits

? ProTip:

OTA SYNC’s Channel Manager has a 2-way connection that lets you seamlessly sync across all channels simultaneously to prevent overbooking, all from a single dashboard.

ota-sync-channel-manager

It has native integration with our PMS, meaning you can see the occupancy and room status in real time, as well as any changes or updates.

3. Increase Direct Bookings

Listing your hotel on OTAs is a great way to boost its online presence, but they charge a commission fee.

Thus, being active on more than one can quickly become quite hefty. 

An effective counterbalance is to use the Booking Engine to combine indirect channels, such as OTAs, with direct channels like your website.

This way, you can maximize your overall reach and enhance commission-free direct bookings.

The Booking Engine gives your guests more power since they can make bookings directly and choose desired add-ons, such as breakfast, parking spots, etc.

? ProTip:

If you opt for OTA SYNC’s Booking Engine, you get a mobile-friendly solution that provides your guests with live availability and rates, upsell and cross-sell possibilities, etc.

This way, you can maximize your website’s potential while decreasing dependence on OTAs.

4. Adapt to Market Conditions

Nothing ever stands still in the hospitality industry, and one of the biggest mistakes you can make is not adapting.

Keep your eyes open to changing trends, conditions and demands so that you can act promptly.

Dynamic pricing can be a great assistant regarding adjusting room rates in real time based on various factors such as:

✨ Demand, 

✨ Seasonality, 

✨ Market trends, 

✨ Competitor pricing and 

✨ Booking patterns.

Depending on the above factors and your hotel’s historical data, you can predict when demand will be high or low and set the optimal price.

common-types-of-dynamic-pricing

The principle behind it is quite straightforward: 

You increase prices during periods of high demand, such as weekends, holidays, and peak seasons, and decrease them during low-demand periods to attract more bookings.

? ProTip:

With OTA SYNC, you can apply special rules for certain periods and seasons and dynamically adjust room rates to reflect changing demand levels.

ota-sync-special-rules

5. Diversify Revenue Streams

Your revenue doesn’t have to come only from bookings but also from various upselling options, promotions, special offers, and discounts.

These little treats won’t burn your budget, but they will help attract more guests and keep the previous ones returning.

For example, you can offer upgraded room options, premium services, or add-ons, spa services, dining packages, or special amenities.

Besides generating more revenue, personalized promotions and discounts can build strong customer relationships and loyalty.

? ProTip:

Did you know that with OTA SYNC, you can use promotional and discount codes to say “thank you” or attract new guests with promotional offers?

These codes are fully customizable, thus, you can set different parameters, such as early booking or last-minute deals, etc.

Moreover, you can choose which room type and pricing plan the promotion will apply to, its duration, and so on.

ota-sync-promotional-and-discount-codes

6. Boost Your Hotel Brand

OTAs and your hotel’s website are great sources to make your hotel brand more visible, but they shouldn’t be the only ones.

It would be a pity not to leverage the power of social media and influencer marketing. You don’t have to be active on all social media platforms, but rather focus on those where your target audience ‘lives.’

Try to be authentic and produce high-quality content such as blog posts, videos, virtual tours, and guest testimonials.

Your main goal should be to showcase your hotel’s unique features, amenities, and offerings.

In addition, you can use social media to introduce special time-limited offers and promotions.

? ProTip:

Want to benefit from influencer marketing? 

OTA SYNC enables you to easily share your booking engine link with any influencer and let them earn a preselected commission each time a guest makes a reservation through them.

7. Go Mobile

Considering that almost 50% of guests book accommodation over their mobile phones, having a mobile-friendly website is paramount.

In addition, potential and future guests expect the mobile version to have the same functionalities and be as appealing as the website.

Making your website mobile-friendly will add to a seamless booking experience. 

? ProTip:

OTA SYNC has a free supreme mobile app for Android and iOS. 

This app matches all the functionalities of the web PMS version to manage all the operations on the go.

ota-sync-mobile-app

8. Boost Guest Experience

Most of the steps we’ve covered so far have a common denominator – improving guest experience. 

Catering to your guests and providing them with the ultimate guest experience can vary from upselling options over room amenities to welcome cocktails and fruit baskets.

However, creating a positive guest experience isn’t only about promotions and gifts. 

It is, first and foremost, about providing a personalized and customized booking experience.

Besides a well-trained and helpful staff, technology can greatly improve guest satisfaction from pre- to post-stay.

