Airbnb has changed the landscape of the tourism industry since it began in 2007. And because of its impact in our industry, every one of you should have an account. Why do I think you all need to have an account? Not because I want you all to go on vacation and stay at an Airbnb (although you have to take your vacations. Read why here.) But because no matter what sector of the industry you work in, it has affected your job and will continue to do so. In order to stay on top of the trends that Airbnb is creating, you have to be able to see inside their world.
Set up your account
If you already have an account, you can skip this section. If you don’t, click here and set up your account. ( This is also an affiliate link for me- if you sign up, I get a small commission if you ever take a trip. You will get a discount on your first booking and it doesn’t cost you a thing. Win- win!) Once you have your account, take some time to look at the listings in your area. Surprising, isn’t it?
I was an early host on Airbnb- my property was one of the first 8000 listed way back in 2009. During that time I was a single mom with 2 sons in college and I was open to any way to make money. This concept sounded less painful than selling my plasma. I never imagined how this platform would have grown and evolved into the beast that it is today. So instead of ignoring it, let’s think of some ways to capitalize on what makes them successful.
Do you work at a DMO?
When Airbnbs first started popping up in your destination, I bet you weren’t aware of them. We were all under the radar for a while. And then as the platform began to grow and get media coverage, hoteliers began to complain that this type of lodging wasn’t safe and didn’t have the same type of restrictions and tax rules. All the complaints against this type of lodging didn’t shut it down, but it forced Airbnb to develop new strategies to compete.
What traditional lodging failed to understand is that some consumers are looking for unique lodging, and a way to ‘live like a local’ when they travel. The lodging becomes part of the experience. Want proof? My brother travels for business and has hotel points at multiple chains. Yet when his family was planning a recent vacation to North and South Dakota ( they have a plan to visit all 50 states!) his millennial age daughter convinced him to let her find some unique Airbnbs to use. He reluctantly agreed, and their trip included as many photos from the deck of their majestic cabin filled with taxidermied animals as Mount Rushmore!
So as a DMO representative, you need to think about how you can capitalize on this platform, and how you can help the visitors who use Airbnbs.
Here are my tips.
- Find your Superhosts. A Superhost is an owner who has reached milestones with the number of bookings they have, as well as the point value of their reviews. The Superhost status re-sets every quarter. These are owners who host guests on a regular basis. Do you know them? You should. They are some of your best ambassadors. I suggest inviting some of your top Superhosts to your office. Most of them will have no idea about the resources and guidance you can offer. Just search your location and look for the Superhost logo.
- Invite them to share brochures from your destination. Guests often make plans to visit attractions within 24-48 hours so it’s important that the Airbnb lodging has all kinds of brochures and guides available. And I know that people use their phones for research ( and booking) but paper brochures can be handed around at the breakfast table.
- Help your restaurants to understand the potential. One of the challenges I have as a host is to provide local menus. My guests comment on how they like to look through the binder I provide with information on my favorite local winery, brewery and restaurants. I love when I can get a paper copy or can download one from the internet. People like to get an idea of what the menu has. If restaurants would make their menus downloadable, that would make it easier for hosts to promote them.
- Airbnb guests can become residents. I have had many guests over the years who ‘wanted to try out the area’ before committing to a move. And it makes sense. You can see what life is like as a local by shopping in the grocery stores and driving through the residential areas. Maybe you could ask your Superhosts to stock relocation information?
Airbnb isn’t just competition for lodging -it is now competition for attractions too
When I first started working at attractions, I thought my competition was other attractions in the region. Then as time went on, I began to see that our competition was also elements like competing priorities for families, fewer people taking all their vacation days, etc.
And now Airbnb has given attractions a whole other area of competition- unique experiences with locals. When you look through the AirBnb Experiences offerings at any destination, it is amazing the breadth of choices one has. Visiting an aquarium sounds kind of boring if another choice is a personalized walk on the beach with a naturalist! Attractions that offer more ‘passive’ experiences might think Airbnb experiences won’t be competition, but remember that is what hotel chains thought years ago.
So what are some actions that attractions can take?
- Check out the listings in your area. Is there an experience that is similar to what you offer? Can you partner with this host and have them add your attraction as part of their experience? Can you partner with one of the providers and work together to create a new, unique experience?
- How about a referral program? One of my local wineries partnered with nearby Airbnb hosts and asked us to give out free tasting cards to our guests. Each host had a number assigned to us that was on the card. At the end of the year, the property that referred the most guests got a gift basket. Easy to implement when you know who your Superhosts are.
- Add your experiences to your TripAdvisor listing. Trip Advisor Experiences is competing in this realm and there are a lot of advantages to listing your experiences on this platform. Check out this site for more information.
- Make your manager aware of this trend. Your manager does not have time to keep up on all the trends affecting our industry so that is a role that will help make you invaluable. I used to forward articles or links on tourism trends that I thought my supervisor should know about, and I would follow up with some ideas, concerns, or suggestions. Airbnb’s evolution is one trend they need to know about.
Hotels and B&Bs
All is not lost. Although I am not a hotel marketing expert, I can tell you why I still usually stay at hotels when I travel, and perhaps your sales and marketing team can capitalize on these elements.
- Hotels offer loyalty programs. I stay at hotels so I can earn points towards free stays. Airbnb doesn’t offer that- yet. So branded hotels should highlight that. If you are an independent property, do you have a ‘frequent visitor’ program? Points for meeting planners or Group tour operators?
- Safety. Airbnb has had many stories in the media about the safety of its guests and hosts. I choose to stay in a hotel because I feel safer. There are security precautions in place and someone will answer the front desk phone if I have an emergency.
- I don’t like to clean while I am traveling! This might sound like a small thing, but I am so happy when I get back to my hotel room at night and the bed is made and everything feels clean. When I have stayed at an Airbnb, I have to make my own bed, straighten my own towels and wash my own dishes. I enjoy feeling a bit pampered while in a hotel.
- B&Bs provide personal interaction and concierge-level service that Airbnbs cannot. I like the feeling that you are ‘coming home’ when you arrive at a B&B. You get to know someone, and they can help customize your experience. And you usually get an amazing breakfast!
How to keep up with Airbnb Trends?
Have you seen the latest news on Airbnb? Airbnb and the International Olympic Committee have just announced a Global Olympic Partnership. Read about it here.
I suggest setting up a Google alert for Airbnb trends ( Here is how to set up a Google Alert) and check out the Airbnb newsroom on a regular basis.
So instead of ignoring Airbnb and the changes it is bringing to our industry, I say you should leverage your opportunities to work with the platform and look for ways to offer different elements than they can offer.
Airbnb is here to stay and as Tourism Professionals, I want you to be successful in our ever-changing environment.
How can I help you succeed in 2020?
- Check out my free resources section at The Tourism Pro Academy
- Schedule a free 15-minute call with me, or schedule a 1-hour call for a more in-depth discussion about your 2020 plans.
- Hire me to speak at your tourism conference or event. Reply to this email and I will follow up.
- Looking for help in creating a Strategic Sales plan for your attraction? Reply to this email and let’s chat.
- DMOs: Let’s talk about my Online Training program for your partners! Every month I present on a topic that will help increase your partner’s professionalism and understanding of this industry.
- Are you looking to increase your Chinese visitors this year? Then you need to check out my China Sales Mission Program, starting up in the next month. After this course, you will be ready to reap the benefits of this key market. Click on this link to learn more.