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Vacation Rental Sites

Polly Shelton
In Property Management Tips, Vacation Rental Industry, Vacation Rental Sites

Alternatives to Airbnb: which vacation rental site is best for your properties?

Alternatives to Airbnb

With the vacation rental sector expected to be valued at $119.0 billion within the next few years, the vacation landscape is clearly in a time of huge transformation. Those who have invested in rental properties, or work in the property management sector, will know that Airbnb is the brand most commonly associated with the growth of the sector. The company had led the way in revolutionizing how people search for and book their vacations. 

However, Airbnb are not the only leaders in the sector. Sites like Airbnb are popping up all over the web, each positioning themselves as Airbnb alternatives, and with varying USPs. 

So, which are the best Airbnb competitors? What makes them different? And how do you know if they’re right for your properties? Here we explore some of the top global OTAs and vacation rental search sites, to see which alternatives to Airbnb are going to perform before for your business. 

Airbnb

Key Features

  • Undoubtedly one of the most recognizable vacation rental companies in the world, Airbnb is still reigning supreme, with over 6 million listings globally. 
  • Airbnb guest profiles typically fall into the Millennial bracket, with tourists looking for unique, characterful properties. 
  • As Airbnb includes the option for hosts to rent out sections of their property (a bedroom or annex for example), many Airbnb hosts offer a more personal, home-from-home experience, compared with a hotel room or resort. 

Airbnb and Avantio

We’ve been connected to Airbnb since 2016, and we were one of the first European channel managers to make the connection. We’ve also been awarded Preferred Partner status by the top OTA for the last three years, in recognition of our consistently successful API connection.

Consider this portal if…

  • You want your properties to be displayed on one of the most globally recognized vacation rental platforms.
  • Airbnbs tend to have longer bookings, compared with booking.com for example, so this may be a good option if you’re smart with your pricing strategies. 
  • You have a unique property with Instagram-ready features, that will appeal to a more aesthetically-driven market.

Booking.com

Key features

  • Another of the ‘top 3’ most recognizable OTA sites, booking.com has over 28 million listings, over six million of which fall into the vacation rental category. 
  • Booking.com is more generally recognized for its hotel listings, but the vacation rental listing function is also very strong. There’s also a very wide range of properties listed, from budget hostel beds to luxury apartments. 
  • The site tends to attract families, or a more mature audience, compared with Airbnb for example. 
  • Booking.com is known for having a lot of filter and search functions, making it easier for guests to narrow down the many search results to show only specific features, for example parking or breakfast included. 

Booking.com and Avantio

We’ve been connected to booking.com since 2012, and have been awarded Premier Partner status for the last three consecutive years. 

Consider this alternative to Airbnb if…

  • Your properties offer lots of valuable features that guests may be filtering their searches for. 
  • You have all-purpose (not niche) properties, that can appeal to guests with a variety of rental needs, e.g. family vacations, corporate stays. 
  • You don’t mind competing with hotel rooms.
  • You’re happy to receive shorter bookings. Booking.com tends to have shorter booking periods compared with other sites. 

Vrbo

Key features

  • One of the biggest global vacation rental sites, and one of the first, predating Airbnb by 12 years. 
  • Vrbo generally features entire rental properties, with no ‘shared spaces’. As a result, there are no hosted experiences, and guests always have the entire place to themselves. 
  • The properties listed on Vrbo are usually on the larger side, and more geared towards family and group vacations. 
  • There are fewer budget-friendly options listed on the site. 

Vrbo and Avantio

Vrbo connected with Avantio’s API in 2013. When we saw how valuable this was to our clients, we were one of the first companies to develop a full content API. We’ve been Preferred Partners of Vrbo since 2020. 

Consider this alternative to Airbnb if…

  • You have family-friendly properties you’d like to present to a global audience. 
  • You’d like to encourage longer bookings.
  • You’d like the option to choose either an annual fee or fee per booking.

Google Vacation Rentals

Key features

  • Google’s meta search feature draws vacation rental listings directly from some OTAs, and some approved connectivity partners. 
  • If your properties appear through an OTA listing, the client will be taken to that site to complete the booking. 
  • If you’ve registered with one of the few approved connectivity partners, you can publish your listings directly to Google. This means that any clicks on your property will take potential guests straight to your website. 

Connected to Avantio since

Google launched the ‘Vacation Rentals’ product in 2020, and we connected the following year.

Consider connecting to Google via Avantio if…

  • You’d like to showcase your properties directly on the world’s biggest search engine.
  • You’d like to increase your direct bookings, with zero commission or fees.
  • You want your company’s logo to appear on the search listings.