Think about contactless services, digital messaging, self-service apps, etc., as a great means to enhance the overall guest experience.

? ProTip:

We’ve created a Guest App that adapts to your guests’ needs and gives them the freedom to design their own stay through add-ons and extras.

Furthermore, the automated messaging feature enables you to send a range of personalized messages at different stages of the guest journey. 

From a practical point of view, this means you don’t have to manually send emails to each guest—the system will automatically send them at the desired time.

ota-sync-automated-message-feature

9. Secure Guests’ Data

Ironically, technological advances have increased data security methods, but at the same time, they’ve provided a fertile ground for identity theft, tampering with sensitive information, and fraud.

Thus, choosing a reliable and secure system is a must when processing online booking payments and storing guests’ info.

There are 3 key parameters a trustworthy system should have:

  • PCI DSS compliance.
  • End-to-end encryption.
  • 3D secure authentication.

This way, you will maintain guest trust, comply with regulations, and safeguard sensitive information.

? ProTip:

OTA Payments meets the industry’s highest security standards and offers multiple layers of security, so you can rest assured that we process and store your guest data safely.  

ota-sync-security-standards

The 256-bit SSL encryption transmits all data safely while automated processes reduce the risk of fraud, theft, or manual errors.

10. Make Informed Decisions

Whatever decision you want to make regarding your hotel operations and future actions, always, and we really mean always, back up that decision with valid data.

One of the worst things you can do is make business decisions based on your gut feeling or, even worse, stay inflexible and ignore changes.

Again, thanks to technology, you can gain insights into every little detail of your hotel performance, revenue, occupancy rate, and all other relevant metrics.

It is only with these analytics that you should plan your next move.

? ProTip:

Once you sign up for OTA SYNC, you’ll benefit from robust analytics and advanced revenue, finance, and in-hotel operations reporting.

Therefore, you can get detailed analytics on:

  • Occupancy rate
  • Length of stay
  • Number of reservations
  • Arrivals by channels and countries, 
  • Pace reports, etc.
ota-sync-analytics

Furthermore, you can receive any specific report via email at a desired frequency without manually adjusting parameters.

How To Improve  Hotel Business With OTA SYNC?

Choosing the right PMS can streamline and facilitate hotel operations in ways you probably can’t imagine.

Besides providing robust hotel managing solutions, the PMS helps you build better rapport with your guests.

With OTA SYNC, you’ll get an all-encompassing PMS solution focusing on hotel management and guest experience.

What makes our solution so special?

✨ Do onboarding in a day without needing external assistance, making it a great solution for newbies.

✨ Create unlimited invoices where our tool pulls all info automatically, so you should just choose the status and insert additional services.

✨ Manage hotel chains from a centralized hub and have a clear overview of the occupancy, payments, etc., in our drag-and-drop color-coded calendar.

ota-sync-centralized-hub

✨ Explore premium features such as the SPA & Wellness management solution to automate appointment scheduling, client management, and resource allocation.

✨ Connect to all major payment gateways to accept guests’ online payments in multiple currencies and through various online, in-store, or mobile channels.

And the list goes on.

Ready to take our tool for a spin?

Start your 14-day Free Trial and improve how you run your hotel with minimal effort.

Keep Learning:

13 Tips on How to Improve Hotel Sales In 2024 [Complete Guide]

7 Best Free Hotel Management System

10 Best Hotel Guest Apps for Your Business

How To Start Advertising On Booking.com [Step-by-step Guide]

Posted on by Marija Glavonjić

With over 556 million visits to Booking.com in March 2024, the platform is definitely a go-to place if you’re thinking about listing your property there.

At the same time, more than 29 million total reported listings mean the competition is stiff.

So, how to start advertising on Booking.com and make your property more visible? 

It should be pretty doable with our tips.

Let’s dive in!

How Does Booking.com Function?

Booking.com is a commission-based model, which means you pay a set percentage on each reservation you get through the platform.

You’ll receive an invoice at the beginning of each month that includes all your bookings for the previous month and the total commission for those bookings.

On average, it is about 15%, but you’ll know the exact amount once you’ve read the Accommodation Agreement when signing up to the platform.

? Note:

Booking.com won’t charge a commission if your property has been on the platform for less than a month or if you’ve had fewer than 5 overbookings yearly.

Why Should You Advertise on Booking.com?

