The primary job of an AirBnB host is, of course, renting out his or her property. Whether it is a huge house or a small unit, the property is the bread and butter of every host. At the heart of AirBnB as an enterprise is the act of advertising and managing one’s property to attract guests who will pay to stay there.
There is nothing stopping AirBnB hosts, however, in thinking of more ways to increase their profits. One of the simplest ways to get more money out of every booking is offering additional services to your guests for a fee. You would be surprised to learn that a lot of these extra services you can offer to your guests do not take much effort to set up. You just have to find time to figure out which ones is appropriate for your customer base and which ones are easy for you to execute.
To help you brainstorm ways to add more profit from your AirBnB gig, here are 10 possible additional services you can offer to your guests for some extra fee:
- Airport Pickup and Drop-Off
This is among the most in-demand additional service that your AirBnB guests will most likely avail of and will generate some extra cash for you. After a long and tiring flight, tourists just want to hop on a nice, comfortable car to be taken to your AirBnB property. This is especially important for countries where there are no airport trains, or those where airports are far away from the main city.
A vehicle to pick up and drop off your guests is an easy sell, also because it will save them the hassle of looking for your property. They will just be dropped off right at the doorsteps of your house or your unit. This can also bring higher ratings for you as an AirBnB host, having brought convenience to your guests.
You may choose to personally pick up and drop off your guests to the airport, or you can also hire somebody you know to do the job. It all depends on your schedule. Also make sure that this additional service you are offering is reasonably priced, because your AirBnB guests might opt for other options, such as ride-hailing applications.
- Other Transportation Rental
You may also choose to offer your guests other transportation options to help them go around your area conveniently. This additional service will surely click for AirBnB guests who want more control of their schedule and itinerary. For instance, if your locality is best explored on a bicycle or motorcycle, you can offer these to your guests for a reasonable hourly fee.
If your place is near a lake or another body of water, you can even offer equipment for water sports, such as kayak and surfboards. It really depends on what you think will help your guests move around and maximize their experience in your area, while helping boost your profits.
- Guided Tours
How about personally showing your AirBnB guests around your area and earning extra cash in the process? Offering guided tours to visitors is definitely a good idea for AirBnB hosts who have the time and passion for travel.
This gig is surely beneficial for your guests, because they will have a local like you who will be with them as they tour the must-visit spots in your area. You can also offer some insider insights, such as the best restaurants and most scenic secret spots in your locality. This personal touch can be your unique selling proposition and can appeal well to guests who can’t get the same treatment from more established tour agencies. You can also personally interact with your AirBnB guests through these guided tours.
- Daily Cleaning
This additional service is particularly applicable for guests staying for longer periods in your AirBnB property. Typically, AirBnB hosts only clean their houses and units after a guest checks out and another guest checks in. A guest is expected to take care of a property’s cleanliness throughout the duration of his or her stay.
Knowing this, you can save your guests–particularly those who are staying for a week or longer–the hassle of personally cleaning the unit by offering them daily cleaning for an affordable fee. You can arrange an ideal schedule with your guests on when you can come in to tidy up the house or room, perhaps during the morning after they leave. You may even end up getting extra points for cleanliness by doing this, aside from earning extra cash.
- Laundry and Dry Cleaning Services
Another additional service that will cater to AirBnB guests with longer periods of stay is laundry and dry cleaning services. When you are traveling, be it for leisure or on business, clothes are of utmost importance. You want yourself to look attractive and presentable in your travel photos, or be able to dress to impress during your business meetings. However, when you’re staying for weeks in a particular location, it is quite difficult to find time and energy to wash your clothes.
You can maximize this opportunity as a crafty AirBnB host. You can offer to do the laundry for your guests, or pick up their dirty clothes to be brought to a laundromat for a fee. Having this kind of bonus service for your AirBnB visitors gives your property a hotel-like edge, especially for business travelers. This can even attract travelers who are on a business trip to choose your listing.
- Cooked Meals
Imagine yourself as a traveler who came halfway across the globe and endured a long haul flight. What is the first thing you’re going to look for in your destination country? Your answer is most probably food. However, you might be too exhausted or even disoriented to explore your locality.
This is where another opportunity to earn extra cash presents itself to AirBnB hosts. You can ask your guests if they would want some cooked meals delivered to them upon their arrival, for an additional fee. You can even go a step further and offer them full meals for breakfast, lunch or dinner. These meals can be given to your guests through food delivery, or you can also stock your refrigerator with ready-to-eat meals which your guests can reheat using your microwave oven. AirBnB guests who want the convenience of having tasty meals available to them without the hassle of going around and looking for them will definitely patronize your offerings. Of course, be mindful of your guests’ dietary restrictions. It’s better to ask them what they cannot eat so you can choose food items that are appropriate for them.
- Mini-Bar
If your AirBnB property caters to groups of friends or couples on a romantic getaway, providing a mini-bar can also be a lucrative additional offering you might want to try. Start by stocking your fridge with local beer, because grown-up tourists looking for a taste of local food and drinks will definitely look for some. You may also want to include in your mini-bar some liquor that’s popular in your locality. If you’re an AirBnB host from Russia, some vodka will definitely be appreciated by your guests. If you’re from Japan, how about a bottle of sake in your mini-bar? Just think about the liquors and other alcoholic drinks that you enjoy drinking, offer them for your guests to try for an additional fee, and you’ll surely earn some extra cash.
- Tickets to Events
Is a cool local band playing at a bar near your area? Will your locality’s favorite sports team be competing at a nearby sporting center? Why not tell your AirBnB guests about these events and sell tickets to them for a reasonable price?
Offering tickets to local events – be it an art fair, a concert, or a sports match – can truly enhance the experience of your guests. They will get to see a part of your area’s culture that other tourists may tend to overlook. Doing this may also increase positive feedback for you as an AirBnB host. Who knows, you might be even called the coolest host ever by your guests?
- Decorations for Special Occasions
Tourists usually travel to mark special occasions in their lives — be it a birthday, a wedding anniversary, family reunion or even a work promotion. Why not make some extra money out of this opportunity? For an additional fee, you can offer to decorate your AirBnB property based on the particular occasion. Transform your property into a romantic love nest, complete with rose petals and heart cut-outs for guests celebrating their wedding anniversary. Fill up your unit with colorful balloons for a guest celebrating his or her birthday.
This additional service helps bring joy to your guests in celebrating special occasions, thereby increasing the likelihood that you will get a positive feedback as an AirBnB host. This will also enable you to exercise your creativity and your art skills.
- Local Souvenirs
At the end of their vacations, AirBnB guests usually look for simple souvenirs to take home with them and remind them of the trip. This is also another opportunity for you as an AirBnB host to make some extra cash. You can set a small shelf or table in your property where you can place souvenir items for sale.
Among the most popular memorabilia that vacationers often to take home with them are key chains, mugs and some local handicraft. You can also offer to personalize these items to make them extra special. Your AirBnB guest might also want to bring home with them some local food and drinks. You can leave in your fridge a bottle of local wine, or packs of coffee, or small snacks that your guests can take home for an affordable price.
Indeed, your creativity and resourcefulness are the only limits to making more money as an AirBnB host. There are a lot of extra services and products you can provide your guests to increase your profit. Your extra gig can also be a way to enhance customer experience. Now is the time to start thinking of the best way for you to boost your AirBnB income, depending on your resources and schedule.