Airbnb
is a marketplace that offers accommodation-booking services online. The
platform connects people looking for places to stay for a short while to the
people who own the properties. To start and operate an Airbnb
business, you need to: -
1. Have a Financial plan.
When venturing into
this business you need to have a plan on how you will meet all the initial
costs. You need to know how much you are capable and willing to spend on
this business. Once you have this you will then decide to either take a
loan or use your savings or your salary to meet all initial expenditures
necessary.
2. Have a home.
The most important
thing to have when starting an Airbnb business is to have a home where you
will be hosting your clients.
Depending on your
financial capability, you may decide to buy a home, refurbish an old one,
build, or even sub-let.
3. Sign up on Airbnb.
This being an online
marketplace, you will have to create an Airbnb account online. You need an
email address, phone number, and national identity.
Log
in to https://www.airbnb.com and click sign up then follow the steps.
4. Fill in all details about your home.
Fill
in the type of your home, either an apartment, house, cabin, bed and
breakfast, where it is located, and amenities available, and upload not
less than 5 photos of your home as required by the platform.
5. Pay the license fee.
To operate an Airbnb
business, you need to get licensed by the body that regulates such
businesses in Kenya, which is Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA). If you
meet the basic requirements of starting this business you will be awarded
a regulatory license.
6. Set fees to charge.
Airbnb has a smart and
automated pricing option that suggests the amount you should charge
depending on the details you fill in the platform about your property.
You
can also set the amount you wish to charge on the property. Once
itââ¬â¢s set the platform will activate and you will be
ready to start receiving customer requests.
7. Have a Marketing plan.
Posting your home on
Airbnb is enough to start receiving clients especially if you took these
tips seriously when posting your home.
But
to increase the chances of getting more clients you need to up your
marketing tactics. You can use social media platforms to share photos, property
details, and links or offline by printing business cards and giving them
to potential customers.
Basically what you need
to do is identify your potential customers and know what marketing
strategy will work to get them.
8. Consider having a co-host.
Even
though a co-host will come at an expense, it is advisable to have one
especially if you are busy elsewhere or the business has grown. The
co-host will run operations such as communicating and receiving clients,
inspecting the property, restocking amenities, and writing reviews for
guests.
9. Have a revenue management plan.
This
is managing the income and all the expenses to be incurred. Expenses may
include water bills, power bills, and garbage collection fees. Make sure
all bills are paid in time to avoid disconnections of services.
Conclusion.
Now that you know how
and what is required to start and operate this business, check out these
tips to help you get more clients.
Don't let the opportunity to start your own Airbnb business in Kenya pass you by! Take action today and start building your own successful vacation rental business.
Also share this blog with friends and family who may be interested in starting their own Airbnb business.