BooksterHow can I Upsell and Cross-Sell in my holiday rental business? This article covers two techniques to increase revenue for your business, Upselling and Cross-Selling. Often the two terms are used interchangeably, but they are different. What is Cross-Selling for holiday rental businesses? Cross-Selling is a technique to sell extra items or services to your clients. For example, when a guest makes a booking for your holiday home, they may buy firewood for the firepit in the garden. What’s Upselling for holiday rentals? Upselling is a technique to encourage your guests to upgrade their bookings to one with a higher value or an alternative premium holiday property. For example when a guest considers booking your apartment, they are encouraged to make a booking for the house with the view of the sea instead. What can you Cross-Sell in your holiday rental business? Services Mid-stay clean Personal chef Hot tub Laundry service Dog walking service Pool heating Airport transfer. Experiences Local historical tour Lessons in crafts, cooking, building with local materials Bike tours Farm visits Llama walking Beer tasting. Items Welcome basket Art Fire wood Tickets for local attractions Bicycle and sports hire Doggy care kit - basket, bowls, towels, treats. What can you Upsell in your holiday rentals? This will come down to the options you have and the needs of your guests. If you have multiple properties, with distinctly different value, there are options to Upsell a higher value alternative accommodation. For example, if you have properties with and without a hot-tub, you could Upsell the hot-tub property, creating higher revenue for you and higher value to the guest experience. Some options could include Early check-in or Late check-out, an Upgrade to the Welcome Basket, a Romantic package with flowers and drinks included. Important considerations for Upselling and Cross-Selling extras There is a fine line between creating demand for a valued service, and creating a negative experience. You need to research your guests to truly understand: What your guests need What your guests value How they would like these options to be presented to them The value they give to these services When they would need to know about these options. Once you know this, you can provide these services and items, for the optimum value and in the best way for your guests. 1. Country-wide regulations and Local rules Depending on where your company and properties are based, there may be regulations that restrict upsales, require a licence or require different taxes to be applied. It is essential that you contact your local authorities to ensure that you are following regulations. These include, but are not limited to: Selling experiences at the same time as renting your accommodation Selling alcohol Preparing food. 2. Insurance Before offering any services, you should check with your insurer if additional insurance is required. For example, if you offer the use of your boat or a bicycle, or take guests on tour in your car, you may need a new or additional insurance plan. 3. Logistics and collaborations Just because you're arranging the extra services, it doesn't mean you are tied to providing them. There may be opportunities to Cross-Sell to guests that use the skills and knowledge of local businesses who you can collaborate with. A good example is a Professional Chef, or the provision of a Welcome Hamper by a local supplier. When you’re in your planning stages, consider who could collaborate with your business to add value to your guests and to your income. This will open up new opportunities and new streams of revenue, delight guests and support the local community. A win-win!
x

Made for Holiday Rental Managers like you.

How can I Upsell and Cross-Sell in my holiday rental business?

Kelly Odor
5 minute read

Key Takeaways

  • Cross-Selling and Upselling are not the same thing, but both increase revenue
  • Cross-Selling is a technique to sell extra items or services to your clients
  • Upselling is a technique to encourage your guests to upgrade their bookings
  • You can Cross-Sell Services, Experiences and Items
  • There are aspects to consider - tax, insurance, guest needs, logistics, rules
  • You can Upsell higher value options, eg a bigger apartment or a better view.
Graphic of attracting bookings with Bookster on a smart phone

Airbnb, Booking.com, Direct bookings and more - Bookster helps you attract bookings.

Get started free…Book a Demo

The goal for both Upselling and Cross-Selling is to increase the value you earn per booking.

Let's look at how you can achieve this in your holiday rental business.


Holiday homes: How can I Upsell and Cross-Sell? - How can I Upsell and Cross-Sell in my holiday rental business? with icon of items with tick boxes, and a Bookster logo.

This will open up new opportunities and new streams of revenue, delight guests and support the local community. A win-win!

How can I Upsell and Cross-Sell in my holiday rental business? 

This article covers two techniques to increase revenue for your business, Upselling and Cross-Selling. 

Often the two terms are used interchangeably, but they are different. 

What is Cross-Selling for holiday rental businesses? 

Cross-Selling is a technique to sell extra items or services to your clients. 

For example, when a guest makes a booking for your holiday home, they may buy firewood for the firepit in the garden.

What’s Upselling for holiday rentals? 

Upselling is a technique to encourage your guests to upgrade their bookings to one with a higher value or an alternative premium holiday property.  

For example when a guest considers booking your apartment, they are encouraged to make a booking for the house with the view of the sea instead.  

What can you Cross-Sell in your holiday rental business? 

Services

  • Mid-stay clean
  • Personal chef
  • Hot tub
  • Laundry service
  • Dog walking service
  • Pool heating
  • Airport transfer.

Experiences

  • Local historical tour
  • Lessons in crafts, cooking, building with local materials 
  • Bike tours
  • Farm visits
  • Llama walking
  • Beer tasting. 

Items

  • Welcome basket
  • Art
  • Fire wood
  • Tickets for local attractions
  • Bicycle and sports hire
  • Doggy care kit - basket, bowls, towels, treats.

What can you Upsell in your holiday rentals? 

This will come down to the options you have and the needs of your guests. 

If you have multiple properties, with distinctly different value, there are options to Upsell a higher value alternative accommodation. 

For example, if you have properties with and without a hot-tub, you could Upsell the hot-tub property, creating higher revenue for you and higher value to the guest experience. 

Some options could include Early check-in or Late check-out, an Upgrade to the Welcome Basket, a Romantic package with flowers and drinks included. 

Important considerations for Upselling and Cross-Selling extras

There is a fine line between creating demand for a valued service, and creating a negative experience. 

You need to research your guests to truly understand:

  • What your guests need
  • What your guests value
  • How they would like these options to be presented to them
  • The value they give to these services
  • When they would need to know about these options. 

Once you know this, you can provide these services and items, for the optimum value and in the best way for your guests. 

1. Country-wide regulations and Local rules 

Depending on where your company and properties are based, there may be regulations that restrict upsales, require a licence or require different taxes to be applied. 

It is essential that you contact your local authorities to ensure that you are following regulations.

These include, but are not limited to:

  • Selling experiences at the same time as renting your accommodation
  • Selling alcohol
  • Preparing food.

2. Insurance

Before offering any services, you should check with your insurer if additional insurance is required. 

For example, if you offer the use of your boat or a bicycle, or take guests on tour in your car, you may need a new or additional insurance plan. 

3. Logistics and collaborations

Just because you're arranging the extra services, it doesn't mean you are tied to providing them. 

There may be opportunities to Cross-Sell to guests that use the skills and knowledge of local businesses who you can collaborate with.

A good example is a Professional Chef, or the provision of a Welcome Hamper by a local supplier.

When you’re in your planning stages, consider who could collaborate with your business to add value to your guests and to your income.

This will open up new opportunities and new streams of revenue, delight guests and support the local community. A win-win!


Upselling and Cross-Selling are two techniques to boost revenue for your holiday rental business. 

The first step is to take an in-depth look at your guests needs, and find solutions to create an amazing guest experience and an increased revenue stream.

The only limit is your imagination. 

Graphic of attracting bookings with Bookster on a smart phone

Bookings. It's in our name, kinda.

Stacked with features that get more guests, Bookster helps you attract bookings.

Get started free…Book a Demo

Recent Posts

Related Topics