Spanning over 200 countries, Booking.com provides a huge pool of travelers actively searching for accommodations.

Thus, listing your property can lead to greater visibility, which can consequently attract more guests and bookings.

Besides this, Booking.com also offers:

  • Free listings.
  • An easy-to-use and navigable platform.
  • Multiple-language possibilities.
  • 24/7 access and customer support.
  • Marketing tools to help you better target your audience and track your ad campaigns.
  • A mobile app for iOS and Android.
  • A possibility for guests to leave reviews, acting as powerful referrals.

In order to reap the benefits of advertising on the platform, you should optimize your listing to make it more attractive and clickable.

It can be a lengthy process, covering everything from compelling photos to amenities and pricing.

However, we’re happy to show you how you can list your property on Booking.com to make the process smoother.

How To List Your Property on Booking.com in 6 Steps?

Before you get started, you need to ensure that your accommodation, regardless of its type, meets certain basic criteria.

For example:

  • Is it clean enough?
  • Does it have access to the Internet?
  • Does it have functioning furniture?
  • Is there enough daylight?

Let’s assume you’ve already created a Partner account and signed the Accommodation Agreement.

Step 1: Choose A Property Type 

Once you’ve signed up, you can choose a property type you wish to list: a hotel, B&B, vacation rental, etc.

When you choose a property type, you’ll receive a list of more detailed property descriptions so you can see which one best suits you. 

This is an important step because it will determine how your future guests will find you via the Booking.com filters.

What is other information you can expect to include?

  • You’ll also need to enter basic info about your property, including its name, location, and contact details.
  • Regarding location, you can pin the location of your property so your guests will know exactly where to find you. 
  • In addition, if your property is near famous landmarks or attractions, pinning it can boost its popularity even further.

Again, the input info will depend on your property type. 

For example, for hotels, you’ll be able to fill a star number, whether you are a property management company or part of a group or chain, etc.

? Note:

The more information you provide, the easier it is for possible guests to learn more about your property and make a booking.

When you provide sufficient information to people browsing your Booking profile, you enable them to make an informed decision and more readily hit the “Book now” button.

Step 2: Choose Amenities

The next thing on the agenda is to add facilities or amenities your property provides. The initial list represents facilities that are most popular among guests.

In case you don’t see an amenity or facility you provide, you can add more from a larger list after you’ve completed registration.

Adding amenities is yet another way to showcase your facility and emphasize your property’s selling points.

On top of that, it helps guests narrow their search while helping you target your ideal guest type more effectively.

In addition, you can also choose:

  • Breakfast: Do you provide breakfast? If yes, is it complimentary or paid?
  • Parking: Do you offer parking? If so, is it free or paid? Is it private or public? Do guests need to reserve a spot?
  • House Rules: What are the house rules? For example, what are the check-in and check-out times?
  • Languages: What languages does your staff speak?
  • Pets: Do you allow pets? If yes, are there any additional fees for bringing pets?

The more facilities you offer, the bigger the chance to attract more guests. Now, you’ve officially completed the Property details section.

Step 3: Add Rooms

When it comes to the room details, here you’ll add information about the room type, number of beds, their size and the room’s size.

Same as with the 2 previous steps, the more details you provide, the better because it makes it transparent what future guests can expect.

You’ll also include how many people a room can accommodate and if smoking is allowed.

Other info you’ll have to provide is:

  • Bathroom Types: What types of bathrooms are available? (e.g., private, shared, ensuite)
  • Bathroom Items: What items do you provide in the bathroom? (e.g., toiletries, towels, hairdryer)
  • Room Amenities: What general amenities are available in the room? (e.g., TV, wardrobe, heating, electric kettle)

? Note:

Including the room size can be a great upselling option if, for example, your room size is larger than an average hotel room.

Step 4: Set The Price

All aspects of listing your property on Booking.com are essential, but pricing is utterly important because you need to set it right to make a profit.

Furthermore, you still want to have a competitive advantage and not set prices too high or too low.

A good thing about listing on Booking.com is that you can always alter your price according to the current market and seasonal trends.

? Note:

Although you can always come back and change your price, it is good to think upfront about what price you are comfortable and profitable with after the commission rate.

Step 5: Add Photos

High-quality photos are essential when renting out any kind of property.

Potential guests form their first impression based on these images, influencing their decision to learn more and ultimately book your property.

Booking.com allows you to upload multiple photos in .jpeg and .png formats. Each photo should not exceed 47MB.

? Note:

Step 6: Set Up The Final Details

The final step in listing your property is to add payment methods, invoices, and licenses.

While this task may seem tedious compared to the previous steps, it is crucial for ensuring transparency in how you run your property.

This transparency helps eliminate potential questions or disputes about payments and refunds.

In this section, you can also indicate if you use a Channel Manager and integrate one if applicable.

Booking.com offers multiple payment options, including debit and credit cards, PayPal, WeChat Pay, and AliPay.

Optimizing your listing is essential as it is the initial step to effectively advertising your property.

?ProTip

If you advertise on other sites, then make sure you link all the calendars to the channel manager to avoid double reservations.

OTA SYNC’s Channel Manager allows you to connect to major OTAs and easily manage all your listings from one place while expanding your reach.

How to Leverage Advertising on Booking.com in 5 Effective Ways?

Having a listing with high-quality photos and accurate descriptions will nudge visitors to check your property in more detail and possibly make a booking.

Nonetheless, there are additional “tricks” you can use to leverage advertising efforts.

1. Join Genius Program

The Genius program helps you achieve higher levels of visibility and recognition based on the percentage of Genius bookings your property receives. 

If you offer discounts to Genius members, you are more likely to be featured prominently on the Booking.com website and search results.

In addition, this way, you can:

✔️ attract more bookings,

✔️ increase occupancy rates, and

✔️ build customer loyalty.

To qualify for the Genius program, you must have a minimum of three reviews with an average score of 7.5 or higher.

2. Offer Mobile Rates

Did you know that over half of all bookings on Booking.com are made via mobile devices?

With the increasing number of mobile users, offering a mobile rate is an excellent way to attract more guests, especially millennials.

This demographic writes more reviews than others, and more positive reviews can enhance your property’s credibility and appeal.

Providing an exclusive discount of 10% or higher for mobile users will earn your listing a special badge.

This badge is displayed next to your property, making it easily identifiable to visitors.

3. Join The Preferred Partner Program

To join the Preferred Partner Program on Booking.com, you need to meet the following criteria:

  • High Average Score: Maintain an average guest review score of more than 7.
  • High Conversion Rate: Ensure that a significant number of guests who view your property end up booking it.
  • Updated Booking Calendar: Keep your booking calendar up-to-date with minimal blocked days.
  • Timely Invoice Payments: Pay all invoices on time.

It’s important to note that participating in this program requires giving Booking.com a 3% higher commission than your current rate.

4. Tweak Your Availability

Increasing your property’s availability can significantly enhance its visibility to potential guests.

The more dates you have open, the higher the chances of attracting bookings. Additionally, being flexible with dates and offering various rates and rate plans allows you to cater to a broader audience, meeting diverse needs and preferences.

5. Offer Special Promotions

Every now and then, it’s good to get an extra boost by offering special deals and promotions. 

They can range from last-minute, early bird, free nights to basic discounts for guests who book a larger number of nights.

You can also create a geo-price list through which you can give special offers to guests from certain countries.

All these promotions and special discounts affect the number of reviews of your accommodation and also represent an additional motivation for potential guests to book.

? Note

Our advice is to attract guests with discounts during low seasons and to give early-bird discounts to count on some reservations in advance.

On the other hand, during the high season, we’d recommend pausing The Partner Program because, due to high demand, there is no need to pay additional commission.

How Can OTA SYNC Increase Your Property’s Visibility?

While listing your property on Booking.com is a fantastic way to start, it’s important to diversify your advertising efforts across multiple platforms.

This ensures broader visibility and maximizes booking opportunities.

OTA SYNC, an all-in-one PMS, is the ultimate solution to help you manage and advertise your property across various OTAs from a centralized dashboard.

Here’s why OTA SYNC stands out:

✨ Centralized Management: View and manage all your channels and multiple properties from a single interface.

✨ Unified Calendar: Easily move, change, and cancel reservations in one place with just a few clicks.

✨ Enhanced Booking Capabilities: Maximize your website’s potential for direct bookings with live availability, rates, special offers, and reduced dependence on OTAs.

✨ Seamless Communication: Improve guest experience with automatic replies and template messages, ensuring smooth and efficient communication.

✨ Robust Analytics: Gain insights into which channels bring you the most bookings and revenue, thanks to real-time performance tracking across multiple platforms.

Ready to take your property management to the next level?

