Research from Compare Owner Holiday Rentals indicates Vacation Rentals Owners should list on at least 3 “paid” sites to optimize bookings.

With the growth in the number of people owning vacation property, the market for securing renters has become increasingly competitive. There are literally hundreds of vacation rental sites that owners can use to advertise their vacation rental property, varying from very well established to brand new sites. These vacation rental sites usually charge an annual fee (normally in the range of $100 to $150) for a classified listing on their site. Owners then handle all enquiries and bookings themselves. However, how many sites should an owner pay for in order to optimize their rental bookings?

Based upon research by Compare Owner Holiday Rentals ( http://www.compareownerholidayrentals.com) 96% of owners use “paid” vacation rentals sites, with 65% listing on 3 or more sites.

“The number of enquiries and bookings an owner will get from a particular vacation rentals site listing varies widely and owners are well advised to hedge their bets by listing on several sites”, said Kevin Graham, Managing Director of Compare Owner Holiday Rentals. “Even the same property on the same site may get widely varying results from season to season depending on variations in that site’s popularity or the number of competing properties listed on that site.”

Compare Owner Holiday Rentals also questioned owners on their use of “free” vacation rentals sites. These vary from permanently free sites (usually with an option to upgrade to a “paid” ad with more features), to sites that offer free trial periods followed by a paid subscription. Many owners are skeptical of the value of placing listings on free sites and several commented that they are simply not worth the hassle. However, 86% of owners list on at least one free site and 36% on more than five!

“It is probably worth listing on at least some of these free sites as well, particularly those that offer free trials, “said Graham. “Don’t expect the same performance as your paid listings, but they may help fill some empty slots in your calendar.”

For more information, please contact info@compareownerholidayrentals.com