20 Feb Best Attractions in Your Airbnb Location: How to find them and promote them to your guests

Good hosts make sure their guests have a good time and enjoy themselves. One way to help guests have a great time is by sharing local attractions.

Being a great Airbnb host is about more than providing a roof over guests’ heads. To be a Superhost you need to focus on the traditional elements of hosting.  Here’s how you can find out about the best attractions and events in your area to share with your guests.

Sign Up for Events Newsletters

There are lots of great websites and newsletters that chronicle local events. Signing up to receive newsletters is a great way to keep up to date with what’s going on. Share this information with your guests.

Create a monthly summary of interesting events to include in your welcome pack. And be sure to share upcoming events in your conversation with guests. You’ll want to use this information in your listing’s guidebook. 

Local websites such as “visit X” are often great for finding area activities. Here are 5 other websites and apps to find events:

• Eventbrite – a great website to find a niche or free events, networking and classes
• Timeout – The go-to magazine to find all kinds of events, as well as discounts and deals
• Facebook Local Events – suggests events local to your postcode
• Eventful – A website that’s a great place to find gigs and musical events
• Dostuff – an event app which currently lists local events for 20 of North America’s largest cities

You can also use this information to update your pricing calendar. Major local events increase demand for places to stay, so you can raise your rental price.

Highlight Local Attractions

Become an ambassador for your neighborhood. You don’t need to live next door to the Eiffel Tower to find great attractions in your area. Every neighborhood has a few gems that only locals know about. Anyone can Google “top things to do” on TripAdvisor these days. It’s the smaller attractions which are harder to discover. Airbnb travelers love feeling like they’ve seen something special, that hidden gem that other tourists don’t know about. Why not tell guests about the restaurant down the road that’s run by the same family for three generations? Or that nearby spot with some of the best local street art. Know someone working at a local cafe or eatery? See if you can secure a discount for your guests when they drop your name.

This feeling of getting the “local” treatment is something that sets Airbnb apart. It’s a completely different experience from staying in a hotel chain. If you don’t know your neighborhood very well, go exploring. Do some research. Even check out the Airbnb Experiences offered in your area to get some ideas.

It’s worth highlighting attractions in your listing by including a few pictures. Photos of nearby places of interest will heighten the appeal of any listing.

Research Local Discounts

There are plenty of opportunities for locals to find discounts. Such discounts can be available at any number of venues, restaurants and more. Some discounts are seasonal, while others are available year-round. Hosts can help guests manage their budgets by finding and sharing savings opportunities. Here are six ideas for finding and sharing discounts with guests:

1. Note the free days or hours of any local museums or attractions. Most museums offer free admission a few days per week or month.
2. Provide a list of happy hours at some of your favorite local eateries and bars.
3. Find opportunities for local discounts that you can pass onto guests. This could include coupons or flyers that are only delivered to residents. Add these to your welcome pack.
4. Share season passes or membership passes to attractions if you have them available.
5. Negotiate with local businesses. See if you can recommend their services in return for giving your guests a discount. Be sure these are businesses you truly feel comfortable recommending. It’s better to be up-front with guests that you have secured a discount with the establishment. Explain that it’s because you love them and send so many happy customers their way.
6. Include referral discount codes in your welcome pack for services.  Rideshare and delivery services such as Uber or Lyft differ by state and country. It’s helpful to make guests aware of the services available. As a bonus, both you and your guests will often get discounts or rewards for these referrals. 

Host Airbnb Experiences

If you love being a local expert in your town you may consider hosting Airbnb Experiences. These are one-of-a-kind experiences offered by locals. Experiences include cooking classes, walking tours, yoga sessions and much more. Think you’ve got what it takes? Find out What the Best Airbnb Experiences Hosts Have in Common.

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