Sign up for a 14-day free trial of OTA SYNC and start promoting your property more effectively today!

Keep Learning:

13 Tips on How to Improve Hotel Sales In 2024 [Complete Guide]

How To Start On Airbnb And What You Need To Know [Rental Guide]

11 Tips to Manage Multiple Properties Effectively [Guide]

How To Start On Airbnb And What You Need To Know [Rental Guide]

Posted on by Marija Glavonjić

If you want to advertise your accommodation on the Airbnb platform, you must first ensure that you have everything you need to be a successful host.

This site is specific because it focuses on giving guests a local experience of the place, making them feel at home, and providing everything they need for a relaxed stay. 

For that reason, it is important to define your role as a host: will you be there for your guests or just hand over the keys to them? 

In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps and show you how to start on Airbnb, from defining your business to optimizing guest experience, ensuring you maximize your potential in the rental market.

Let’s begin!

Why should you start an Airbnb business?

Airbnb provides short-term rentals for travelers looking for a place to stay. 

It makes the rental process easy for both hosts and guests. 

Whether you’re renting out a spare room in your home or a beach house across town, being an Airbnb host is a great way to make money.

Here are some benefits to start your own Airbnb business and what renting here can get you:

  • Earning a recurring income
  • Saving money on taxes
  • Diversifying your investments
  • Gaining experience in running a rental business
  • Having more free time

How to Start an Airbnb Business in 9 Steps

1. Research and Analyze Your Location

You can host your listing wherever you want, but not every property is a good fit for Airbnb. 

A strong Airbnb usually has some of these features:

  • Close to popular tourist spots (e.g., museums, historical sites)
  • Limited competition
  • Steady demand throughout the year
  • Near public transportation (e.g., buses, trains)

You should also consider other factors, such as the strictness of Airbnb rules in your area and the maintenance needed to keep the property in good shape.

For example, paying high upkeep costs doesn’t make sense if your area doesn’t get many visitors.

2. Check the Rules and Regulations

Checking the rules and regulations in your area is a key step when starting your Airbnb rental business. 

This is important enough to highlight on its own.

Vacation rental rules and regulations are becoming more common across the country, and ignoring them could cause problems for your business. 

What to do to prevent that?

Look into local laws to see if vacation rentals are banned, strictly regulated, limited by a cap, fined, or anything else. 

Regulations don’t necessarily mean you can’t move forward, but they might require extra steps. 

For example, if you already own a property, you’ll need approval from both your mortgage provider and your homeowners’ association.

There might be other rules to check, too, so before starting, you should make sure everything is fine.

3. Create a Business Plan

Creating a thorough business plan will help you stay organized, set clear goals, and achieve success with your Airbnb business.

Here are the most important steps to do it properly and include them in your business plan:

  • Define Your Business Goals – Determine what you want to achieve with your Airbnb, such as generating extra income or creating a full-time business.
  • Financial Planning – Calculate startup costs, ongoing expenses, and potential revenue. Create a budget that includes maintenance, cleaning, and marketing costs.
  • Legal Considerations – Check local regulations and obtain necessary permits or licenses. Consider forming a legal entity like an LLC to protect your personal assets.
  • Marketing Strategy – Develop a plan to promote and get more bookings on Airbnb. Use high-quality photos, engaging descriptions, and highlight key features. Leverage social media and listing sites like Vrbo and Booking.com.
  • Operations Plan – Outline daily operations, including check-in/check-out procedures, guest communication, cleaning schedules, and maintenance plans.
  • Customer Experience – Plan how to provide exceptional guest experiences. Think about amenities, personalized touches, and how to handle guest inquiries and feedback.
  • Risk Management – Identify potential risks and how to mitigate them. This could include property damage, guest issues, or fluctuations in demand.

4. Register a Legal Business Entity

Registering a legal business entity for your Airbnb can protect your personal assets and make your business look more professional. 

The most common options are limited liability companies (LLCs) and corporations. 

Talking to a lawyer can help you decide which is best for you.

An LLC offers flexibility like a partnership and benefits like a corporation. 

Its main advantage is that it protects your personal assets from any problems related to your Airbnb business. 

Plus, with pass-through taxation, you might save some money on taxes.

A corporation is a more formal setup that separates your personal and business assets. Incorporating your Airbnb business provides limited liability protection and may offer certain tax benefits. 

However, forming and maintaining a corporation can be more complicated and expensive than other business structures.

