As we head in to 2021, Short Term Rental Operators are looking to gain more trust and provide more piece of mind to their potential guests.
As we’ve continuously reiterated, the short-term rental industry shows no signs of slowing down, especially with the growing support of new software and integrated apps. The trouble is, an increasing number of consumers are still questioning whether they can trust short-term rental operators. And it’s no surprise either, with the horrific scam stories and tragic incidents that we learn about far too often. Whilst we can admit that “lack of trust” is not exactly old-news for the short-term rental industry, this consensus alone should ring alarm bells. We’re operating in the business of people. Strip the details back, and ultimately, the short-term rental space has a responsibility of putting a roof over a traveller’s head for an agreed period of time, whilst ensuring that they are safe and secure.
Its All About Piece Of Mind…
If a potential guests arrives on your website and does not instantly feel the trust, then you are going to loose that guest to a competitor or they will return to an OTA. It is crucial that you ensure your website home page displays trust. Guests need that piece of mind they are booking with a reputable accommodation provider, and if they don’t have this, then its booking lost.
Whether a business owner who is turning over millions, or a single parent who has spent months saving up for a holiday, what is the one thing that all travellers expect, when booking into a short term rental property?
The truth is, whilst high-resolution images on shiny websites might provide some “relief”, that relief may only be short-lived if there is nothing else to guarantee that the trading company/ property owner is 100% legitimate. Think about it, we live in a digitally driven world where it’s easy to access, replicate, and steal content. So, however convincing a website or social media page may “seem” – it rarely justifies parting with thousands of pounds for. The same applies to online reviews (even on well-known review websites and the likes of Google). It isn’t difficult to remain anonymous or mask your real identity behind a glaring computer screen – all too often, travellers may not even know who exactly they’re giving their money to.
Whether a business owner who is turning over millions, or a single parent who has spent months saving up for a holiday, what is the one thing that all travellers expect, when booking into a short term rental property? So, returning to our earlier question: what is the one thing that all travellers expect, when booking into a short term rental property? The answer, is of course, trust. Travellers want and deserve peace of mind. But what’s frightening is that on many occasions, the short-term rental industry has failed to provide them with this.
The negative repercussions of this are two-fold. On one hand, travellers are left confused, emotionally distressed and maybe even out-of-pocket; and on the other, legitimate short-term rental agencies and property owners are losing out on bookings, as they fail to guarantee that they can be trusted.
Whether a “popular” opinion or not, success in the short-term rental industry does not begin with direct bookings, costly marketing, advertising and PR, not even luxurious amenities. These are all of course, very important; however, success in this sector must always begin with trust. Ultimately, it’s consumer trust that will drive more bookings, recommendations, and be the life-blood of any short term rental business. We have now seen for ourselves, that industry giants such as Airbnb have also come to this realisation.
However, whilst they’re prepared to invest millions of pounds in restoring trust and credibility, the biggest question (and maybe even concern) is, do the likes of these household brands truly understand what it means to verify a listing, properly? As the fastest-growing sector in hospitality, the short-term rental space in booming. Change – needless to say – cannot happen overnight, nor can we inspire positive differences by taking shortcuts and allowing fraudsters to be one step ahead of the game.
The “standard” so-to-speak, should be simple: I-PRAC Approval. Currently, the I-PRAC verification process is the only the way to be certain that short-term rental properties and their owners are 100% legitimate and operating in-line with industry standards. The company builds a bridge of trust between consumers and professionals who let their spare rooms, villas, and apartments; and in many ways, is the perfect solution for brands like Airbnb.
Become I-PRAC approved and provide that guest piece of mind to book with you…..
