Essential Guide to Making Your Property Perfect for Airbnb Business Travelers

It is the common goal of every Airbnb host and property manager to win as many bookings as possible with low-maintenance guests.

Business travelers represent a category of guests that are known for being profitable and problem-free. They pose minimal safety or security risk to you or the property and are prepared to pay market rates for their accommodation needs.

Business travelers are therefore a target guest type for any host or property manager looking to maximize their earnings whilst simplifying their day-to-day Airbnb operations.

Despite their attraction, many hosts and property managers remain unaware of the small simple changes they’re able to make to attract business travelers.

We’ll run through everything you need to consider to start winning over an influx of business travel bookings, plus how to automate most of it with iGMS.

Why Should You Try to Attract Business Travelers?

There are a number of benefits that mean you should specifically be targeting business travelers. From longer stays, to potential repeat business, and lower risk to your Airbnb listing.

Firstly, because business travel doesn’t directly correlate with any particular season, you’re more likely to find guests staying for business throughout the year. Less seasonality means you can count on them for more reliable income. 

Then you should consider the rise of remote work. Lots of workers are taking advantage of flexible remote work policies to do some traveling while still getting their work done. Staying at an Airbnb in a popular city gives business travelers the opportunity to feel what it would be like to live (and work, to some extent) like a local. 

Business travelers are often also less of a liability. They’re less likely than vacationers to break things, bring children into the space, or just get generally rowdy. A massive party isn’t generally on the agenda for business trips, after all. This extra peace of mind doesn’t just mean less fretting, but could ultimately save on maintenance and breakage costs.

And finally, if we’re talking about corporate folk, their employers are often the ones to cover the accommodation, so you have more assurance of timely payments on top of repeat business if they come around annually for the same conference. 

With options such as the Airbnb for Work Dashboard, more companies can turn to Airbnb for business and cater to the unique needs of their employees instead of relying on overbooked hotels. These services make it easier than every to manage business travel as either a company or as individual business travelers.

The Perfect Place for a Business Trip: Must-Have Services and Amenities

Naturally, business travelers prefer staying in comfortable and private dwellings. They seek spaces that will allow them to get a good night’s sleep and churn out the work as required. A well-thought-out short-term rental will have appeal over a hotel chain because it can be made to feel more private and comfortable for business travel.

Similarly, business travelers have specific needs when traveling on business trips. Whether it’s a desk to work at, a strong Wi-Fi connection, or hangers to hang up their suit; hosts should go the extra mile and provide amenities for business travelers. For example:

• A Hair Dryer
• Hangers
• Iron
• Laptop-Friendly Workspace & Wi-Fi
• Bed Linen
• Pillow
• Shampoo
• Soap
• CO2 & Smoke Detectors
• Toilet Paper
• Towels
• TV

Consider additional amenities that can appeal to business travelers, such as free parking, early check-in or late check-out options, or discounts for longer stays.

Key among these amenities is the fact that your should cater for self-check-in. Business travelers come and go at all times of the day (and night!) and need to be able to check in at a time of their convenience without any complications.

Self-check-in means that guests have the ability to access your home using a lockbox, keyless door locks (often called smart locks); or by getting a key or access from a building staff like a doorman who’s available on location 24 hours a day to provide access.

A concierge service is also worth noting when catering to business travel. This may sound like something only a hotel can offer, but a host or property manager can cater to some basic needs such as arranging grocery delivery or laundry services for example. Travelers using Airbnb for business are going to appreciate having these needs attended to. After a long day, not having to worry about dinner can be the thing that makes your Airbnb listings stand out from the crowd.

Reviews and Ratings

Business travelers and their companies also expect to stay with seasoned hosts that are familiar with the needs and requirements of guests . They want to stay in homes that have a demonstrated track record of good hospitality that extends across Airbnb’s core hosting standard criteria.

Cancellation Policy

Airbnb business travelers often have a dynamic and ever-changing schedule with meetings that get added and canceled at the drop of a hat. They, therefore, require flexibility around their travel arrangements. For this reason, hosts aiming to attract business travelers are advised to provide flexible or moderate cancellation policies.

How to Optimize Your Listing for Business Travel

Once you’ve made sure to stock your property with all the essentials, then it’s time to get your listing out there.

Start by looking at what the average business traveler needs. Their needs are different from leisure travelers. Yes, they also need a place to eat, sleep, and shower, but it’s more than that. You need to consider their unique needs and show how your listing can cater to them.

Highlight the key amenities that they’ll be needing for their stay. This will be things like high-speed Wi-Fi, quiet workspaces, and proximity to business districts. These key amenities are also your main keywords, so don’t hesitate to add “dedicated workspace” and “reliable Wi-Fi” to your listing description when tailoring your listing to business guests.

Don’t forget to showcase these amenities in photos if you can. Since business guests will probably be spending a lot of time there, show them what the workspace looks like. 

Remember that the average business traveler wants comfort and convenience. Are you close to any local draws? Say that. Be specific in the language that you use and include things like: “Located just a 5-minute walk from [Local Business Hub], this space is ideal for professionals on the go.” Remember to highlight your location and consider nearby features such as conference centers or shared workspaces. This will let potential travelers know if your Airbnb listing is suited to the specific needs of their business trip.

But remember, business travelers may be anything from seasoned corporate workers to digital nomads. Highlight attractions near their lodging that will help them discover the area like a local. Consider creating a guide to the features of the area, places to spend their off time, regular deals and discounts, and anything else that will make your listing feel like the perfect space to be both on and off the clock for your guest.

Additionally, business travelers need the booking process to be quick and easy. iGMS features like automated messaging can streamline booking processes for business travelers by sending out all the necessary info as soon as the booking has been confirmed.

Summary

In the quest to win more bookings from low-maintenance guests, Airbnb hosts and property managers should work on attracting business travelers. 

Many listings may already meet the criteria by default. For others, it may be a simple case of making a few small changes or additions to the current home setup or hosting behaviors to adapt their Airbnb for business.

Catering to the specific needs and wants of travelers is a great strategy that should, at a minimum, be considered by all hosts and property managers looking to win more bookings and maximize their earning potential with low-maintenance guests. Business travel is more reliable than seasonal holidays and offers a more reliable income. Remote work has been on the rise and shows no signs of going away and it’s easier than ever for businesses to book an Airbnb for business. To cut the maintenance down even further, consider using software like iGMS to put routine tasks on autopilot.

About the Author

Evian Gutman is the Founder & CEO of Padlifter – the one-stop-shop for getting found more often, winning more bookings, and making more money on Airbnb. He is the author of the best-selling book ‘The Definitive Step-by-Step Guide to Making Money on Airbnb’ and is an Airbnb Superhost who has hosted over 500 guests.