5. Define Property Management Strategy

There are many ways to be a successful Airbnb host, so you need to decide what strategy works best for you. 

Here’s how to clarify it:

Step 1. Figure out when and how often you will host guests. 

Step 2. Decide whether you’ll handle everything yourself or hire a property manager or other service provider to help you.

Some tasks you might need to delegate include maintenance, laundry, cleaning, or even responding to guest messages. 

If you prefer to be less involved, consider hiring a top property management company. 

You can also automate some messaging by scheduling or using Airbnb’s Quick Replies feature.

No matter your management style, you’ll need to create a list of rules for guests. 

Some rules may come from a homeowners association, while others may be specific to your property. 

Rules might include:

  • The number of guests
  • Check-in and check-out times
  • Smoking policy
  • Pet Restrictions
  • Eating areas
  • Quiet hours
  • Extra services

A clear list of house rules will help ensure guests know what is expected in your property.

Pro tip:

To help you manage your properties, OTA Sync might be of help.

This cloud-based property management system can help you manage your daily operations from one place, from single-unit vacation rental to a large hotel with 500+ rooms.

6. Prepare your Airbnb for guests

Once you get approval, you should prepare the property for guests. 

Think about what amenities guests want and add them to your unit. 

Airbnb found that guests mainly look for:

  • WiFi – Upgrade your internet to offer high-speed WiFi.
  • Self-check-in option
  • A kitchen
  • Air conditioning and heating
  • A washer and dryer
  • Free Parking
  • Workspace
  • Pets allowed

If still don’t have, try to include these amenities in your listing. 

For example, turn a corner of a living room into a workspace with a desk, a comfortable chair, a printer, and other supplies. 

Ensure Guests Can Self-check in

Including a self-check-in process means guests can enter the property without meeting the host.

You can do this by installing a keypad or a smart lock for your property. 

Another option is to leave a key with the building staff if they are available 24/7.

Provide Basic Amenities and Safety Features

Keep supplies like extra towels, bedsheets, pillows, and soap. 

Make sure your listing has safety features such as:

  • smoke alarm, 
  • fire extinguisher, 
  • emergency numbers, and 
  • a first-aid kit.

Add Amenities for Family and Pet-friendly Stays

If you plan to host families with children or pets, add amenities to accommodate them. 

This might include:

  • high chairs, 
  • water bowls, 
  • a crib, and 
  • other items to make their stay easier.

Consider pet-proofing by moving things to higher shelves and ensuring pets can’t knock over trash cans.

7. Create a Unique Guest Experience

Though not required, adding the following items can make your guests’ stay better and boost your listing’s rating:

  • Snacks (like chips or granola bars)
  • Coffee or tea
  • Cooking supplies (pots, pans, bowls, plates — good-quality ones are a nice bonus)
  • Glasses (wineglasses, cups)
  • Adapters and chargers

To make sure your listing is well-prepared, use this checklist.

You can also send them email to personalize the experience and make it extra pleasing for them:

8. Take High-Quality photos of Your Property

A listing is the next step after becoming acquainted with your rights and obligations as a publisher. 

But first, you need to have photos of the apartment in the best possible resolution.

You can use a good camera or, better yet, hire a professional photographer to take pictures of your space. 

To get great photos, make sure to:

  • Clean the property
  • Let in natural light
  • Take landscape photos instead of portrait ones
  • Highlight unique features, like cool artwork or a nice kitchen
  • Take pictures of any accessibility features

9. List Your Property on Airbnb

So, now that you’re ready to list your property and start accepting guests, we’re moving on to our next move: listing your property on Airbnb.

Begin by creating your Airbnb account. 

Note: To do this, you will need your ID for verification. 

Then, create a listing within your profile section.

Your title should attract your target guests, whether it’s an apartment for remote workers or a family vacation spot. 

Note: The title can only be 50 characters, use them wisely. Shorten words like “bedroom” to “BR” and “with” to “w/.”

Here is an example:

In your description, highlight what guests will experience:

  • Will it help them be productive and stress-free? 
  • Will it feel like a home away from home? 
  • Will it place them in a lively downtown area? 

Share the experience you want guests to have, but also don’t forget to mention any possible downsides.

For example, if your property is on a busy street, light sleepers might want to know about the noise.

Note: Make sure to set the availability of your unit. One-night stays can increase bookings but require more time and effort for check-ins and cleanups.

