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Eco-conscious living is rising in strength nowadays. The call to live a more sustainable life is gaining traction and London is committed to heed that call. The city’s Mayor started the Smarter London Together initiative to begin the process of developing a smart city that’s aligned with the global sustainability trend.
With the effects of climate change being felt all over the world - flooding, bushfires, extreme heat and cold temperatures, destructive typhoons and hurricanes, you can easily see why people are becoming more eco-conscious.
People have started to prefer sustainable options even as they travel. According to a 2023 survey done by Booking.com, 74% of respondents want to be given “more sustainable travel options.” Not only that, 65% of respondents prefer booking accommodations with a “sustainable certificate or label.”
These figures represent an opportunity for multi-property owners. With the right strategy, short-term rental properties can enjoy higher rental revenue and occupancy rates through the eco-conscious market.
In this article, you’ll learn how to take advantage of this growing market demand. You’ll learn effective marketing strategies to attract eco-conscious guests and you’ll also get tips to transform your property into a sustainable living space.
The Eco-Friendly Short-Term Rental Trend
The Office of National Statistics reveals that 8 out of 10 adults in the UK are making an effort to change their lifestyle to be more eco-friendly. The report gathered information between May to June 2023 and it revealed several reasons why this is happening. The COVID pandemic, the exit of the UK from the EU, rising climate change awareness and higher cost of living are only a few of the reasons.
In a separate report that targets consumer behaviour and preferences, it’s revealed that 81% of consumers prefer retailers with eco-conscious products, offers and practices. According to the report, this is pushing businesses to reevaluate their raw materials, supply chains, store conditions and even marketing efforts.
What about the rental property market? As a multi-property owner, two things connect you to this eco-conscious trend.
The first is London’s smart city initiative. New rules and regulations have been put in place to ensure that London properties are contributing to the initiative. From energy efficiency to eco-friendly building codes - rental properties are expected to comply with these new rules.
The second is the increasing number of eco-conscious guests and residents. Based on surveys and statistics, people prefer to stay in environmentally friendly accommodations. Some are even willing to pay more as long as they are sure that the property meets their eco-friendly preferences.
Based on these two observations, it’s easy to see the relevance of transforming properties, specifically short-term lets into eco-friendly spaces. You’re not just reducing the negative impact on the environment. You’re also staying compliant and increasing your property’s rental income and occupancy rates. Not to mention the savings you’ll get by simply reducing the energy consumption on your properties.
5 Strategies to Attract Eco-Conscious Guests
As the eco-friendly trend continues to gain traction how can you take advantage of it so your short-term rentals will attract the eco-conscious market?
Like any marketing strategy, you need to focus on your target audience. Understand their unique preferences so you can transform your property to be appealing in their eyes.
If you’re working with a property management company to help the multiple properties in your portfolio, it’s best to discuss these 5 strategies to specifically target the eco-conscious market.
Create an eco-friendly message
Write an eco-friendly message that resonates with your target market. It’s not enough to just say that you’re committed to sustainability. You have to show proof of how you’re doing it through your short-term lets. Focus on the values that eco-conscious guests hold dear. Communicate the initiatives that you’ve done to improve the sustainability practices in your rental properties. From energy-efficient appliances, smart home technology, natural lighting and waste reduction systems - these should be communicated in your marketing message so eco-conscious guests know how you prioritise sustainability.
Advertise on the right platform
Find out where eco-conscious guests look for property for rent. Increase your property’s visibility on these platforms. Published posts, photos or videos regularly. Use the right hashtags. You can also highlight previous reviews that indicate your property’s eco-friendly features.
Platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com have tags or categories that would identify your property as an eco-friendly accommodation. Use this so your property will come up in the right search results.
Participate in eco-friendly activities in the community
Your local community might have eco-friendly activities - sign up for them! Getting yourself personally involved is an excellent way to demonstrate your dedication to sustainable practices and environmental responsibility. From clean-up drives to recycling efforts - there are many ways that you can involve yourself and in association, your property.
If there’s a nearby environmental event, sign up your property as an option to host some of the participants. You can do partnerships with local businesses and benefit from their endorsement.
Highlight the property’s sustainable features
Make your property’s sustainable features front and centre in all your marketing efforts. Create a headline that talks about the eco-friendly property. Something like “Eco-friendly haven in the centre of London City” or “Sustainable modern home beside Hyde Park” are great options.
The description of the property should also list eco-friendly features like energy-efficient lighting, composting areas, low-flow water faucets, insulated doors and windows, etc. You can also list the eco-friendly products you use like organic shampoo, conditioner, bars of soap, etc. If you have partnerships with green companies that provide your amenities, you can highlight that in your description.
Partner with the right property management company
The companies you associate your properties with will also strengthen your eco-friendly reputation. Property management companies like Opago are known for eco-friendly practices and support for environmental activities. By working with Opago and allowing us to manage your multiple short-term lets, you’ll get access to the network of eco-friendly suppliers we associate with. Our team of property experts can help you improve your property to make it more sustainable.
Our in-house cleaning and maintenance team use eco-friendly practices and products. By association, we can help you attract the eco-conscious market.
Tips to Transform Properties Into Eco-Friendly Rentals
As you implement the strategies mentioned, there are other things that you can do to attract environmentally conscious guests. You can start by making sure your properties are transformed into eco-friendly rentals.
Here are tips to help you with this transformation.
- Be energy efficient. Before you buy appliances or lighting fixtures, make sure they come with energy-efficient certificates or seals. These include refrigerators, dishwashers, LED lights, washing machines and even heating or cooling systems.
- Promote water conservation. Install water-efficient fixtures like low-flow faucets and showerheads. You can also install dual-flush toilets. You should also put up signs around the house to educate and encourage your guests to conserve water.
- Facilitate waste reduction. Provide recycling bins and composting facilities to encourage the segregation of waste. Put up signs to educate them on how to do it. Make it easy for guests to practice sustainability during their stay in your short-term lets.
- Provide sustainable toiletries. Use refillable dispensers instead of one-time-use containers for toiletries like body wash, shampoo, conditioner, etc. Choose containers made of recycled materials and label them accordingly.
- Choose only eco-friendly cleaning products. This refers to biodegradable cleaning and household products with minimal environmental impact. Partnering with eco-friendly cleaning services will make it easier to implement this. What’s great about these cleaning products is they are not just good for the environment, they also improve the air quality indoors.
- Install renewable energy sources. Put solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable sources of energy. These can generate clean energy and will also reduce the electric consumption of the rental property. It will also lower your utility bills.
- Use smart technology. Sustainability is easier to practice and implement if you use smart technology. Smart thermostats, leak detectors and other tech devices can optimise the use of energy and water resources.
Partner with a Sustainable Property Operations Management Company
The eco-conscious short-term rental market is growing. It has a huge potential to increase rental income and occupancy rates. Embracing eco-friendly practices is the best way to attract eco-conscious guests. You’re not just increasing your property’s positive impact on the environment. You’re also increasing your property’s performance and revenue potential. If done right, you can even reduce overhead and property management expenses - which will increase your bottom line further.
By implementing the strategies mentioned in this article, you can help alleviate the environmental problems that we’re collectively struggling with. And if you partner with a sustainable property management company like Opago, you’ll benefit from their expertise. They can guide you in transforming your property into a comfortable and sustainable haven for the eco-conscious market.
If you want to know more about eco-friendly short-term rentals, get in touch with Opago. We share the details of our sustainable property management services so you can see how we can help you attract eco-conscious guests.
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