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The global coronavirus pandemic caused major disruptions across many industries, and the tourism sector was among the hardest hit. Border closures, cancelled transport routes, and general uncertainty led to travellers around the world changing or cancelling their plans, including accommodation bookings.
Below, we provide an overview of recommendations for private hosts in circumstances such as those that marked the pandemic period, with the aim of reducing the negative effects on business.
How market changes affected private hosts
According to indicators from major booking portals at the time, reservation cancellations affected city apartments more strongly than holiday homes. Many guests postponed the decision to cancel and waited to see how the situation would develop before changing their plans.
In the early stages of the pandemic, one of the main problems was the slowdown, and in some places even the complete halt, of new bookings, as guests became more cautious when planning their trips. That is why it was important to adjust communication, booking conditions, and sales channels in time.
Destinations near affected areas, especially urban areas, were the first to feel a stronger wave of cancellations and a weaker inflow of new bookings. At the same time, there was an expectation that, once the situation calmed down, guest interest could quickly become active again.
Recommendations for hosts during the pandemic period
1. Show that every guest matters to you equally
Be thoughtful and show that you are a responsible host who values every guest and knows how to adapt to a new situation. Such an approach can contribute to a better customer experience and greater trust.
If a guest is considering cancelling their reservation because of the epidemiological situation, you can offer them an alternative stay date before they make a final decision, for example later in the season or in the same period the following year. It is also worth considering more flexible cancellation conditions, because such an approach can help retain bookings.
2. Be a responsible individual
If you have guests staying at your property who come from affected areas, it is important to register them properly in the eVisitor system. Such data may be important to the competent authorities for further action, if necessary.
Protecting health and acting responsibly should come first. In doing so, you show that you care about the safety of your guests, the local community, and your own business.
3. Follow all instructions from the competent institutions
Although most hosts normally take good care of accommodation cleanliness, during the pandemic it was especially important to focus on enhanced hygiene and disinfection after every stay. It is useful to clearly communicate this information on your own website or on your accommodation’s social media profiles.
If you also communicate with your guests by email or newsletter, you can use those channels to inform them about the situation in the destination and the measures you are taking.
4. Spread your sales across multiple booking channels
Booking.com, Airbnb, Vrbo, Expedia, Tripadvisor, and similar channels can help ensure that your accommodation is visible to as many potential guests as possible. Such sales diversification can increase business resilience during periods of market disruption.
A stronger presence across several channels can help maintain occupancy more easily, especially when the market is unstable and guest behaviour changes quickly.
5. Enable direct bookings through your own sales channel
If you still do not have your own website, perhaps now is the right time to seriously think about it. The possibility of direct booking gives you more control over your online business and can increase trust among potential guests.
In addition, your own sales channel also enables savings on commissions that you would otherwise pay to intermediary platforms.
6. Adjust your prices
Adjusting prices during periods of reduced demand can help attract additional bookings. This approach may be especially useful for holiday homes with pools and higher-category accommodation, where price flexibility sometimes has a stronger effect on guest interest.
Still, the effect of lowering prices depends on the type of accommodation, location, and target guest group, so the decision should be made carefully.
7. Stay informed
It is important to monitor developments and decisions of the competent institutions in a timely manner so that you can make responsible and informed decisions.
You can follow official information on the websites of the Ministry of Health, the Civil Protection Directorate, and the Croatian Institute of Public Health.
In conclusion
The pandemic period was a major test for tourism and private accommodation, but it also showed how important adaptability, responsibility, and good communication are in crisis situations.
The personal responsibility of each individual, as well as the willingness of hosts to respond calmly and thoughtfully, were key to coping more easily with the challenges of that period. That is exactly why situations like these remain an important reminder of how essential flexibility and preparedness are in tourism.
