While many industries and businesses have begun to struggle in the wake of Covid-19, one surprising enterprise that has found success around the UK is Airbnb. At first, it seemed that the travel restrictions and declining flight opportunities would negatively affect many Airbnb hosts and their homes. And, while this may be true for international travel, those homestays within the UK have begun to see a surge in business.

Driven by a growing interest in staycation travel and internal tourism, homes around the UK with rooms listed on Airbnb’s website saw an immediate and significant demand for stays as the country’s lockdown eased.

As a result, many homeowners are looking to capitalise on this new popularity, clearing out spare rooms and building summer houses in their gardens to earn extra income. If you want to do the same, or want to improve your current Airbnb experience, here’s everything you need to know.

Know You Local Area

Many hosts want to offer a comfortable and high-quality stay for their guests, which is a great motivation for taking on the Airbnb challenge. However, the stay is only one part of the experience. The most successful hosts are those that are able to connect their guests with the local area.

As more people travel around the UK, they are often interested in learning about the local area, businesses, and experiences. By having recommendations to hand, vouchers, or guides, you’ll be able to set yourself apart from others and help your guests to immerse themselves in your community like a local.

Make Communication a Priority

One of the most influential factors of a person’s choice in Airbnb is communication. It is listed clearly on your profile should prompt you to make an effort when responding to your potential guests. No matter what the enquiry pertains to, being attentive and polite can make a huge difference and even help persuade guests in your favour. Then, after the stay, it’s certain to earn you a good review too.

Be Flexible

Travelling seldom goes exactly as planned. The people arriving at your home aren’t in control of the traffic or transportation, meaning that their planned arrival isn’t always exact. While it can be difficult to keep large windows of time open within which you are able to accommodate your guests, but by being flexible and taking the pressure off an already stressful journey, you will be a welcome support to your guests.

Support Independence

Depending on the set-up of your home, it may be difficult to enable total independence for your guests. However, even if you have to share spaces, such as a kitchen or bathroom, there are still ways for you to support a guest being in control of their own stay.

Assets unique to a room, like as electric heaters and mini-refrigerators, work for two reasons. Firstly, they allow a guest to feel comfortable without imposing themselves upon your space. Secondly, it prevents guests from overstepping their boundaries when sharing a property, keeping both the host and other guests happy.