Why is my Airbnb not getting booked?

Airbnb not getting bookings? It’s more involved than you think

If you’ve created your short-term rental (STR) listing, added a few photos, and waited for bookings to roll in, only to hear crickets, you’re not alone. Many new and even experienced hosts go through slow periods or sudden drops in reservations. The reality is, short-term rental success isn’t a simple case of set-and-forget — active Airbnb management of your property is a must.

From pricing missteps to incomplete listings and outdated photos, there are dozens of reasons your property might not be performing. The good news? Most can be fixed, and faster than you think.

Why am I not getting STR bookings?

You might be wondering, “Why am I not getting bookings on Airbnb?” or perhaps your listing has lost traction on other platforms like Booking.com or Vrbo? We’ve seen thousands of listings in different markets across Australia, and a few challenges come up time and again:

1. Pricing that’s not competitive

Many hosts set their nightly rate once and leave it there for months. This often ignores:

• Seasonality: School holidays, public holidays, or local events can affect demand and price expectations.
  
• Market trends: Similar properties in the area may be offering better rates or promotions.
  
• Last-minute booking behaviour: Some guests book within days of arrival, but only if your rate is attractive.

Static or inflated pricing can push your listing down in Airbnb’s search results, making it harder for guests to find you in the first place. 

2. Calendar and booking gaps

A rigid calendar can make your listing unattractive - even a couple of empty nights here and there add up over a month. Common blockers include:

• long minimum night stays which don’t suit most travellers,
  
• no gap-filling strategy for single nights between bookings, and
  
• advance notice requirements which exclude last-minute stays.

3. Poor listing quality

Poor-quality photos, unclear descriptions, or missing amenity details can all damage your booking’s appeal. In a competitive market, guests scroll past listings that don’t stand out, and your booking platform’s algorithm takes note. For hot tips, download our listing quality checklist.

4. Negative or missing reviews

New listings face an “incubation” period where reviews are critical. Without early positive feedback, your booking platform is less likely to push your listing to the top of search results. A few low-star reviews can also have a long-term impact if not addressed and balanced out with better guest experiences. For more information, read our blog on how to get amazing guest reviews.

5. Limited visibility across booking channels

Bookings on Airbnb slowing down? Airbnb isn’t the only platform you should be listing on. By listing on one platform, you limit your reach and risk losing bookings to properties with a wider distribution.

How to fix these issues yourself

If you want to tackle these problems as a self-managing host, here’s where to start:

1. ‍Adopt dynamic pricing
   
   ‍While Airbnb’s Smart Pricing is a start, use automated pricing tools like AirDNA for market data and insights and PriceLabs to adjust your nightly rates based on demand, seasonality, and competitor activity. 
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2. Expand to other channels
   
   Consider listing on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and other short-term rental sites at the same time, instead of just one. This increases your property's exposure and diversifies your income stream if one platform slows down.
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3. ‍Improve guest management
   
   Respond quickly to any enquiries, ideally within an hour if possible. While templated messages are valuable for instructions (such as check-in and check-out reminders), it's also important to keep communication warm and personal.
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4. Optimise your listing
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   • Photography: Invest in professional photos to give your listing the ‘hero shot’ it deserves. After all, it’s the first photo guests will see when searching for a stay. Airbnb’s data shows listings with high-quality photography can get up to 24% more bookings than those without. 
   • Description: Write in clear, inviting language. Be as descriptive as possible to help guests decide if it’s the right property for them. Focus on unique property features like scenic ocean views or a central location and nearby attractions.
   • Amenities: Complete your amenity list so guests can filter and find your property.
   • Seasonal updates: Refresh your title and description for different times of year (e.g. “Beachfront retreat for summer holidays”).

The benefits of partnering with Hometime

While the DIY route works for some, many hosts find it challenging to manage and optimise all of the above. That’s where Hometime steps in. With Hometime, your management fee covers an all-inclusive service offering so you can rest assured your property is in the right hands. We’ll help you earn more, while you do less. Our services include:

1. ‍Data-driven pricing that works year-round:
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   ‍Our in-house revenue management team treats every property individually, taking into account booking pace, local events, unique property features, and comparable listings. This isn’t set-and-forget: we adjust rates daily to capture more high-value bookings, not just any booking.
   
   The result? On average, properties saw an 11% rise in occupancy and a 9% revenue increase during peak season after applying our dynamic pricing strategies.
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2. ‍Filling your calendar strategically
   
   ‍We don’t just open your calendar and hope for the best. We use gap-filling strategies, flexible minimum night settings, and targeted promotions to maximise both occupancy and nightly rate.
   
   We also promote your property across our direct booking site Hometime, as well as Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and their expanded distribution network, including Stayz, Trivago and Expedia. This increases your reach and keeps bookings flowing, even if you’re not getting bookings on Airbnb.
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3. Professional listing optimisation
   
   Hometime’s team of expert portfolio optimisation specialists use internal data sourced from thousands of listings to help your listing stand out in search results and convert browsers into bookers. After optimisation, our listings record a 36% improvement in conversion rates on average.
   
   We handle: professional photography, expert copywriting, and more.
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4. Local, on the ground support
   
   Every Hometime homeowner is matched with a dedicated local host who takes care of your property as though it were their own. They welcome your guests, answer their enquiries, and enforce house rules. They also oversee Airbnb cleaning, styling, and maintenance, which includes providing hotel-quality linen and restocking essentials.
   
   Guests rate our local hosts’ communication 10% higher on average than Airbnb competitors, leading to better reviews, and better visibility.
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5. ‍Ongoing performance monitoring‍
   
   We track your property’s performance daily, especially in the first 90 days (“incubation period”) when reviews and early bookings matter most. If something’s underperforming, we make immediate adjustments rather than waiting for months of lost revenue.
   
   You'll also have access to the Hometime Owner Portal, your central hub for everything to do with your property. In the portal, you can view your booking calendar in real-time, instantly block out personal dates on your property, see guest reviews or ratings, and track your earnings and performance.
   
   It’s transparent, easy to use, and keeps you connected to your property’s success without adding to your workload.

Before and after: The Hometime effect

Real results speak louder than promises. Teresa, the owner of a three-bedroom home on the Mornington Peninsula, shares how partnering with Hometime transformed her booking calendar and boosted her earnings, all while keeping the experience stress-free.

When Hometime asked how we’d helped her earn more and make hosting hassle-free, she responded:

“To our surprise, we've been booked out for the whole month... at the start, it took a little while, where I thought, yeah, we're not gonna get much bookings... Glen (Hometime’s local host) was right, he said, look, you just need a couple of reviews. Once you get the reviews going, it will take off. And it has... May’s nearly booked out as well.”

When we asked if her earnings had been in line with expectations, Teresa said:

“I expected we were earning nothing at the start... it does cover land tax and all the taxes... and plus we're earning more as well... it's been maintained well... it's been great.”

For Teresa’s home, Hometime’s listing optimisation, pricing strategy, and local host support turned slow early booking momentum into consistent, high-occupancy months, covering expenses and generating extra income without adding to her workload.

Book a free earnings estimate with Hometime

If your Airbnb isn’t getting booked, the cause is often a combination of pricing, presentation, and visibility, all of which can be improved. You can implement some of these strategies yourself, but a professional Airbnb management company like Hometime brings a level of consistency, expertise, and local knowledge that’s hard to match.

Ready to see more bookings? Book a call with Hometime below and find out how we can turn your underperforming listing into a top-ranked, high-earning property: