How Home Sharing is the

Secret to Pleasing

Millennial Travelers

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Your clientele has changed

You’re back in business! Since 2013, the percentages of Americans who have used traditional travel agents have increased by 6% and climbing. The people coming through your doors might not be who you expected though. You aren’t booking vacations for as many Baby Boomers as you are Millennials, but why? Millennials are the most tech-savvy generation, so why are they the least likely to book a vacation on their own through the internet?

In 2014, 28 percent of millennials booked a vacation through a traditional travel agent and while that number continues to grow, it is important to be able to give those Millennial travelers what they want when they come to you. These young travelers are eager for adventure but are self-aware enough to realize that they don’t know enough to arrange a successful yet different vacation on their own. That is why they come to you.

Millennials want adventure and they want experiences that

are not generic or overdone, and travel agents are the best

way to find out about something beyond the first page of

Google results.

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When Millennials travel, and

they do more per year than

any other age group, they’re

seeking out thrills over leisure.

This means that luxurious

hotels filled to the brim with

amenities in a quiet, relaxing

destination are not what the

typical Millennial is looking

for. They want to be in the

center of all the action, and

they want their experience

to feel authentic.

These desires are what made

the home sharing service,

Airbnb, a huge success and

an inspiration to dozens of

other home sharing services.

What Millennials

Want

Who are Millennials?

A Millennial is technically defined as anyone born between 1982 and 2000. Millennials make up 25% of the U.S population, and are usually early adapters of new technology and ideas.

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Millennial Travelers

Have not yet used, but willingHave already usedHave not yet used, are not willing

Home Sharing

You’ve likely heard of home sharing services before, and you may have even viewed them as competition or a detriment to your service. However, home sharing and travel agents have one very big thing in common; their customers. 53% of Millennial travelers say they would have no problem using a home sharing service for the first time, and 44% say that they use home sharing regularly already.

Those travelers are the same ones looking to you to provide a unique and adventurous vacation, and if they’re willing and you’re able, home sharing is your secret to giving those Millennials a one-of-a-kind trip.

Home sharing provides Millennials

alternative, and more authentic,

accommodations guaranteed to

make a trip unforgettable.

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Authenticity is a Millennial’s goal in many aspects of their life, and travel is no exception. Millennial travelers want to explore destinations as independently as possible, and shy away from being considered tourists.

Craving authentic experiences while traveling is a broad spectrum trend amongst this age group, and nothing is more authentic than getting out of a hotel full of tourists and into the true way of life that the locals lead. Home sharing can help you quench a Millennial client’s urge to feel more connected to a destination.

Millennials are using travel agents because they desire highly personalized experience. They value a distinctive experience that aligns with their individual identity, and in most cases a generic hotel won’t cut it.

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OptionsPersonalization and alignment with a client’s personality is easy

when home sharing provides you with countless different

options to choose from.

Airbnb started in 2007 and since then has become a

household name. While Airbnb may be the most well-known

home sharing service, it is not your only option. Your client’s

needs should dictate which service you set them up with.

A room or a lighthouse: Airbnb has the most diverse listings out of any of the home sharing services. Through Airbnb a private room in a larger house, an entire apartment, a windmill, a tree house, a lighthouse, or even an entire island can be reserved. And that’s not all. Airbnb is in 190 different countries and has something for everyone. Airbnb is the service to use for those travelers who come to you asking for something “different.” Airbnb’s biggest pitfall is their popularity. When thinking of home sharing, Airbnb is many people’s first and sometimes only choice. This can lead to sold out neighborhoods at the time of big events or peak travel times, which is why it is important to know your alternatives.

Available to rent on Airbnb

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Options

Their own space: HomeAway is a home sharing service with over 1 million listings in 190 countries. HomeAway rents out entire homes to customers only, no room rentals. Often used as an exchange or swap, people who are leaving for their own vacations post their homes for rent while they’re away. This is ideal for groups of travelers as well as travelers who value alone time.

Extremely budget

conscious (and extra

adventurous): Couchsurfing is a completely free way spend the night in someone else’s home. The name is not misleading, when staying at a place booked through couchsurfing, you’re likely sleeping on a couch, an air mattress or maybe even a pallet on the floor. For young Millennial travelers who have no chronic back pain and no money to spare, couchsurfing is a great way to get a free night’s sleep and meet new friends.

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Options

Available to rent on VRBO

Large groups: VRBO, or Vacation Rental by Owner is actually owned by HomeAway, and is very similar in what it lists. Like HomeAway, only entire homes are rented out, but these aren’t usually someone’s actual homes. VRBO listings are typically vacation properties and are not lived in all year long. They tend to be bigger, and therefore more accommodating for large groups in search of multiple bedrooms, but solo travelers can find options as well.

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• Airbnb requires government issued

ID scanned into their system from

both the property owners and the

property renters to keep away fake

names and untraceable people.

They also require proof of ownership

from people who wish to list their

space on the website.

• Couchsurfing relies on honest and

protected reviews of all hosts and

surfers to prevent anyone from

being misleading.

• HomeAway and VRBO both feature

a guarantee that insures a travelers

deposit or rental fees up to $1,000 in

the event of fraud or misleading

information regarding their reserved

space.

There is no doubt that Hotels come with a sense of security that can be missed. Corporate rules and policies make a traveler feel secure that they will get what they paid for, and that their personal information is secure. While no corporation can be contacted in the case of a problem, steps are put in place with all home sharing services to ensure each stay goes smoothly for all parties involved.

Each home sharing service has its own set of safety guidelines, even the free option of Couchsurfing has rules set in place to keep everyone safe.

Security

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Access to everything via smartphone makes using home sharing services the most convenient way to travel. Nearly 49% of Millennial travelers search for travel information on their smartphones already, and Millennials have earned a reputation for taking their smartphones with them everywhere they go. These apps allow those technology dependent travelers the ability to access their reservation information any time and place.

Constant ContactOne of the most appealing things about home sharing, is the app based communication. Home sharing allows for non-stop communication between renters and hosts. App-based messaging is great for pre-booking questions to ensure you get just what your client has asked for. You can ask the owner any questions directly, in a secure messaging system, before deciding on whether or not that is the best property for your client.

After booking is complete and paid for, addresses and sometimes even phone numbers are revealed which can allow for you to text or call on a client’s behalf or for the client to reach out directly themselves via their smartphone. If a plane delay is going to result in a later arrival time than agreed upon, or if a client’s key is not working, The owner can be contacted and an answer could be provided immediately.

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Millennials are young

and typically

underworked or

underpaid. This does not

stop them from traveling,

but it does impact how

they travel. Millennials

reportedly check at least

ten websites before

making travel purchases

to make sure they are

getting the lowest price

possible.

While home sharing sites

definitely feature

luxurious options like

mansions and castles,

home sharing is great for

Millennial travelers

because of how it can fit

into their budget. Saving

money on lodging frees

up travelers to spend

more on activities, food,

or adventures. In most

cities, Airbnb is 20%-50%

cheaper than a hotel

room.

Budget

Price Wars

Double Tree Hotel Istanbul, Turkey$122 per night

Airbnb rentalIstanbul, Turkey$68 per night

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Opinions are important in the tourism industry, and all mentioned home sharing

services feature the option to review your experience. This option is not limited to visitors reviewing the home or room they rent. Hosts can also review visitors. Because hosts are not obligated to rent to anyone, these reviews keep guests on their best behavior.

Home sharing is so much more personal and interactive than a hotel visit, and therefore reviews are more common, more truthful, and a great indicator of what a stay will be like. These reviews not only help you match a location to your client’s personality, they also give you the chance to keep your client involved if they want to be. If your client specifies they are a light sleeper and a gorgeous rental has reviews that call out loud street noise at night, you know to keep looking.

Reviews left by past clients will also serve as validation for future clients you find rentals for.

Available to rent on Airbnb

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66% of Millennial travelers say that they most value

uniqueness when they travel and expect customized

options when choosing where to travel. Home sharing

satisfies both of these desires. When your biggest group of

customers wants something out of the ordinary and are

also the biggest group of people using sharing services,

home sharing is your answer to arranging the most unique,

personal, and authentic trip possible.

Available for rent on HomeAway

Images

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Resources

1. Biz Journal

2. Dangerous Business

3. The G Brief

4. LA Times

5. The Telegraph

6. SF Gate

7. Nolo

8. Gigamon

9. Millennial Marketing

10. Skift

11. Airbnb

12.HomeAway

13.VRBO

14.Couchsurfing

1. Airbnb: Page 1, 6, 11,

12

2. VRBO: Page 8

3. HomeAway: Page 7,

13

4. Couchsurfing: Page 7

5. DoubleTree: Page 11

6. Virtuoso: Page 2

7. Millennial Marketing:

Page 3

8. Escape Button Blog:

Page 5

9. Pngimg: Page 10