How To Get Rental Bookings During COVID-19 Pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak as a Public Health Emergency on January 30, 2020, and as a ‘pandemic’ on March 11, 2020. With governments around the world trying to slow down the spread of this disease by focusing on precautionary hygiene measures until scientists find a vaccine, there is a growing panic that is affecting global markets. [reference: coronavirus protection updates] 

 However, there is no doubt that the hospitality and travel industries are the worst affected because of the COVID-19. Many countries are suspending travel as we speak as well as advising travelers to self-quarantine for a minimum of 14 days. More and more people are also canceling trips to severely affected countries such as China and Italy. 

 Because of this, the home-sharing and short-term rental site Airbnb has relaxed its refund policies. Guests stand to get a full refund because of the pandemic and hosts too won’t be charged a service fee when they refund guests with their money. Moreover, hosts can also choose to take in other guests during those dates and their status as ‘Superhosts’ won’t be affected because of these new developments. 

 It is important for hosts of short-term rentals to have a strategy in place to tide over the crisis. To ensure that your business survives in such a scenario, concrete steps have to be taken to reassure travelers that your short-term rental is a safe space. In addition to this, you have to treat the coming months as a slow season because no matter where your Airbnb is, you will be facing multiple cancellations because of COVID-19. To steer your short-term rental through these uncertain times, we have listed out some approaches that you can take to stay afloat as well as to get a number of bookings: 

Offer cheaper rates

 Lowering your rental rates is the best way to get more bookings as well as to jump up the search rankings. In addition to this, offer aggressive discounts for longer term stays. Use the weekly and monthly discount feature and add a 14 day discount to promote to guests in self isolation!

 Alternatively if you have lots of shorter gaps in your calendar, relax the cap on the minimum number of nights the guest can book for.

Work on your cancellation policy 

 Don’t panic and cancel bookings if your Airbnb home is in a less affected area. Follow the updates by your government and place your trust in the notifications by international health organizations. 

Now is not the time to penalize guests who cancel bookings. Instead, direct all your efforts and energy towards getting more reservations. A relaxed booking policy will go a long way in assuring guests that they can cancel if the situation gets worse. Additionally, try to aware your new inquiries on effective cleaning & sanitization policies at your property. This will make your online visitors feel safe about your property & encourage them for bookings during this Pandemic period.

Set up health safety measures

 Send your guests comprehensive information regarding what you’re doing to keep your property corona-free. Inform them that you are going to get the place thoroughly disinfected before they arrive. Add that you are going to offer masks, soap, and sanitizers and mention that you will have filters installed as well. This will go a long way in alleviating their concerns. 

Apart from this, send them relevant social distancing and self-sanitization details that can help them to remain safe during their trip. Showing that you care will work in your favor.  

Adjust Your House Rules:

During the regular days, you may have had some strict policies or house rules as per your preferences of property management. But when you're facing a pandemic situation, you need to wave off highly strict rules to portray your property as a friendly & safe stay for the guests.

Highlight these flexible rules on your listing. For example, "Pet Friendly" or "Wheelchair Friendly Access" or "Full / Half Kitchen Available"...etc.

Remember, when you highlight such small things, the AirBnB algorithm helps your listing to get more impressions as these are considered as "Micro-Interactions" in your listing. Also by making these leniency changes, you will show up in more search results driving by click rates and speak to a vaster audience.

With these methods, you will be able to get bookings along with ensuring the safety of your guests. We hope that we get through this soon!

For more information on how to maintain and manage short-term rentals, sign up for our free webinar today.