Plum Guide

Key Features

  • Plum Guide offers a high-end collection of rental properties, featuring only 1 in every 100 properties in each area. 
  • Each property is handpicked through a stringent vetting process, needing to pass a full checklist of tests to be accepted. Everything is considered, from pillow quality to the shower pressure.
  • The client profile is affluent and prepared to spend for the experience they’re looking for. 
  • The majority of properties listed are currently in Europe and the US. 

Plum Guide and Avantio

We formed our connection with Plum Guide in 2022, and are delighted to offer this exclusive platform to our clients. 

Consider this alternative to Airbnb if:

  • You have outstanding properties that are likely to pass the Plum Guide test. 
  • You’d like to welcome a more high-end audience.
  • You’re passionate about providing an immaculate guest experience. 

HomeToGo

Key Features

  • Boasting the world’s largest selection of vacation rentals, HomeToGo is a vacation rental marketplace, enabling guests to search and compare over 17 million properties. 
  • There’s a remarkable variety of properties offered, from single budget rooms to sprawling castles. 
  • The website is available in 12 languages, meaning wide reaching visibility for your properties.
  • Instant booking functionality makes it simple for guests to book properties.

HomeToGo and Avantio

We first connected with HomeToGo in 2016, and now our clients have over 30,000 properties connected to the site at any one time.

Connect to HomeToGo via Avantio if:

  • You have a varied portfolio of properties you’d like to target to different audiences.
  • You want your properties included in the ‘worlds largest selection of vacation rental properties’, with millions of users each year. 
  • You like a ‘low risk’ listing. It’s free to initially list on HomeToGo, and you can choose between split-fee or host-only fee for any bookings received.

Homes and Villas by Marriott

Key Features

  • Marriott launched their rental property brand in 2019, as an exclusive channel for professionally managed luxury properties. 
  • The platform has properties in 45 countries, each with premium amenities. 
  • All listed properties must be registered with one of Marriott’s premium property management companies. 
  • As the name suggests, Marriott only offer private homes – no shared apartments or room rentals. 

Homes and Villas by Marriott and Avantio

We launched our connection in 2021, and have been going from strength to strength ever since. 

Consider this alternative to Airbnb if…

  • You have luxury properties which will meet Marriott’s quality requirements.
  • You’d like your properties to be promoted by an esteemed global brand with nearly 100 years of prestige. 
  • You’re happy to work with one of Marriott’s approved property management companies.

Connect with confidence

Whether you choose to list your properties on one or all of these channels, be sure you’re using the tools that enable you to list in confidence. Choose a channel manager with intuitive functions, zero commission on bookings, and consistently excellent connections to the world’s best vacation rental websites.

webmaster
In Vacation Rental Sites

How to optimize your Traum by Oyo vacation rental listing descriptions for maximum visibility

As a property manager, you know that visibility is essential for a thriving vacation rental business. With over 100,000 properties listed on Traum by Oyo (formerly Traum Ferienwohnungen), it’s clearly a successful platform. But with such healthy competition, how can you make sure your listings stand out?

To increase visibility and bookings for a vacation rental via one or more vacation rental portals, it’s the quality of the vacation rental listing description that counts. In collaboration with Traum by Oyo, we’re bringing you three easy to implement tips that can transform your listings not only on Traum, but other OTAs too.

 

 

About Traum by OYO – top platform for German tourists

Traum was founded in Bremen in 2001 and has been part of OYO Hotels & Homes, one of the world’s largest providers of hotels, vacation rentals and residences, since 2019. The company operates www.traum-ferienwohnungen.de, one of the largest German portals for vacation rentals, as well as www.holiday-apartments.co.uk for UK guests.

 

 

Start increasing visibility

 

 

1 – Actively generate reviews

Online reviews for vacation rentals are as vital as they are for any other online purchase. They stimulate trust, which is essential for guests to part with their money and click ‘reserve’.

Evaluations by Traum by OYO have shown that listings with just one review get almost three times as many clicks as those with none. By actively soliciting guest reviews, you can increase engagement with your property listings. Here are a few ways you can generate more reviews:

 

  • Leave a card with a review request and QR code in the property
  • Include a link to your review page in your digital guest welcome book
  • If you do in-person check-outs, mention to guests how they can leave a review
  • Send a follow-up email asking for a review after the stay

Don’t worry about imperfect reviews. A listing with unfailing glowing feedback potentially comes across as less trustworthy and realistic than one with a more ‘human’ presence. What’s important is how you respond to criticism – ensuring you’re always friendly and positive.

