Airbnb and Vrbo are two of the most popular websites for listing vacation property in The Bahamas and elsewhere.
They also happen to be two of the sites that Shore Concierge uses to market client properties.
But what do they offer and which is best?
Both Airbnb and Vrbo share many key points and benefits, with similar booking systems, so it can be difficult to know which is best.
To help you out, we have produced an overview of the two platforms and highlight their stand-out features.
Vrbo (Vacation Rentals By Owners) was established in 1995 and has been in operation for more than 25 years. It has since merged with both homeaway.com and vacationrentals.com in 2007 and is currently owned by the Expedia Group.
The website consistently has over 14 million views from visitors and a large client base. Vrbo users tend to be older than Airbnb clients, focusing on family homes and longer stays than Airbnb, so if these are the types of guests you typically welcome, Vrbo could be a great option. When you list your rental home on Vrbo, you also are shown up on Homeaway.com and other websites in the Vrbo/HomeAway group, so you can gain more visitor traffic.
One of the stand-out features of using Vrbo to list your vacation rental is the customization options. On Vrbo, visitors can choose from several filters to help narrow down the type of vacation spot they wish to book. These include price, property type, amenities, location, and of course, the number of bedrooms or bathrooms.
When it comes to owners' fees for Vrbo, there is a choice. You can either choose 5% per booking or a $499 subscription fee. If you make less than $10,000 in rental income or book less than six weeks per year, it works best to pay per booking. However, if you are earning more than $10,000 and booking all year round, the subscription fee is the way to go. You will also pay 3% for every credit card transaction made by a visitor. Guest owner fees are usually between 10-11%.
Air Bed and Breakfast was founded in 2008 and was rebranded as Airbnb shortly after. More than half a billion guests have booked through the website since it started. With 5.6 million active listings and being active in 220 countries, this website is certainly at the top of the charts for global attraction. It’s no wonder that people have coined the phrase “Airbnbing” to refer to renting a home on vacation.
Where Vrbo tends to have a more traditional client base for family homes, Airbnb caters to a wider and younger audience. The website included single-room stays as well as those renting out their entire home. Airbnb also tends to attract people looking for a shorter stay or those who are making last-minute bookings. It even offers adventures, experiences, and restaurant recommendations from local experts to provide more than a place to stay.
Airbnb allows for all different types of accommodations. If you have a one-of-a-kind property, a treehouse, a luxury castle, or an island, you can post these all on Airbnb. This gives Airbnb greater flexibility than Vrbo, allowing for a greater number of listings. This is one reason why the website has strong visitor traffic, which is a huge advantage. The more people you have looking at your property, the more likely you will rent it out!
Airbnb’s competitive fees provide another benefit. Up until last summer, in many countries, there was a typical low service fee of around 3% per booking based on your cancellation policy, so the listing price was lower than Vrbo. A typical guest fee was normally around 12%. However, software-connected hosts who use a channel manager to connect their calendars to Airbnb now pay a typical host-only fee of 15%, while guests pay nothing. But in some countries – including the Bahamas and the United States, hosts can still adopt a split-fee model. There is a separate fee structure for Luxe properties.
Which to choose?
Both websites have their advantages, and both play to different audiences and home types. The main thing to keep in mind when deciding is you want to attract top-quality visitor traffic to your property. It is one thing to have many visitors, but if the likelihood of them renting your home is not high, versus a lower number of visitors who are likely to book, it is better to go for the second option.
If you have a traditional family home, and you want to sell the property’s unique attributes to longer-stay vacationers, then Vrbo could be the way to go.
If you want to attract a high footprint of flexible renters who can take advantage of a quick, last-minute stay, then Airbnb is a great option.
Either way, both websites are great options. Choose the best one for you, and enjoy filling up those booking slots!
If you are looking for expert help to navigate your way through the rental ownership maze, talk to Shore Concierge. We are dedicated to helping you manage your vacation rental and market your property worldwide using comprehensive and creative marketing.
With services from home staging, professional photos, and guest communication, let our team of professionals handle your luxury Bahamas vacation rental. For more information, visit- https://www.shore-concierge.com/
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