According to The Wandering RV, millennials spent $200 billion on travel in 2018, and 33% of millennials budget over $5,000 a year for vacations. Further, millennials take an average of 5.6 vacations annually, compared to 4.4 for Gen Z, 4.0 for Gen X, and 3.5 for Baby Boomers. If you’re a vacation rental owner, millennials are a great group to target. Here are ways to appeal to millennials with bonus Amazon finds to improve your rental property’s attractiveness.
Smart Home Devices to Make Your Rental More Appealing
A Wakefield Research study found that 9 in 10 millennials will pay more for smart home features. Millennials love staying connected and enjoying the convenience of technology. In addition to offering streaming services such as Hulu and high-speed Wi-Fi, millennials will appreciate:
Smart Locks
Millennials want immediate property entrance without worrying about keys. Here are some smart lock options to consider.
- Kwikset Kevo Touch-to-Open Bluetooth Smart Lock: This smart lock makes your smartphone your new key with the option to purchase fobs or digital keys instead. Key access can be reset at any time, and SmartKey technology enables users to manage locks remotely.
Smart TVs
A Business Insider study found that 89% of millennials watch their TV on Netflix over live television. Give millennials access to all of their streaming channels with a smart TV.
Smart Thermostats & Fans
“Millennials are committed to implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including equality, climate change, peace, justice, poverty, and prosperity,” wrote Forbes contributor Marguerita Cheng. Smart thermostats are energy efficient and great for vacation rental owners, offering energy reports and the ability to manage remotely. Here are two excellent options to incorporate this trend:
- Nest Thermostat: This thermostat is wildly popular for a reason. It is Wi-Fi enabled, energy-saving, and can be scheduled.
- Bond Wifi Enabler: No need to buy all new ceiling fans to implement smart fans. This Bond device will allow you to add smart functionality to your ceiling fans and is Alexa and Google-certified.
Games that Millennials Like
In a guest post for Global Toy News, toys and games analyst Matthew Hudak talked about the increasing popularity of board games among millennials: “New games are being introduced every year that are largely aimed at millennial consumers, such as ‘Codename’, ‘Star Wars: Armada’, and ‘Pandemic: Legacy’ in 2015. These games can be either competitive or cooperative and are typically aimed at adults looking for an activity to do while drinking and socializing with friends.”
Here are some games that you can provide and millennials are bound to love:
Don’t Overlook Vacation Rental Necessities
Millennials are often dubbed the “instant gratification generation.” They won’t be happy if they have to run to the store and grab something they want then and there. Keep your guests happy and boost your rental’s reviews by including the following products in your property:
- Toilet Paper: It may not be glamorous, but these essentials are very essential. Use Amazon Pantry for a reliable subscription service to ensure that your property is always stocked!
- Salt and Pepper: If your guests are staying longer than a weekend, they are likely planning to cook a few meals at home. Provide them with the basics; salt and pepper are annoying to buy just to enjoy scrambled eggs in the morning. You can either buy a pre-filled set or buy in bulk and get refillable bottles.
- Trash Bags: Make sure your guests aren’t forced to find alternative places to dispose of garbage. Odds are, you won’t be pleased with their solutions. Keep extra trash bags in your kitchen and bathrooms for convenient use.
- Sponges or a Scrubber Brush: They’re your dishes, don’t you want guests to take care of them? Keep a pack of sponges under the sink so they can be kept clean.
- Dish Soap: What good is a sponge or brush if there is no soap to clean them? Again, give your guests every opportunity to clean up after themselves and provide basic cleaning supplies.
- Napkins: Paper napkins are so low cost, there’s really no reason not to provide them. They’re an affordable extra detail that makes your guests feel taken care of.
- Tissues: Like napkins, tissues may seem unnecessary but add to the feeling of comfort and care in a property. In hotels, there are always tissues stocked in the bathroom, so take note and supply the same product! Buy in bulk to save.
- Beach Towels: Is your property near the beach? Provide towels! Not only are towels an added convenience for guests, but they will also prevent them from ruining your nicer, softer bath towels with sand and saltwater. Beach towels are also necessary if your property has a pool, as chlorine can also ruin your bath towels.
- Wine Bottle Opener: The party doesn’t have to stop to watch a YouTube video on how to uncork a bottle without a corkscrew! An electric bottle opener makes the process easy. Add this magnetic beer bottle opener to complete your bar setup.
Understanding what interests (and what irritates) millennials can help you increase your bookings with them. They are definitely ones to search for new places on social media and share good (or bad) experiences. Learn more about generational vacation trends here.
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