AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — bnbfinder, the book direct marketplace that has been focused on connecting guests with unique bed and breakfasts, inns and boutique hotels for more than 25 years, announced today that professional property management (PM) companies can now list vacation rentals on the platform. With the addition of vacation rentals, the company is also eliminating the subscription fee for standard tier property listings. Travelers booking on bnbfinder are never charged fees.
“Vacation rental fees have gotten out of control, but property management companies and travelers should not have to settle for this as their only option,” said Eric Goldreyer, CEO of bnbfinder. “We’re excited to bring the same ‘book direct’ approach we’ve established for over two decades to the vacation rental world today, empowering property management companies with an alternative to avoid the fees, increase their profits, and help guests save big on their next trip.”
The expansion into vacation rentals is the next step in bnbfinder’s evolution with its team of industry veterans who bring more than 25 years of experience. Today’s news builds upon three of its latest integrations with leading providers of vacation rental property management software, Escapia, Streamline and Track. The company also made new updates to improve user interface and user experience on its site.
bnbfinder sees the vacation rental booking space as ripe for disruption. In addition to offering a first-class marketplace, the elimination of fees on the PM and traveler sides enables PMs to be more profitable and more price competitive compared with hotel stays. Since June 2022, hotel occupancy has consistently outpaced vacation rentals, according to Trips to Discover. In April of this year, occupancy for vacation rentals was 59%, compared with 64% for hotels. With bnbfinder’s lack of fees to travelers and standard free listing option, property management companies are positioned to lower their distribution costs and provide travelers the lowest price.
Keeping more money in their pocket isn’t the only advantage PMs and travelers can enjoy about the new bnbfinder. In recent years, vacation rental booking platforms that had become indispensable for PMs and guests have gradually cut back investment in customer service in order to reduce costs and tightened restrictions to stem revenue leakage. The result is that PMs have lost the ability to add a personal touch to the booking process and implement the policies and guidelines that work best for them.
“These platforms can do this because they believe that nobody – neither PMs nor guests – will go to the extra trouble of seeking out something better,” said Goldreyer. “Ultimately, the property management companies are the hospitality providers and always will be – not bnbfinder, Airbnb, Vrbo or any other online travel agency. Because our book direct model allows PMs and guests to communicate without limitations, we look forward to helping bring hospitality back to the vacation rental market.”
Only professionally-managed, verified vacation rental properties, inns and bed and breakfasts can be listed on bnbfinder. This ensures that guests will always book with trusted professional hosts who can offer local resources and know-how in making sure guests have a great travel experience. Unlike other vacation rental platforms, bnbfinder facilitates the exchange of contact information so prospective guests and PM’s can communicate before, during, and after. Travelers can reach out to PMs for off-listing advice, like dining or activity recommendations, or to inquire about properties that might be a better fit for their needs. This makes the guest-host relationship more personal and less transactional, while also providing another opportunity for hosts to significantly increase conversion rates during the booking process.
bnbfinder will exhibit at VRMA International Conference, the largest and most comprehensive event in the vacation rental space, on Oct. 22-25 in Orlando. Attendees can stop by the bnbfinder booth #205.
About bnbfinder
bnbfinder, with over 25 years of experience in the vacation rental and hospitality sector, aims to revitalize the industry by offering an affordable, no-fee alternative to the dominating corporations. Committed to reintroducing genuine hospitality, we empower professional property managers to increase profits and drive bookings. By cutting down excessive marketplace fees, bnbfinder ensures guests save money, while professional hosts earn more, restoring balance and fairness to vacation rentals.To learn more, head over to bnbfinder.com.
CONTACT: Andrea Oliveira, [email protected]
SOURCE bnbfinder
Originally published at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bnbfinders-book-direct-approach-now-available-for-professionally-managed-vacation-rentals-301946443.html
Images courtesy of https://pixabay.com