Not so long ago, having several empty weeks just two months before the summer season was a cause for concern. Today, that is no longer necessarily the case.
Over the past few years, traveler behaviour has changed significantly. Last-minute bookings have become increasingly common, transforming the way professional vacation rental managers approach pricing and availability.
A TREND CONFIRMED BY INDUSTRY DATA
Leading industry analysts such as AirDNA, Lighthouse and Expedia all report the same trend: booking windows are getting shorter.
Travelers are waiting longer before committing to a reservation, sometimes booking only a few weeks before arrival. Several factors explain this change:
- inflation has encouraged guests to compare prices more carefully;
- the growing supply of vacation rentals gives travelers confidence that they can wait;
- more flexible cancellation policies;
- the convenience of booking instantly from a smartphone.
For property owners, this may create the impression that reservations are arriving «at the last minute». In reality, this has become perfectly normal.
THE FINAL WEEKS OFTEN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
In many holiday destinations, a significant share of reservations is now made between one month and two weeks before arrival.
This does not mean doing nothing and hoping for the best. On the contrary, success now depends on dynamic revenue management: adjusting prices progressively according to actual market demand rather than making large discounts months in advance.
WHY WE AVOID DISCOUNTING TOO EARLY
When a week remains unsold several months before arrival, the natural reaction is often to reduce the price immediately.
However, this is rarely the most profitable strategy.
Lowering prices too early may secure a booking quickly—but often at a much lower rate than necessary.
Instead, maintaining a fair market price allows you to capture guests who are still willing to book at full value. If demand remains weaker than expected, gradual price adjustments can then be introduced to remain competitive.
The objective is not to rent your property as quickly as possible. The objective is to maximise your rental income.
HOW CASABOOKING MANAGES PRICING
Every property is unique. Our pricing decisions take into account:
- local market demand;
- competitor pricing;
- occupancy levels in your destination;
- the remaining time before arrival;
- local events and seasonal demand.
Based on these factors, we adjust prices progressively whenever appropriate, without unnecessarily reducing the value of your property.
SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED IF SOME WEEKS ARE STILL AVAILABLE?
Not necessarily.
Today, having one or two weeks still available six to eight weeks before arrival has become much more common than it was five or ten years ago.
The important thing is to monitor the market carefully, maintain excellent visibility across booking platforms and adjust your strategy at the right moment. That is exactly what we do.
OUR GOAL IS TO MAXIMISE YOUR INCOME
At CasaBooking, our objective is not simply to achieve the highest occupancy rate. Our priority is finding the best balance between occupancy and rental income.
A villa booked months in advance with a large discount is not always more profitable than one booked a few weeks later at the right market price.
In today's rapidly evolving vacation rental market, experience, market intelligence and dynamic pricing strategies make all the difference.
This article draws on trends observed by the main players in the sector, including AirDNA, Lighthouse, Expedia and European short-term rental statistics, which show a shortening of the booking window and continued growth in the European market.