Identifying Travelers

Not too long ago people would have balked at the idea of opening up their homes to travelers they met on the Internet. The concept of allowing strangers to occupy and access all of your home’s amenities was taboo. The vacation rental business normalized this notion, and has experienced exponential growth since doing so. In fact, iPropertyManagement expects 35 million people to include vacation rentals in their travel plans in 2021. How many travelers your particular rental property hosts a year is significantly less than this, but it would still be nice to know who they are, right? Prior to COVID-19, some hosts chose to interact with their guests face-to-face, but now even the most sociable of hosts cannot always acquaint themselves in person. To learn who they are, let’s answer the following: who are vacation rental guests and how do they travel?

 

Who Vacation Rental Guests Are

In order to learn more about them, Modern Innkeeper once polled over 450 travelers seeking vacation rentals. The noteworthy findings were:

• The ages of most rental guests range between 31 to 35.

• Nearly 90 percent of them claimed the size of the group they travel in affects their decision to stay at a rental property or hotel.

• Over half travel with children under 18.

• Above 80 percent consider themselves active.

• Close to 30 percent live in households earning between $75 thousand to $99 thousand annually.

• Married couples account for 60 percent of them.

• At least a fifth of the poll’s participants own a dog.

Based on this feedback, it is safe to say you can expect your guests to travel with others, space matters, and physical activity is a priority. The last notable figure from our poll is over sixty percent expect basic toiletries, so do not disappoint them!

 

Categorizing Travelers

Remaining cognizant of who you can generally expect to book your vacation rental is invaluable, but being well versed on specific types empowers you to modify your rental for multiple purposes of travel.

 

Business Travelers

Working remotely has become the new norm for Americans, proven by an estimate stating over a quarter of the workforce will work from home throughout 2021. Whether or not remote work remains prevalent in the long term has not been determined, but a sizable chunk of working Americans will work from home for the foreseeable future. Expect them to seek a change of scenery, and equip your property with all of the essentials productivity requires!

 

Young Families

In our fast-paced world, sometimes vacations are the only opportunity a young family has to enjoy each other’s company for an extended amount of time. As the host, your job is to ensure they have plenty of activities at their disposal and fun amenities on the property itself. “It’s all fun and games until somebody gets hurt” is a saying that should reinforce the importance of guest safety. Parents do not want to bear the burden of worrying about their children hurting themselves during their stay, so take action and eliminate any potential concerns.

 

Disabled Travelers

An unfortunate reality is people with disabilities struggle finding vacation rentals that account for their medical needs. So your property does not fall under that category, look into:

• Adding handlebars and a sit-down shower in at least one bathroom.

• Equipping the first story with essential items.

• Making the entrance(s) conducive to wheelchairs.

Following through on these action steps demonstrates you are considerate and expands how many travelers your rental appeals to!

 

Cultural Aficionados

More power to the travelers out there exploring the world to acquire a taste for all cultures. To cement your destination as one of their favorites, empower them to immerse themselves in your rental’s locality!

 

Traveling Methods

Racking up flying miles and arriving at a travel destination sooner than it would take in an overcrowded car are two reasons travelers have historically elected to fly over drive; however, this trend has shifted. In an effort to decrease their exposure to others, vacation goers are preferring to get behind the wheel themselves. To accommodate for vehicles, add the following to your to-do list:

• Confirm there is enough space for guests to park their cars.

• Provide contact information and locations of car repair shops in the area.

• List nearby gas stations.

• Communicate any parking rules the neighborhood has.

As guests adapt their traveling methods to the times, hosts must tailor their accommodations to support them!

 

Getting to Know Travelers

Knowing who your vacation rental guests are and how they travel enables you to be more prepared to host any group of travelers that book your property!