One of the most popular things right now, and rightfully so, is eco-awareness and eco-friendliness. A large part of this is due to COVID-19, which changed how we consume and travel. Whether at home or abroad, having sustainable options in your living space is a huge bonus. As a result, more people and corporations are taking a closer look at how they impact the environment and taking steps to improve their daily practices. Now, what does this mean for vacation rental owners?
As a vacation rental owner, your main goal is to attract guests to stay on your property. With 44-46% of travelers saying that being eco-friendlier when traveling is important to them, about 88% of Airbnb hosts have said they’ve started to add these green practices to their properties. So, with potential visitors being more interested in “going green,” why not give them that opportunity? It’s not difficult to do and generally not very expensive, so you might as well start to incorporate environmentally friendly aspects into your property!
This article will go over 8 easy tips that you can follow to create an eco-friendly vacation or short-term rental for your guests.
1. Use energy-efficient appliances
This first one is a solid way to start setting up your space to be better for the planet. From replacing the lighting with LED or CFL bulbs, using Energy Star appliances (dishwashers, refrigerators, blenders, dryers, etc.), and incorporating solar power, finding ways to improve the energy usage in your property can go a long way to cutting down your carbon footprint. It’ll also help save money on your power bill, so it’s a win-win for you!
2. Provide your guests with recycling options
Did you know that most Americans don’t recycle because it’s too confusing? Recycling rules vary wildly for different areas, so guests may not be sure what can even be recycled in your property’s region. When offering recycling at your rental, be sure to include that in your listing and remember to provide clear instructions on what can be recycled and how they should do it. For example, list the items that can be recycled (cans, plastic, paper, etc.) and then post it above the recycling bin.
3. Use real plants when decorating
This can relate to interior and exterior decorating. Plants are the lungs of our planet, so the more live plants you can use in your decorating, the better. Outside, plant a few extra trees to beautify the property. Indoors, use real plants to add some lovely greenery and help purify the air inside your home. We recommend finding some easy-to-care-for plants like cacti, snake plants, jasmine, etc. These will make the place look nicer and feel fresher.
4. Provide sustainable transport options
If you know that your guests will want to explore the area, offer some sustainable transportation options. This could include providing bikes or scooters or ensuring they have all the information for the local public transportation. Giving your guests sustainable options to travel and explore will help get you an extra star on your review.
5. Use locally sourced supplies
This is a big one that many vacation rental hosts don’t think about. Supporting the local economy is beneficial in many ways. To start, you’re boosting the local economy, making it a more exciting place to visit. You’ll also save on fuel emissions from getting things shipped and delivered, not to mention that you can select reusable options. Reusable supplies will cut down on single-use plastics and paper, which will be much better for the environment. Every small thing can add up in a big way!
6. Start a garden
This follows a bit with tip number 3 but think about starting a small garden on the property. If you keep a garden that contains a variety of fruits, veggies, and herbs, you can help save emissions costs on grocery trips for yourself and your guests. This will also be sure to visually impress guests if you make sure it stays well-maintained. Some great items to start with in your garden are mint, chives, zucchini, and berries.
7. Invest in smart home technologies
This is a huge tip to implement. Smart home technologies are the way of the future and are pretty easy to add to your space. Smart thermostats will help regulate your HVAC, which will lower costs when no one is home. Smart locks will ensure your property stays secure and reduce the need to drive to the site to let people in. Smart lighting will do wonders to save on your energy bill and reduce your emissions. There are many options to look into for things that will help your rental function sustainably.
8. Get listed on Eco OTAs
Wait…what is an OTA? An OTA is an Online Travel Agency, in case you weren’t already in the know. Eco OTAs focus on properties that put sustainable practices at the forefront of their listings. There are many Eco OTAs to choose from, and you can always list your rental on multiple boards. You should try to list your place on channels like Glamping Hub, and Fairbnb. This is also important to include in the description of your listing on any other OTAs that you are listed on. Make sure potential guests know all about what you are doing as far as going green.
Now, let’s do a quick recap: being environmentally friendly is the new big thing. It’s grown in importance for travelers, which means that it needs to be essential for any host. There are so many ways to step up your green game on your property, and most of them aren’t too expensive to put into play.
We hope this has been informative and given you some great tips to get started! Come back and visit us anytime for more information on short-term and vacation rentals.
