Corporate travel isn’t always fun. There are lots of meetings to attend, mostly with late nights and early mornings. When staying at a hotel, it’s usually hard to eat healthily and if you need to do some remote work, the room might not be spacious enough. What every traveller needs, whether for Business or pleasure, is a home away from home.

Enter your Airbnb property. According to the Online Home Rental Services market report, Airbnb is 2021’s biggest player – so with the right approach, you can bump your bookings with Business Travellers in 2022 and beyond.

“When it comes to Airbnb listings, location is key whether guests are there for business travel or a vacation. If you’re not based in the CBD or a particularly convenient location, honesty and detailed travel information are key” says Ioanna Hume, Client Relations Manager at Guested Airbnb Management. “Plus,” she adds “if you have an apartment well equipped for a home office, your guests could prefer this over a centrally located rental property.”

So what is the right corporate housing for business travellers? We’ve put together 3 proven ways to attract business travellers to your Airbnb

An easy and seamless booking

Business trips can prove inconvenient for your guests. They are in a rush to get things organised. After dealing with transportation, they have to deal with booking the best place. Your job is to make the process as seamless as possible. From the listing description to the booking process, you need to convince your guests they are making the right choice.

Check-in

From the get-go, offer your guests a positive experience by making your check-in process hassle-free. First off, don’t add additional charges for late check-in. Business travellers often have to arrive at their destination either late at night or very early in the morning. Having to pay an extra fee will probably make them choose another Airbnb.

Also, make the key easily accessible. If your property manager (or yourself) isn’t available for a 24/7 meet and greet, key handover process, have a key box located near the property – or install a code on the door. Your guests will already be tired, they won’t want to have to travel more to get to another location just to pick up their keys.

Plus, be ready with 24/7 support and remember that business travellers often book at the last minute.

Keep it simple

Business travellers are usually reliable guests – that’s why you’re reading this article! Unless you have your property listed on “Airbnb for Work” it’s still easy to identify business travellers. So keep it simple and don’t charge a deposit, have a user-friendly cancellation policy and turn Instant Book on.

Directions

Make your listing as comprehensive as possible. You might think this is so obvious, that we shouldn’t even mention it, but you’d be surprised how many Airbnb hosts don’t give enough details and information. Especially if you are located in a harder to get to spot, on a side street. It’s so important to offer options for travel as well. Offer detailed directions and transportation options – via taxi, and public transport (including travel times).

Some things to consider that will give your extra credit and offer your guests a seamless experience are: sending a Google Maps link to your destination and having explanatory videos or step-by-step instructions on where to find the keys or where to park.

In addition, make sure you have a guide with what’s there to do in the area: from restaurant recommendations, and a map with the nearest shops to food delivery options.

Convince them that they’ll feel more at home in your Airbnb than in a hotel or serviced apartment.

Business travellers are used to staying in hotels, where there’s a daily cleaning service and there are also toiletries available. To make their stay as comfortable as possible you should provide your corporate guests with:

• Daily housekeeping service
• High-quality toiletries
• Hair dryer
• Top-quality bedding
• Lots of hangers
• An iron and ironing board

Another thing to keep in mind when making your Airbnb business travel ready is to keep your property allergen-friendly. To do that, have a no-pet and smoke-free policy.

Business travellers choose Airbnbs because they are more relaxing than a hotel. Whether they are there for a longer-term project or one night, your guests need everything they would use at home. This is why having lots of hangers and an ironing board are important. Someone travelling for a vacation might not want to iron their clothes, but a person is coming in and out of board rooms will.

Make sure it’s set up for both living and work

For your business guests to experience a great home away from home stay, you need to set up your Airbnb apartment work from home (WFH) ready. A house or apartment without internet or a laptop-ready workspace will obviously not make the cut. But keep in mind that when we say internet, we mean really good quality fast internet. Besides online meetings and software, your guests might want to FaceTime their families or watch Netflix. Buffering and poor-quality video are going to make any guests unhappy – and a bad review will most likely be on the cards for you.

Besides, you’ll want to provide them with a space to unwind and relax, but also have amenities and a nice workspace set up for them. Some of these include:

• Free, high-speed WiFi (the most essential)
• A kitchen equipped with a stove
• Plugs with built-in USB sockets
• A wireless printer is a very useful bonus
• Basic breakfast essentials
• An espresso coffee machine is a really nice extra

A short-term rental fitted out with everything business travellers need will keep them happy and productive – and most importantly, will give you the 5-star reviews and Superhost title you want.

Conclusion

Airbnb is not slowing down in its growth. In fact, in Q1 2022, Airbnb broke the 100 million barriers for the first time.

The market is very competitive, but you can ride the bandwagon and add extra value to your business booking by providing an apartment that ticks all the work and relax boxes. Travel guests prefer the atmosphere of staying in a house or apartment to a hotel; so with the right amenities and facilities, you will expand your investment property business and get the turnover you want.

And, if you don’t have time to be on all the time, you can engage the services of an Airbnb management company to assist you. And keep in mind: a happy business traveller is loyal, return customer.

Don’t forget to request reviews. Happy hosting!