How to Increase Airbnb Bookings During the Low Season

If you own a beach house, July is easy. You can charge top dollar and the calendar fills itself.

The true test of a vacation rental host is November. When the temperature drops and the tourists leave, you are left paying a mortgage on an empty house.

To survive (and profit) during the low season, you cannot rely on hope. You must actively alter your revenue management strategy. Here are 5 ways to increase bookings when demand vanishes.

1. Aggressive Length of Stay (LOS) Discounts

During the summer, you want short, high-paying weekend stays. During the winter, you want guaranteed revenue, even at a massive discount.

Pivot your strategy to target remote workers, traveling nurses, and people renovating their homes who need 30+ day stays.

• The Action: Set your monthly Length of Stay discount to 40% or even 50%. It is mathematically better to have a traveling nurse cover your mortgage for $2,000/month than to have the house sit empty earning $0.

2. Drop Your Minimum Night Requirement

If you require a 3-night minimum year-round, you are invisible to the couple looking for a quick Friday-night getaway in February.

• The Action: In your dynamic pricing tool, drop your minimum stay to 1 or 2 nights for the entire low season. Yes, the cleaning turnover is annoying, but you must remove all friction for the few travelers who are looking.

3. Email Past Guests (The Direct Booking Strategy)

The cheapest customer to acquire is the one who already stayed with you.

If a guest stayed with you in July, they know your property is great. They might want to return in November for a cozy fall weekend, but they won't pay July prices.

• The Action: In October, use your direct booking website to send a mass email to all your past guests.
• The Template: "Hi [Name], fall is our favorite time at the cabin! Because you're a past guest, we're offering you an exclusive 20% off any stay in November or December. Book directly at [Your Website Link] using code FALL20."

4. Add "Winter-Specific" Amenities

You need to give people a reason to visit your property when the primary attraction (e.g., the beach) is closed.

• The Hot Tub: This is the ultimate low-season savior. A beach house with a hot tub will continue to book through the winter, while the beach house next door sits empty.
• The Fire Pit: Stock it with free firewood.
• The "Cozy" Setup: Update your Airbnb photos. Take down the bright summer pictures and replace them with photos of a fire in the fireplace, thick blankets on the couch, and a steaming mug of coffee. Market the "cozy retreat."

5. Activate Multi-Channel Distribution

If you are only listed on Airbnb, you are only reaching a fraction of the market. During the low season, you need maximum exposure.

• The Action: Use a Channel Manager to push your listing to Booking.com, Vrbo, and Google Vacation Rentals. Booking.com is especially powerful in the low season because it attracts corporate travelers who might need a place to stay during the week, rather than just weekend tourists.

6. Target Specific Niches and Events

While general tourism drops, specific types of travel continue year-round. Identifying and marketing to these niches can fill your calendar when others are empty.

• Medical Professionals: Hospitals constantly hire traveling nurses for 13-week contracts. They need furnished housing and prefer the comfort of a home over an extended-stay hotel.
• Corporate Travel and Relocations: Businesses relocating employees need temporary housing. Optimize your listing title to include phrases like "Fast WiFi" or "Perfect for Remote Work."
• Local Events and Conferences: Check the local convention center or university calendar. Even in the dead of winter, a specific industry conference or a university graduation can bring a spike in demand. Raise your prices for these specific dates while keeping the rest of the month discounted.
• Insurance Placements: When a family's home is damaged by fire or flood, their insurance company will pay for a temporary furnished rental, often for 3 to 6 months.

By actively reaching out to local staffing agencies or optimizing your listing for these specific search terms, you can secure lucrative, long-term bookings that completely bypass the seasonal slump.

Further reading

• How to Calculate Occupancy Rate
• The Best Vacation Rental Listing Sites
• How to Build an Email List for Your Vacation Rental

Frequently asked questions

What is a good occupancy rate for a vacation rental? A healthy occupancy rate is 65–75% for year-round rentals and 80–90% during peak season. If you're consistently above 85% year-round, you're likely underpriced. If you're below 50%, review your pricing, photos, and listing optimization.

How do I calculate the ROI on a vacation rental? Calculate annual gross revenue, subtract all operating expenses (mortgage, insurance, cleaning, utilities, management fees, maintenance, supplies, platform fees), and divide the net income by your total cash invested (down payment + renovation + furnishing). A good cash-on-cash return is 8–15%.

Should I offer weekly or monthly discounts? Yes. Weekly discounts of 10–15% fill gaps between weekend bookings. Monthly discounts of 25–40% attract longer stays with lower turnover costs. Calculate your break-even point: if the discounted rate still exceeds your daily costs (mortgage + utilities + minimal wear), the discount is profitable.