How to attract business travelers to your vacation rental

Business travel is in the middle of its latest chapter. While traditional business travel—to attend a meeting or conference, for example—continues to slowly inch toward pre-pandemic levels, a new kind of business travel is seeing a growth spurt.

Remote work is now giving employees the freedom to work from anywhere—even on vacation. Now, more and more travelers are combining work and leisure travel, laptop in tow. Want to market your vacation home to more business travelers and remote workers? Here are some expert-backed strategies.

Offer amenities that business travelers want

While leisure guests are apt to search for hot tubs, pools, and easy access to attractions, business travelers have different priorities. Some of their top requirements and amenities in a vacation rental include:

• High-speed WiFi so they can work, email, take video meetings, and stay in touch with their office. (By the end of 2022, all Vacasa homes will receive a free router so that guests can get online quickly and seamlessly.)
• An ergonomic desk and office chair, preferably in a quiet area of the property, with a nice view and plenty of bright lighting.
• A coffee maker and tea kettle to start off the work day with a caffeine perk. Make sure to provide plenty of coffee and tea to choose from.
• Smart TV or streaming device (such as Roku or Amazon Fire TV Stick) so they can watch their favorite shows on the road.
• An HDMI cable so workers can connect their laptop to your TV.
• A washer and dryer to keep their work attire fresh and presentable.
• Full-length mirror and hair dryer to prep for meetings or video calls.
• Plenty of quality hangers and iron/ironing board to keep suits and blazers wrinkle-free.
• Keyless entry or a smart lock so they can come and go seamlessly. (Vacasa homeowners get a free smart lock as part of our full-service vacation rental management services.)
• Free dedicated parking.

Even better, go the extra mile with elevated perks

Treat business travelers and remote workers to elevated services and conveniences akin to a business class experience. Some additional amenities and perks to consider:

• Fitness and wellness equipment to help business travelers keep up their workout routines on the road. This can include a yoga mat, a set of kettlebells or hand weights, and an exercise ball. Does your condo complex come with a fitness center? Include access to it in every guest stay.
  
  
• Flexible check-in and check-out. Business travelers can have complicated schedules. Consider being flexible with arrival and departure times, as long as it doesn’t disrupt any other bookings.

Crisp linens and fresh, fluffy towels to offer a luxury hotel-inspired experience. Homeowners who work with Vacasa can take advantage of the Vacasa Linen Program, which gives them new hotel-quality linens each year (2 sets for each bed) and a stock of new white towels.

Write your listing with business travelers in mind

When creating a persuasive vacation rental listing, think about what business travelers and remote workers will want during their stay. We suggest mentioning:

• The items that will make the workday easier: a desk, office space, strong WiFi, sufficient plugs, a kitchen, and free dedicated parking.
• Proximity to nearby business or downtown districts, city centers, convention centers, or company headquarters.
• An honest assessment if the area is quiet and good for video meetings.
• If it’s easy to catch a Lyft or Uber from the property.
  
  

Plus, don’t forget tailoring some image choices to entice business travelers. Besides photos of your view, bedrooms, and kitchen, include images of the workspaces travelers can use in your home.

Market to business travelers year-round

The vacation rental marketing rule of thumb: The more visibility you can bring to your property, the more bookings you’ll get. So, beef up the exposure to your vacation rental—especially with people who are traveling for business or remote workers. Some marketing tactics to try:

• Stay on top of large, local business events such as exhibitions and trade shows. Then, market your property as a business travel rental leading up to the event. You can also include the distance from your property to the event venue in your vacation rental listing.
  
  
• Share 5-star guest reviews from previous business guests on your social media channels and in your marketing emails. (Don’t have many guest testimonials? Here are our tips to get more 5-star reviews under your belt.)
  
  
• Post photos of fun work-from-home settings at your property—such as a pool lounge chair or outdoor deck—on social media channels.
  
  
• Create a blog and write frequent content targeting business travelers. Sample topics can include “How to stay productive while traveling” and “10 essentials every business traveler should pack.”
  

Business travel has morphed and grown since the rise of remote work. Today, not only can workers work from home, they can work from anywhere—even on a getaway. Use this article to stock your home with remote workers’ must-haves and market to them throughout the year.