With changing work and school arrangements, many families are embracing flexcations, longer stays that mix work, learning and play. Learn how to capitalise on this emerging trend.
Two properties
With Vrbo since 2016
Work-from-home amenities attract new guests who stay longer
The challenge
The Covid-19 pandemic had a huge impact on the holiday rental business. Many owners are still facing higher-than-normal cancellation rates and cautious travellers. But through it all, people are finding ways to make the most of the unusual circumstances.
With more flexible work and school arrangements, many families are embracing the idea of a flexcation, a longer stay that mixes work and play. In fact, a recent Vrbo survey found that 67% of travellers who took a flexcation said that they would do it again.
Heather Barbiere is one partner who has seen the impact of this trend in her own business. Heather has worked with us since 2016, and has several rental properties listed on our platform.
During the pandemic, Heather—as with many owners—saw unusually high cancellations, lots of refunds and lower booking volume. She started studying what other rental owners in her area were doing, and spent some time researching what was appealing to guests booking pandemic getaways.
After looking closely at the dynamics in her market area, and reviewing trend data from Vrbo about what travellers were looking for, Heather decided to begin promoting her properties not just as destination rentals, but as destination homes.
‘I think the new normal is going to be more people working from home, or from wherever they are able. I’m going to continue to promote our rental homes as having great spaces to enjoy both working and holiday time.’
Heather Barbiere
Owner
The solution
Heather saw an opportunity to promote her properties to busy professionals looking for a place to both work remotely and satisfy the need for a family getaway. In this new-normal environment, longer stays are possible as there’s no need for travellers to cut a weekend trip short to get back in time for class or to clock in on Monday morning.
To start reaching these potential guests, Heather didn’t need to make any major changes to her homes. She just updated her listing to highlight her properties as ideal work/play destinations with plenty of work-friendly amenities. She’s found that these longer-staying guests seem to treat her homes more like their own.
After several months of bookings, Heather has learned that there are several key factors that remote workers are seeking in a flexcation property:
- Strong Wi-Fi bandwidth
- Quiet areas with desk spaces (so children can play without disturbing work calls)
- Play spaces and ways to keep children busy at the home
- Local government-guided cleaning processes that help to ensure a safe stay
- Discounts for longer stays, and calendar dates available well in advance so that they can book early
Heather says that attracting these remote-work professionals has definitely improved her rental volume, even with the challenges of pandemic travel. And the longer stays have helped her to reach a goal of having her holiday homes fully pay for themselves.
Heather plans to continue to promote her properties as flexcation destinations for working professionals and their families, and is expanding her business to include additional homes.