 

2 – Optimize images and texts

 

There’s no second chance to make a first impression, and this is particularly true when it comes to choosing a vacation rental. Special memories are made on vacation, and they are the highlight of the calendar each year. When choosing a vacation rental, the aesthetic of the experience is just as important to the guest as the reassurance of positive reviews.

When scrolling through property listings, the main image and summary text of your accommodation needs to call out to the guest ‘this is the one!’. In fact, rentals with high-quality promotional photographs have been found to receive 63% more clicks than those with low-quality images.

Interestingly, data from Traum by OYO demonstrated that not only is the quality of the images crucial, but also the number. 15 pictures seems to be the optimal number for property listings. Therefore, when marketing, focus on quality rather than quantity and work with 15 beautiful and meaningful images – this is absolutely sufficient.

Depending on the device used to take the listing photos, image quality can vary wildly. Investing in professional property photography is a great way to help your accommodation stand out. At the very least, be sure to use a decent camera, with good lighting and angles.

When it comes to the written listing descriptions, don’t fall into the trap of just reeling off amenities. This is an opportunity to draw the reader into the story of your property. Paint a picture of cocktails on the balcony at sunset, or magical fireside evenings with the children. Sell the experience, rather than the property.

 

3 – Include all equipment

 

You might assume that these days Wi-Fi is taken as a given when it comes to vacation rentals, and not worth including in your listing. However, Traum by OYO has found that 46% of users use filters when searching on their site. A further 12% search for ‘additional features’, which include arguably basic amenities like Wi-Fi and TV.

With the new profile of travelers seeking different types of experiences to the pre-pandemic tourists, avoid making assumptions about how guests may be searching for rentals. Include all details in the category listings, so that when guests are filtering their searches, your property is more likely to appear.

Traum by Oyo displays search results based on all the criteria entered, including the filters for additional equipment. So if a guest has selected a filter that doesn’t match your listing description, your property won’t appear, even if it meets other filter criteria.

Therefore the best technique is to enrich your listing description with all applicable equipment information – from hairdryers to parking – no matter how trivial it may seem. Every click counts!

 

Prepare your Traum by Oyo listings for success

 

As we have discovered, even small optimizations of your Traum by Oyo listings can have a significant impact on your visibility and, as a result, your bookings. Try out these easy hacks to take your Traum, or other OTA, vacation rental listings to the next level.

Still looking for more ways to get the most out of your OTA listings? Check out how our vacation rental channel manager is specifically designed for exactly this purpose.

 

 

webmaster
In Vacation Rental Sites

Publish your properties on Homes and Villas by Marriott with TravelStaytion

TravelStaytion selected as an official connectivity provider of Homes and Villas by Marriott International

We make it easy and fast for property managers to list homes on Homes and Villas by Marriott International, the popular premium and luxury home rental platform backed by one of the world’s leading hospitality companies.

Now, even if you don’t have the minimum of 30 properties but you meet the qualification standards, you will still be able to list your properties on Homes and Villas by Marriott International through the TravelStaytion connection with the Avantio Channel Manager.

 

 

Properties listed on Homes and Villas by Marriott International can reach more than 150 million travellers with the only home rental offering that is part of the award-winning travel loyalty program Marriott Bonvoy™.

Through the connection with TravelStaytion, qualified property managers have fully synced access to this exclusive platform. This is a great opportunity for your homes to be part of this long-standing hospitality brand’s curated offering.

TravelStaytion invites property professionals to join our vacation rental ecosystem, consisting of high-quality properties and partners.

 

About Homes and Villas by Marriott International

Homes and Villas by Marriott International is a curated premium and luxury vacation rental offering, providing travellers access to thousands of private homes across hundreds of destinations around the world. Leveraging Marriott International’s decades of hospitality experience across more than 30 hotel brands, each hand-picked home is professionally managed by a vetted property management company to meet Marriott’s design, cleanliness, safety, and amenity standards. Homes and Villas by Marriott International is also the only home rental offering to participate in the award-winning travel loyalty program Marriott Bonvoy™, enabling millions of members to earn and redeem points for all stays.

 

The benefits of listing on Homes and Villas by Marriott International

With the TravelStaytion connection to Homes and Villas by Marriott International, selected property management companies around the world will be able to take advantage of the multitude of benefits that only Homes and Villas by Marriott International are able to offer, including:

● The opportunity to reach more than 150 million travellers that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy™ loyalty program

● A dedicated account manager who will help you optimize your performance on the platform and ensure all requirements are met.

