You want to welcome guests to your vacation rental year-round, regardless of snowy weather or rainy season. But off-season bookings can feel tricky — especially when you’re not sure where to start.

Luckily, the off-season is full of untapped opportunities for your business. Whether it’s a spike in staycation searches or a surge in demand from digital nomads looking for new meeting backgrounds, months that seem rainy, cold, or slow to you could carry infinite possibilities for someone else.

With a few shifts to your strategy — and your perspective — you can capture year-round demand from the right travelers. Get started with these strategies and tips.

Attracting off-season travelers is easier when your pricing is competitive — and that’s where our tools come in to help you gain an edge.

When you want perks like boosted visibility, tap into Vrbo’s promotions suite to offer guests more value. You can incentivize travelers who are booking early, last-minute, or on mobile, and you can target our rewards group  members who book earlier, stay longer, and spend 40% more per year on average.*

Pro tip: Stack a promotion on top of a weekly or monthly discount to make your listing irresistible to those long-term guests.

When it comes to choosing your pricing, leverage our complimentary revenue tool, MarketMaker™. You can access the tool from your Vrbo dashboard and get real-time data, like search volume and occupancy, to inform your rate decisions.*

Pro tip: Keep an eye out for notifications from MarketMaker and take advantage of personalized opportunities to optimize your revenue. 

You’ve heard of spring cleaning, but what about an off-season refresh? Follow these steps to help people envision their stay:

Off-season travel can attract different kinds of travelers to your space, and these can often be remote workers or travel nurses looking for longer stays. Make sure your calendar is open for longer bookings and consider setting up weekly or monthly discounts to drive more demand. We recommend 10% off stays as a starting point.

Pro tip: Since off-season travelers may be traveling for work or staying longer, they may be filtering for more tailored amenities. Don’t forget to spotlight the details, whether you have dedicated desk space and a laundry room or creature comforts like a French press and streaming services for their reality TV habits.

Creating an exceptional guest experience starts in your space, but it doesn’t end there. Lean into the possibilities outside your front door by partnering with local businesses, and get guests excited to try everything from the neighboring yoga studio to that downtown Italian restaurant.

Start by reaching out to your favorite local spots to set up partnerships, and then highlight them in your welcome guide and listing descriptions. Cross-promotion is easy and impactful, and many businesses will happily offer you a referral perk in return — like a coffee discount for your guests or an upgrade at the spa.

Guest reviews are one of the most powerful tools you have for winning off-season travelers. Highlight five-star reviews from past off-season travelers in your listing descriptions and social posts to stand out, and show potential guests how inviting your space is year-round.

Pro tip: Encourage guests to share photos of their experience in their reviews and tag you on social media. Seeing real people enjoying a property in the off-season gives it a warm, human feel online and helps people picture themselves there. Plus, user-generated content can double as authentic, shareable marketing material.

Thoughtful, inclusive touches can make a big difference to travelers searching for a place to stay — especially when it comes to bringing family or pets.

Start by including additions like a Pack ‘n Play, highchair, or even a stack of board games. These can go a long way in making your space more welcoming, and they’re also an easy way to remove some travel stress from parents.

If you’re open to furry friends, make sure you mark your listing as pet friendly. Off-season travelers often take longer or more flexible trips, so they may be more likely to bring along their four-legged companions.

It’s also a good idea to re-visit any policies that may be restrictive. With Vrbo's seasonal cancellation policies, you can make your policy more or less strict for specific sets of check-in dates — which is helpful for adjusting for off-season demand and can set you apart from your competitors.

You don’t have to do it all alone. Listing with a global booking platform like Vrbo opens your space up to a world of valuable travelers, no matter what time of year it is. With access to millions of travelers across our marketplace, you can connect with the right guests when you need it most.

When you list on Vrbo, you can take advantage of opportunities like the Premier Host program, which sets you up with greater visibility and exclusive perks for providing an excellent guest experience.

Plus, our tools and support keep you competitive and confident as you grow — so you can earn more, scale your business, and welcome more guests year-round.

With some intentional tweaks, an exceptional guest experience, and a powerful platform at your side, you might just reframe the off-season into your favorite time of year.