Pro tip: You’ve worked hard to start your Airbnb business and get some visibility. 

You can get more visibility by listing your vacation rental on other sites such as Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, etc. 

OTA Sync channel manager helps you manage all your listings from one place.

Just connect and synchronize your OTA channels, and you’re ready to go.

Start an Airbnb Business the Proper Way

By now, you should have a good idea of how to start on Airbnb. 

If you’re ready to jump in, there’s a lot of work—and rewards—waiting for you.

But before you start, here’s one last tip: don’t stick to just Airbnb!

Since you’re putting in the effort to start your Airbnb rental business, expand your reach by listing your property on other sites like Vrbo and Booking.com. 

This will boost your online visibility without adding much extra work. 

OTA Sync’s channel manager and property management software lets you manage all your listings, bookings, tasks, finances, and guest communications from one place.

But don’t just take our word for it! 

Try the full version of OTA Sync for free with a 14-day trial to see for yourself and start your Airbnb business properly right from the beginning!

How to use Airbnb: Beginners quick guide

Posted on by Marija Glavonjić

Airbnb is one of the fastest-growing booking platforms in the world. This American company was founded in 2008, and before it experienced its commercial success, it faced numerous ups and downs, since there were at least three separate launch attempts.

Today, with its unique approach, it provides support, guarantees, tools and inevitably records successes, which are believed to be in the long run.

The concept of Airbnb is quite simple, and provides much more than can be seen. Therefore, in the continuation of the blog, we discover what Airbnb is, we bring you useful tips for its efficient use, as well as its advantages.

What is Airbnb?

Airbnb is an online platform that connects people who want to rent out their accommodation with people looking for accommodation in that place.

It covers over 100,000 cities and 220 countries worldwide. Airbnb comes from the abbreviation “air mattress bed and breakfast”.

It features a variety of filters, which helps guests find the right accommodation, a chat that connects accommodation publishers and guests directly, as well as handling secure payments through the site.

Airbnb takes a 3% commission on bookings, as well as a 6% -20% fee for guest services. Another option is a fixed commission of 15% paid by the accommodation publishers, and guests do not pay an additional fee for using the platform.

In addition to accommodation, Airbnb also offers the possibility of booking certain tourist events, tours, excursions or experiences.

Advices on how to optimise your Airbnb

Using Airbnb is easy. It is important to attract and keep the attention of guests right at the beginning, so below we show you a few simple and useful tips for using Airbnb, which can potentially bring you more reservations:

Respect for local laws

Before creating an account and publishing accommodation, it is important to check local laws, as well as the insurance of the homeowner or accommodation publisher.

This is very important because it allows all owners and publishers to check whether they can report as hosts on Airbnb, as well as to inform them of any potential limitations that may arise in that case.

Failure to comply with local laws can attract fewer guests, and ultimately affect profits, and can also potentially mean that insurance will leave you out in the event of serious damage to your property.

Creating an account

The second step involves creating an Airbnb account. So, if you are renting a room, apartment or house, you need to click on “Sign up” and create your account, which is completely free, and then on the “Switch to hosting” option located in the upper right corner.

After creating the account, you need to verify it, by submitting several documents that confirm your identity.

In the host mode, on the icon “Create a listing”, which is also located in the upper right corner, you can create accommodation, which offers different options depending on what you rent (room, apartment, house ..), what is the accommodation capacity, number of rooms , bathrooms, amenities offered by the accommodation, availability, as well as a specific location.

In the “Listings” section, located in the upper corner, you can find the published accommodation and access any modifications to the accommodation information.

Focus on a good title, photos and unique descriptions

The title of your entry is what guests read first, so you need to make it as interesting and curious as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the unique aspects and benefits that your accommodation offers.

Photos are unavoidable and very important, they should be of high quality, good resolution, taken from wide angles. Potential guests will first notice the cover photo, so it would be desirable to post one that shows the best angle of your accommodation, so that guests are delighted from the very beginning. Photos are advised to be horizontal to show as much detail as possible.

The space for describing your accommodation gives you the opportunity to impress guests with words. Highlight what makes your holiday accommodation special and convenient. This is also an opportunity to present all the wonderful facilities that you offer, in order to make your stay more pleasant, but also additional notes that you want to emphasize.

Showing positive reviews

Showing positive reviews creates a good perception of your advertised accommodation, and instills more trust in potential guests.