● Access to exclusive training courses in hospitality, operations, and cleaning standards

● Discounts on premium amenities and supplies

How to get listed on Homes and Villas by Marriott International

If you are a professional property manager anywhere in the world connected to Avantio channel manager, TravelStaytion has the solution for you. As a selected connectivity provider, we can help you connect to Homes and Villas by Marriott International.

There is a strict vetting process against several service requirements for property managers and design, safety, cleanliness and amenity standards for each home.

If you are a property manager who would like to list your properties on Homes and Villas by Marriott International, fill out this form. If you have any questions, contact them at: partners@travelstaytion.com, and we will be more than happy to assist you.

 

 

webmaster
In Vacation Rental Sites

Offer high quality services to your guests with TravelStaytion

TravelStaytion: One of the fastest growing companies in the vacation rentals industry

TravelStaytion is one of the fastest growing companies in the vacation rentals industry for professionally managed properties, based in London UK.

 

They offer a 360 operation framework to real estate and property owners, in the vacation rental industry. Through their bespoke technology analytical guidelines for seamless operations and strong brand standards they deliver an elevated experience to all stakeholders.

Since Travelstaytion was established in April 2012, the company has built a reputation of offering high quality services to guests by teaming up with verified and highly professional property owners and managers. The company now acquires a growing portfolio of over 85,000 professionally managed properties coming with additional host reception services (such as local support, concierge and more) in over 700 destinations worldwide.

 

 

Connect with TravelStaytion via Avantio and unlock your full potential on a global level!

With Avantio Channel API access, TravelStaytion can receive all property rates, availability and content data in real time. This means starting a partnership is just one click away in the Avantio Dashboard. To have properties onboarded and reviewed by a dedicated account manager of TravelStaytion is a quick and seamless process, so property managers can focus on bookings.

Over the past 3 years, TravelStaytion and Avantio have built a strong partnership listing a great number of high-quality villas, houses, and apartments, fully in line with TravelStaytion’s high quality standards and producing numerous reservations with an average booking value of 2,000 GBP appointing as major destinations for 2021 Italy (40% of bookings), Brazil (20%), Spain (16%), UK (10%) and Croatia (8%).

Furthermore, TravelStaytion dedicated marketing team and travel partners target global guests looking for comfort, quality and professionalism. Connecting with TravelStaytion, property managers and owners join a like-minded community of travel professionals, and get access to a filtered pool of thousands of travellers, originating mainly from the UK, USA, Canada, Germany, Greece, France and Spain  looking for excellent services and travel experiences.

If you are a property manager who would like to list your properties on TravelStaytion, follow this link:

Connect with TravelStaytion: https://www.avantio.com/partners/travelstaytion-partner-avantio

If you have any questions, contact us at: partners@travelstaytion.com, and we will be more than happy to assist you.

To learn more about TravelStaytion visit www.travelstaytion.com

 

 

webmaster
In Vacation Rental Sites

New Niche Portals: Where to List Your Vacation Rental Property?

New niche portals

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Dormoa, Housing Anywhere, Continental Traveller, Villa Finder y Rentalia are in the Avantio Channel Manager and may be your answer to the question Where to List Your Vacation Rental Property?.

Expand your European markets. Whatever type of properties you manage, the new portals that we’re launching in the Channel Manager PRO has something for everyone. Diversify your distribution and increase your visibility and get more bookings.

As more and more tourists want to go on holiday, more holiday rentals are popping up and the short-term rental industry is becoming more competitive. To keep your business afloat, it is imperative to focus your efforts on the visibility of your properties. Relying only on direct bookings from your website or the major portals is no longer enough. You need to expand your customer base by publishing on specialised portals or portals designed for special guest needs. 

At Avantio we work continuously to offer you the best tools to expand your business. We offer you connection to the main portals on the market such as Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com as well as to the more local and niche portals. Thanks to Avantio’s Channel Manager technology, the number of portals that you can find there is growing considerably, offering more than 50 different portals to connect your accommodations to. In this article we bring you the latest connections: Dormoa, Housing Anywhere, Continental Traveller, Villa Finder and Rentalia. We will talk about the details of these later, but now let’s focus on why it is important to expand your business connections.

WHY IT IS USEFUL TO DIVERSIFY YOUR DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY

The following arguments not only answer that question, but are also a key to boosting your business strategy.

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  1. MORE VISIBILITY

The more portals you connect to, the greater the visibility of your properties to potential guests. Broadening the base of portals where guests can find you adds additional value to your brand. People are not just looking for a place to stay, they are looking for experiences.  Let them choose you based on their needs, whether they are looking for a luxury holiday stay or short-term student accommodation.

