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With the rise of Airbnb as a preferred and first accomodation choice for so many Australians I am surprised that we don’t have more options available for pet owners. Australia is an animal loving nation more than half of us own one or more furry friends, they are very much our fur children and as much a part of the family as any two legged member (dare we say even more favoured than some human relatives)
Personally I have my own small menagerie of animals, from chickens and a horse to cows, dogs and a cat - finally living on an acreage has enabled me to continue adding to my furry collection. But years ago living in the suburbs of Sydney with just the dogs (and maybe a cat once or twice) I would often escape out of the city with the animals in tow, just as much of a getaway for me as it was for the dogs - my very well travelled furry companions.
I always booked through Stayz (now known as Homeaway) Airbnb wasn’t as prominent and didn’t have a category which catered to animals - not one I was aware of at the time anyway. Fast forward about 5 years and now I am surprised that there aren’t as many property owners willing to consider becoming pet friendly and it’s not a very commonly offered feature.
Here in the Sunshine Coast we draw tourists from all over Australia - Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and afar and a lot of people love taking their pets on holiday with them, they simply don’t leave their family members behind if they don’t have to.
So how can we make Airbnb friendlier for pet owners and appealing for property owners while still maintaining a high level of cleanliness and maintenance within our short term rental properties?
First and foremost its important to acknowledge that some properties just aren’t suited to animals and or wouldn’t allow. Those aside we have small homes, townhouses, garden apartments (in permissible buildings) bigger residential homes and of course rural getaways.
There certainly need to be strict guidelines and rules imposed when it comes to allowing pets to accompany their owners. Having allocated bedding and outdoor fenced areas is very important and I would advise not allowing animals on the furniture, some humans are not as friendly to fur as others.
It’s also understandable to ask for a higher security bond in case of pet damages which pet owners completely understand and don’t mind allowing for. Pet owners are generally willing and understand that their pet is treated as a guest as well and charged accordingly so there is an opportunity for property owners to increase their nightly rates.
Through owning my own horse now I noticed as well the demand for horse friendly properties in the Sunshine Coast. We are absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to horse riding trails and the Noosa North Shore beaches are very popular with local horse riders and holidaymakers. Yet there is a gap in the market for quality accomodation which also offers riders somewhere to stable/paddock their horses. A lot of potential guests are willing to float horses at least a few hours away.
Here at The Property Hosts we would very much like to see more homes available for pet friendly stays and we are actively looking for more properties all throughout the Sunshine Coast.
With the spring and summer season just ahead of us now is a great time to get your property listed on Airbnb and/or Homeaway websites.
Happy hosting!!
@thepropertyhosts
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