You can collect good reviews by meeting or exceeding their expectations.

Advertise on multiple OTA channels

In addition to the many benefits offered by Airbnb, it is advisable to be connected to several different OTA channels, in order to increase your exposure.

Each channel brings with it a diverse audience, so by using multiple channels you can attract a larger number of different guests.

A serious drawback that occurs is the occurrence of double reservations, which can be eliminated by using the Channel Manager system.

With the help of the Channel Manager system, you can automatically synchronize all calendars, reservations and prices from different sites, to one control panel. Establishing control through the central board eliminates the possibility of duplicating reservations.

Communicating with guests

The options offered by Airbnb are numerous, so when you receive a reservation request, you can negotiate directly with your guests.

In order to make the job as easy as possible, it is desirable to state expectations or some specifics about your accommodation, which will be useful to guests.

Also, you are able to communicate with guests via chat, as well as write comments of up to 500 words (applies to both hosts and guests).

Advantages of using Airbnb

Free advertising – setting up your accommodation via Airbnb is free. The hosts can post photos, descriptions, location and all other relevant information that is important for booking guests.

Setting your price – Another benefit is that the hosts can set the price they want for the night, week or month.

Protection – For eligible countries, there is a high level of protection in case of damage caused by guests.

Hospitality industry trends that we expect in 2021.

Posted on by Marija Glavonjić

An unforgettable year of great uncertainty remains behind us. A year that showed where the shortcomings are in business and which enabled us to dedicate ourselves in more detail to the improvement of business processes.

The hotel and travel industry has suffered a major blow, especially in coastal and large cities. The way people live, work, move and travel will probably never be the same again. Which doesn’t have to be a bad thing in the long run! In 2021, we hope for successful immunization and the beginning of a recovery in the hotel industry, as well as an increased number of foreign tourists.

Changes in consumer (guest) behavior

From how the trip is organized, to the choice of locations, through the conditions of reservation and the method of payment, the procedures change significantly and rapidly.

This year, we expect guests to adhere to trips to locations they can enter and return to their place with minimal restrictions. Thus, local and regional tourism will continue to occupy a significant percentage of the total number of overnight stays.

Due to the great uncertainty and negative experience with booking channels and refunds last year, guests will be less likely to opt for accommodations where there are advance payments and booking deposits. What guests will be willing to pay extra for is certainly flexibility, ie the possibility that in case of unforeseen circumstances they can change their travel dates.

Booking channels such as Booking, Airbnb, and Expedia lost a lot of trusts last year and this year we expect guests to turn to the possibilities of direct booking on the hotel or accommodation website. For this reason, we believe that a hotel or private accommodation in 2021 must have a Booking engine system that is modern, fast, and easy to use.

Recovery starts in the second half of the year

We can already notice announcements from certain countries about the easing of measures, travel conditions, as well as about the immunization status of certain countries. The possibility of access to this information gives us additional confidence that all countries are working together to return tourism to a completely stable path as soon as possible.

Certainly, a process awaits us in which we will all have to play our part and help the crisis to be overcome as soon as possible and to enable guests to move as easily as possible.

Not every type of international travel will recover at the same pace. We expect that vacations and individual trips, or in pairs, will be the first to recover, for which we are already seeing a trend in Asian countries. After that, we expect a recovery from family travel and finally business travel, as the most rigorous type of travel.

What you can do?

Review your procedures and cleanliness standards. Emphasize on your website and in other brochures that are available to guests, how you fight against the spread of not only coronavirus but also other viruses and bacteria.

If you make sure you have standardized cleaning procedures and inform guests about them in time, together we can help the health system and instill additional confidence in future guests.

Modernize your hotel/accommodation management. In the years of limited movement, we have noticed that the reception systems that are installed on the computer itself, for managing reservations and sales, are an additional burden. Cloud-based technology offers new features, booking reviews, price management, and invoicing on the go.

Like most hoteliers and hosts, you have probably already made significant changes to your distribution strategy. Although air travel and long-distance travel are still dormant, domestic passengers are ready for vacations.

Consider partnering with local businesses or advertising through local channels such as radio stations, newspapers, and associations to attract guests closer to home.

Expect unexpected

Although optimism is slowly returning to the market, we cannot lower the city yet. Ahead of us is a year of struggle for recovery and we must be ready to react quickly, to plan in the short term and to change plans in the process. If she taught us anything in 2020, it is that we must always be ready.