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  1. THE RIGHT PROPERTY ON THE RIGHT PORTAL

You will have the power to decide whether you want to import all your accommodations to a new portal or whether you want to choose the portal that best suits your customers’ needs. It provides flexibility and constant adaptation to real market conditions.

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  1. SPEED AND USER-FRIENDLINESS

Connect to your chosen portal and you can publish your properties in a matter of seconds. This speed not only helps you, but also gives the guest the certainty of knowing that the offers are always up to date and available.

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  1. PROFITABILITY

The fantastic feature we offer you is the customisation of the profit margin of your properties on each portal. You can set different prices depending on the profile of the portal and its audience.

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  1. FLEXIBILITY

Set specific occupancy rules on each portal according to your distribution strategy. Modify prices on a daily basis, without the need to create or modify seasons and only on certain days of the week.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PORTALS TO ATTRACT GUESTS’ ATTENTION

Connecting your properties to all the portals available in the Avantio Channel Manager will not bring you more bookings or more guests. Choosing the right portals will allow you to spread the right message. Here are some tips to consider when deciding which portals you want to collaborate with:

  • Define your audience,
  • Know your competitors in the regions,
  • Find out which portals are specific to your geographic locations,
  • Think about the reasons why your customers visit you (e.g. skiing, rural area) and turn their needs into your advantages.

Once you think about these things, you can start looking for the right portals for your properties. Avantio Channel Manager has 5 new connections. Check if they are right for your business.

Where to list your vacation rental property?

For your convenience, we have segmented the portals according to the geographical location and tourist profile of your properties. Check below the most important information of each portal and see how you can boost your bookings.

CONTINENTAL TRAVELLER

Do you manage your own holiday accommodation in ski resorts, lakes or mountains, or in Europe’s most popular coastal areas? 

The new connection to the Continental Traveller portal will allow you to find guests based on the type of your properties.

Continental Traveller owns and operates a B2B / B2C proptech platform that hosts an ecosystem of niche, vertical and focused channels for holiday and staycation property professionals worldwide. For this reason, if you choose to work with them you will take advantage of the entire ecosystem covering all property types and with the opportunity to sell each channel connected to the others. This means that there is a high level of referral traffic and therefore a higher visibility of the managers’ rental properties.

The Continental Traveller deals with 3 modalities: Mychaletfinder (ski, lake and mountain regions), Myvillafinder (villas, flats and flats) and Mycottagefinder (UK cottages).



RENTALIA

Rentalia is suitable for all types of accommodation in Spain, Italy, Portugal, France and Andorra. With more than 15 years of experience in the sector, Rentalia has more than 135,000 accommodations in Southern Europe alone and receives more than 15 million visits per year.

Rentalia is a platform of Grupo Idealista dedicated to the promotion of temporary or short-term rentals, holiday homes and rural houses.  It stands out for being a portal with international visibility.

VILLA FINDER

If villas in Italy, South of France and Ibiza and Mallorca are your thing, then Villa Finder is your portal.

Founded in 2012, Villa Finder offers a hand-picked portfolio of over 3,000 villas and chalets in 30 popular destinations, and first-class concierge services for guests on holiday. Their clients are families and groups from all over the world who enjoy the privacy and luxury of a beautiful villa. All the villas listed on their website have been personally selected to ensure they meet the highest standards of hospitality and comfort.

HOUSING ANYWHERE

Do you have your properties in Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain or France and you want to go for a medium-term accommodation?  

Housing Anywhere is your portal. More and more guests are looking for mid-term accommodation, take advantage of this new trend and publish your properties on a leading mid-term accommodation portal.

Housing Anywhere has transformed the rental market since its founding in 2009 by developing the most technologically advanced platform in the rental market. With more than 10 million users, the company opens the doors of a home across Europe for students, young professionals and the new digital nomads to securely rent rooms or flats from landlords and property managers on the HousingAnyWhere platform. 

 

DORMOA 

If you manage properties in Italy or apartments in London or Barcelona, Dormoa could be for you.

Dormoa is one of the principal Italian booking platforms which is used by millions of Italians. As of now, they offer apartments in London, Barcelona and Italy. Dormoa carefully selects the properties and hosts in order to maintain quality and deliver a high quality experience for both the guest and the property manager. Dormoa also has a large client base, with over 500,000 visitors every month, and also has an app for guests for their clients to use during their stay, which gives information about the destination and things to do whilst there (experiences, excursions etc).

Find out more about the more than 50 portals offered by the Avantio Channel Manager >>
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