The words “digital nomad” and “remote workers” are ones that are thrown around pretty regularly now in the short-term and vacation rental industry and with good reason.
Globally, remote workers are one of the prevailing narratives that have arisen from a Covid-19-reformed working world, with short-term rental platforms like Airbnb looking to capitalise on the latest trend by shifting its focus to longer stays (lasting a month or two), to try and encourage those looking for a workcation onto the platform.
Recent studies show that the digital nomad population in the US grew at an incredible rate, from 7.3 million in 2019 to 10.9 million in 2020, an increase of nearly 50%.
With more and more people turning to remote work and digital nomadism, the short-term rental industry is in the perfect position to cater to this new way of working.
Here are our top tips for property managers and Hosts to successfully market their vacation rentals to remote workers:
- WiFi: Remote workers need it, so Hosts need to shout about it
- Provide the perfect workspace
- Offer discounts for longer stays
- Update your interior décor
- List your property on platforms dedicated to remote workers & digital nomads
WiFi: Remote workers need it, so Hosts need to shout about it
For remote workers, WiFi is one of the most important factors when it comes to deciding whether to choose your vacation rental or to keep searching.
If you have fast and reliable WiFi, then you need to make it abundantly clear to those considering your property, because a large part of a remote workers day revolves around fast and reliable internet.
Recently Airbnb introduced the ability for Hosts to test their wifi speed, see the results, and get their listing updated accordingly, all from within the Airbnb app.
For a more in-depth guide about how to take advantage of this new feature, check out this guide by Rental Scale-Up.
Provide the perfect workspace
Although we’ve all seen the stereotypical pictures of digital nomads swinging in a hammock with their laptop on a beach between two palm trees, most remote workers find makeshift desks uncomfortable and tiresome.
Workcations require a dedicated space for working from, so make sure you have the appropriate items when it comes to things like chairs and tables.
Obviously, you don’t have to make your vacation rental look like an office, (after all most remote workers and digital nomads are looking to escape the office feel!) but to really market your vacation rental to remote workers, make sure you take the time to equip the property with the right amenities.
Highlight these in your listing description and photos, and remote workers won’t think twice about whether to book or not.
Offer discounts for longer stays
Unlike the usual Guests on short-term rental platforms, most remote workers and digital nomads are looking to base themselves in one place for a month or potentially longer.
As a Host or Operator, you would be mad to miss out on the opportunity to have guaranteed income for however long they chose to stay.
We recommend that you offer different rent payments (weekly or monthly) and make that clear to potential remote workers on your listing. This will make them more likely to rent your property, knowing that you are flexible and that you can save them money in the long run.
Update your interior décor
As mentioned previously in this post, we’re not saying that you need to turn your vacation rental into an office, but by making some changes to your interior in a few rooms that could be used as a workspace, remote workers will be drawn to your listing.
One of the biggest additions you can make is incorporating more greenery and plants into your space, with studies about plants and green spaces proving that they boost productivity, creativity, and promote mental restoration lost to distraction.
For more inspiration about design, why not check out Guesty’s post with Fulhaus here.
List your property on platforms dedicated to remote workers & digital nomads
With the current state of the world, more and more people are being attracted to remote work and digital nomadism.
To make the most of this and increase your occupancy rates, listing on a platform that is dedicated to these types of traveller is a sure-fire way of marketing your vacation rental to remote workers.
Here is a list of some of the biggest and best digital nomad platforms and sites:
By making these small changes, you will not only bring in more bookings and revenue, but you will also create a space that will be irresistible to remote workers.
Know your Guests
One thing that comes part and parcel with more bookings, is an increased level of risk. Unfortunately, bookings don’t always go to plan no matter how careful your Guests are.
Protect your property and Host with confidence. With Superhog’s digital toolkit, including booking validation and embedded insurance, you’ll be able to confidently Host more bookings, by having the appropriate protection in place when it comes to Guest property damage.
