Owner sign-up guide - how do I get my listing live?
Welcome to TripAdvisor Rentals, and thanks for listing your property with us! To help you get off to the best possible start, here’s a step-by-step guide to creating the perfect listing. Complete each of the following sections in the owner centre, entering the relevant information as you go:
Location
Property details
Rates, Taxes and Fees
Booking Policies
Photos
Payout Settings
Publish your listing
What’s next?
Step 1: Location
You’ll be asked to enter the city, neighbourhood and street address where your rental is located. If your town or village isn’t an option, simply select the nearest town or city. We’ll use your address to place a pin on the map. Double-check this is accurate so travellers have a clear idea of exactly where your rental is situated.
Why is it important to have an accurate location on my listing?
Step 2: Property details
Here you’ll be able to list all your property’s amenities and go into more detail with your description, telling potential guests what you have to offer.
Key Information: Go through the dropdowns, and select the type of property you’re listing along with number of bedrooms and maximum occupancy. If you’re struggling with your listing title, have a read of our top tips blog post.
Tourist Licence:If your rental is located in an area that requires a tourist licence number or registration, be sure to enter this here and it’ll be displayed on your listing once it’s live. We may validate your information so if this doesn’t match or follow the correct format, we’ll let you know.
If you're unsure whether you require a tourist licence, check with the local authorities.
Facilities and Features: Select all the features and facilities your rental has to offer. You’ll be able to select anything from basic amenities to fun activities nearby. Try to select everything you can as some travellers filter their search by certain features and your listing won’t show if you haven’t selected what they’re looking for.
Property description: This is your opportunity to sell the experience of staying at rental and highlight what makes it special. For some helpful tips on writing an irresistible property description, take a look at this blog post.
Learn more
8 tips to increase your bookings
7 dos and don'ts for getting noticed by travellers
Step 3: Rates, Taxes and Fees
Setting the right price is one of the key factors in ensuring your listing is competitive in traveller searches. If you’re finding it difficult to choose the right pricing structure, here’s some pricing advice. Don’t forget to look out for price tips, too – these suggested nightly rates will help you get the most bookings based on demand in your area.
Base Price:Your base price will be shown automatically for all dates unless you add seasonal pricing (more about that below), so ensure that this covers all your basic costs. You can find out exactly how the cost of a stay is calculated here.
Note: The currency you select here will be the one you’ll receive your payments in, but travellers will be able to view your rates in their local currency.
Seasonal rates: Next, you can select seasonal rates for specific periods such as your area’s peak season, summer holidays or public holidays. If there’s a big event in your local area, setting a higher price when there is higher demand is a great way to maximise your earnings.
We recommend setting seasonal rates for at least the next 12-18 months. Set a reminder for every six months or so to add some more.
Taxes and Fees: In this section, you can view and amend your tax settings as well as add any additional fees you want to charge.
Taxes related to rentals will vary depending on your location. If you’re unsure about the taxes you have to pay, we always recommend contacting your local authorities.
In some destinations, TripAdvisor Rentals collects some taxes and passes them to the relevant authorities on your behalf. You can see where this is the case here.
If you’d like to collect additional fees with your rental payment (a cleaning fee, for example), you can also add these here.
Step 4: Booking policies
The booking policies section is very important as you’ll be able to specify your requirements, cancellation policy and rental agreement.
Guest payment options: Choose if you’d like to collect split payments (deposit and balance) or the full amount upfront.
Cancellation policy: Determine which cancellation policy you’re most comfortable with, from relaxed to super strict. Each states what refund, if any, you’ll offer in the case of a cancellation.
Rental agreement:When a traveller books your rental, the contract is between yourself and your guest. Here you’ll have the option to either select our standard agreement or add your own contract to stipulate the booking terms. Learn more about how rental agreements work.
Refundable damage deposit: To cover potential loss or damage at your rental, you can set up a damage deposit.
Guest and other requirements: Set your requirements to ensure the bookings you get are right for you. You can also add additional “house rules” specific to your rental – guests will agree to these on the checkout page when they book.
Finally, you can specify how long quotes are valid for after you’ve sent them, as well as check-in and check-out times if applicable.
Step 5: Photos
Photos are the best way to show potential guests what your rental has to offer. Here’s some expert advice to help you make the most of your listing photos:
- Why High-Quality Photos Matter For Your Listing
- 5 Tips On How To Order Your Photos
- 7 Professional Photography Tips To Make Your Rental Shine
Step 6: Payout Settings
Here, you can choose how you’d like to be paid – we support payments via PayPal or bank transfer. Unfortunately, we’re unable to make payments via online-only banks (also known as branchless or internet-only banks).
Depending on your chosen currency and location, PayPal may be the only option available to you. If you don’t see PayPal as an option either, they may not support your location. You can check with PayPal to confirm if this is the case.
Final Step: Publish your listing
To publish your listing, you’ll need to verify your email address and mobile number. It may take up to 24 hours for your listing to appear on the TripAdvisor Rentals network of sites (Holiday Lettings, FlipKey, Niumba, HouseTrip and Holiday Home Rentals) and up to 48 hours to appear on TripAdvisor itself.
What’s next?
Now your listing is up and running, take a look at some of our features to help you manage your account and maximise your booking potential:
- Calendar Sync:Connect your TripAdvisor calendar with other listing sites (e.g. Airbnb or HomeAway) or personal calendars (e.g. Google) to maintain accurate availability. Find out how it works.
- Reviews:Build traveller confidence by collecting reviews. You can request a review from any previous guest, no matter where they booked – all you need is their email address. Find out how.
- Instant Book:Offer the smooth online booking experience travellers now expect by confirming your bookings instantly. Learn more about Instant Book!
Thanks again for listing your property with us. Don’t forget, there’s a wealth of technical information and support available here in our help centre. Plus, for expert advice, the latest industry updates and tips from successful owners, take a look at your dedicated owner resource centre.
Happy bookings!