The sun is sneaking up from behind the clouds, which means summer is nearly here and, therefore, the Airbnb peak season. As a short-term rental host, your property must be ready for the busy season. 2023 is already shaping up to be one of the busiest years of travel on record.

However, with careful planning and preparation, you can ensure your short-term rental is ready for all the summer visitors.

Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!

What is the Airbnb Peak Season?

Airbnb peak season refers to the period when the demand for short-term rentals is at its highest, usually due to factors such as holidays, summer vacations, or popular events happening in a specific location (i.e., Lollapalooza in Chicago, college football season in Alabama, etc.)

Many travelers are looking for accommodations during this time, leading to increased bookings and higher rental prices for hosts. Peak seasons can vary depending on the region, local attractions, and cultural events.

For example, peak season in beach destinations will occur during the summer, while ski resort areas will experience peak season in winter.

10+ Tips to Prepare for the Airbnb Peak Season

With summer 2023 fast approaching, many short-term rental hosts are entering their busiest time of the year. Here are some tips and tricks for ensuring that your short-term rental is ready for the best summer season yet:

Tip 1: Audit Your Business

First things first: hosts should take a good hard look at their business strategy and evaluate what is and isn’t working. Look at past seasons to identify where you have succeeded and where there is room for improvement.

Evaluate metrics like booking rate, reviews, and costs associated with running your business. Understanding these scores will help guide your next steps and inform you how to prepare for peak season.

Tip 2: Optimize Your Listing

With the summer season fast approaching, now is the time to ensure your listing looks its very best. Update your listing photos, write a detailed and accurate description of the property and its amenities, ensure all rates are up-to-date, and double-check that you have accurate availability listed.

Tip 3: Set Competitive Prices

Luckily, Host Tools offers pricing automation. This means that Host Tools lets you set up pricing rules specific to each of your listings. You can use Airbnb’s Smart Pricing recommendations as a basis and apply multiple pricing rules on top of one another.

Using pricing automation is more effective than manually setting your rates because our algorithms are specially designed to capture info about the market you might not otherwise know about.

Tip 4: Improve Your Response Time

As we said, travel in 2023 is expected to break records. As a result, there is more competition than ever for guests. Be sure you respond quickly to booking requests by turning on Instant Book, utilizing ChatGPT for Quick Replies, and automating guest communication.

Tip 5: Review Your Automation Processes

Look back at the past six months and review your automation processes. Are there areas where you can streamline communication? What automation can you create to ensure your business runs as efficiently as possible?

If you aren’t already, use a smart lock for self-check-in. Plus, start automating your cleaning schedules so you never miss a beat.

Tip 6: Update Your Welcome Letter & House Manual

For the most part, we can create our welcome letter and house manual once and leave it. Still, it’s a good idea to review the welcome book every season and make sure it is up-to-date.

Summer 2023 may differ from summer 2022, so you’ll want to reflect any changes in your welcome book. For example, maybe the local coffee joint you recommended no longer exists or has a different name.

Tip 7: Offer Unique Experiences

Airbnb’s peak season is a great time to introduce any new upsell experiences. Whether that’s airport pick-up or providing a bottle of champagne upon arrival, get creative and give guests a unique experience to remember.

Tip 8: Prioritize Cleanliness and Safety

In a post-pandemic world, guests expect the highest level of cleanliness and safety. Before the start of peak season, be sure to update your cleaning practices to meet health standards.

Tip 9: Collect and Showcase Positive Reviews

5-star guest reviews are the lifeblood of the short-term rental business. Using platforms like Airbnb or VRBO automatically adds your reviews to your listing. However, be sure to find a space to include guest reviews on your direct booking site. This will help showcase your superb hospitality and give potential guests the confidence to book with you.

Tip 10: Be Prepared for Last-Minute Bookings

Summertime is the time for last-minute getaways. Be prepared and plan ahead for last-minute bookings. This could include having a routine cleaning checklist, stocking extra supplies like towels or toiletries, or a system to quickly accommodate guests looking for a spontaneous escape.

Tip 11: Take Care of Any Summer Maintenance

While we’re often happy to say goodbye to the cold, summer welcomes a new set of maintenance requests. Ensure you have pest prevention under control, all outdoor furniture is in good condition from winter storage, and the air conditioning is running well.

Tip 12: Network with Other Hosts

Last but certainly not least, network with other hosts in your area. This is a great way to stay up-to-date on industry trends and collaborate on marketing initiatives. Not only that, but it’s also an opportunity to develop relationships and learn from each other!

Final Thoughts

Following these tips can help you make the most of Airbnb’s peak season and ensure that your listing stands out from the rest. From updating your welcome letter to offering unique experiences and taking care of any summer maintenance, there are many strategies you can use to maximize bookings during peak season. With a bit of preparation and effort, you can make your Airbnb listing a success this summer.

Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!