Do you own an Airbnb property, or multiple properties? This can be an excellent way to create a passive income stream, where you can earn money without a direct employment source. However, there is a lot to manage when it comes to rental properties – and Airbnb properties are no exception. This helpful article will discuss how Airbnb managers, such as an Airbnb management company in Brisbane, can increase occupancy. We’ll discuss pricing, promotions and calendar strategy and much more within, so ensure that you continue reading to learn more.
Airbnb Manager Pricing
Airbnb managers usually cost between 15% and 30% of the gross rental revenue of the property for full-service management. In Australia, many companies charge around 20-30%. These fees cover guest communication, check-ins, cleaning coordination, and listing optimisation. The service is typically commission-based, and higher-end services that offer full-service tend to cost more, while in the lower price range, the service can be more limited. Some providers charge a flat monthly fee instead, which can range from $200 to $1500 a month. Others may use a hybrid model, where there is a base fee combined with a lower percentage of property income, such as $300 a month and 10% of the property’s income. There may be extra fees too, such as cleaning fees, although these are usually paid by guests if cleaning is required. Some agencies or property managers might charge an onboarding fee that covers photography of the property and set up of listings, and maintenance costs are usually extra.
There are some key considerations here, such as high season impacts, where percentage-based fees will be higher during peak periods, but lower during off-peak periods. Full-service provision includes 24/7 guest support, dynamic pricing and cleaning management. Costs may also vary depending on whether the property is in a high-demand city, regional or rural area.
Property Promotion
Airbnb managers or management agencies also play a key role in actively promoting your Airbnb property or properties to maximise bookings and revenue. One of the main ways they achieve this is through professional listing optimisation techniques. This includes high-quality photography to capture the property in all its glory, compelling property description copy, and highlighting features of the home that appeal to the target market, such as benefits of the location, the properties and surrounding amenities, or suitability for families or business travellers – whatever your target audience is. Excellent optimised listings tend to rank higher in Airbnb search results, increasing visibility and click-through rates for potential guests.
Many managers also use dynamic pricing tools to adjust nightly rates based on factors such as demand, seasonality, local events, and competitor performance. This helps the property stay competitively priced while maximising income streams during peak periods. Special promotions such as last-minute discounts, weekly or monthly stay incentives, and special offers during low-demand periods are also commonly used to improve occupancy rates all year round.
Furthermore, experienced Airbnb managers will closely monitor guest reviews and response rates, as these factors all directly influence listing performance. Prompt communication, consistent five-star experiences, and quick issue resolution help build strong reviews and repeat bookings for your Airbnb. Some managers will also promote properties across multiple short-term rental platforms, such as Booking.com or other sites, in order to expand reach beyond the Airbnb platform alone.
Together, these strategies help ensure the property remains visible, competitive, and appealing throughout the year, boosting occupancy and therefore your passive income stream from your property or properties.
Effective Calendar Strategy
Effective Airbnb calendar strategies are another important way that Airbnb managers maximise occupancy and revenue for you. A well-managed calendar will balance availability, pricing, and minimum stay rules to suit fluctuations in demand throughout the year. Airbnb managers will regularly review booking patterns and adjust the property’s availability to ensure that the home or homes are not blocked unnecessarily, while still allowing time for cleaning, maintenance, or owner stays.
One common calendar strategy is adjusting minimum night stays based on seasonality. During peak periods, managers may set longer minimum stays in order to reduce turnover costs and maximise income, while in quieter periods they may lower minimum stays to attract shorter bookings and fill gaps. Gap-filling is a key focus here, where managers identify short unbooked periods between reservations and use flexible pricing or reduced minimum stay periods in order to secure bookings that might otherwise be missed.
Calendar syncing across multiple platforms is also critical when listings are advertised on other platforms. Proper synchronisation here helps prevent double bookings and ensures availability is always accurate. Managers may also open calendars further in advance to capture early planners or temporarily restrict availability during high-demand periods to reassess pricing.
By being active in managing the calendar rather than leaving it static, Airbnb managers can improve booking consistency, reduce vacancy periods, and adapt quickly to changes in demand, events, or market conditions to maximise their passive income stream from your properties.
A Strategic Summary
This helpful article has covered how Airbnb managers can boost occupancy, with a focus on their pricing structures, promotions and a strategic approach to managing calendars. By now, you’re fully informed, so you can make an informed decision about using an Airbnb manager or management company.
