Holiday homes in Kenya have become an instant hit as Kenyans turn their extra houses and bedrooms into lodgings and homestays for travelers.
This move is putting extra money into Kenyans pockets, as homeowners list their extra spaces on Airbnb.
Currently, bookings are rising as the Christmas and New Year festivities as more and more travelers are avoiding overcrowded places such as holes for private homes
One such investor, Eve Mwende, who owns several homes listed on Airbnb, says that business is slowly picking up after the ban on travel due to COVID-19.
Bookings dropped sharply because of the COVID-19 pandemic that restricted travel.
As for Mwende, she received some relief when two domestic travelers inquired about her two-bedroom house.
Today, she hosts 15 guests and fully booked for December. However, the worry of the coronavirus made her make sure that they had a property that they could rent out and self-cater so that they could not cross paths with the guests.
She says that her first experience with Airbnb came in 2019 when she moved two a two-bedroom house and a friend advised her to rent out the extra bedroom. This came as a blessing as she could now raise enough money to pay rent for the house in a month.
“I rented the neighboring apartment in the same building where I would host more guests. I have hosted groups, families, business people, and vacationers. I was already thinking about acquiring more apartments when Covid-19 struck,” she says.
She then rented out two apartments and stopped renting out her spare bedroom, making extra money from holiday homes in Kenya.
Another encouraging story comes from Ms. Wachira who quit her job during the pandemic, furnished a three-bedroom apartment, and listed it on Airbnb.
To date, she has now been able to host 30 guests and make a living out of her business, having earlier worked as a salesperson.
“Nobody understood why I wanted to leave employment in the middle of a pandemic which had cost so many people’s jobs and even the business I wanted to venture into wasn’t doing well,” she says.
She says that she withdrew all her savings and invested in Airbnb. She does not regret her move as her business is picking up well.
She says that self-catering is one of the major reasons guests are choosing Airbnb because it is convenient and has lower risks of Covid-19 transmission, and pocket-friendly when compared to the hotels.
She adds, “Some of the guests I have hosted go to an extent of hiring a chef who can cook food to their specific liking. Others opt for my homemade food.”
Holiday Homes In Kenya: How to List You Space on Airbnb
Kenya currently has more than 8000 listings on Airbnb, of these, 2000 are in the Coast region alone.
To list your property, you will need to go to their website. Once there,
- Create an Airbnb Account
- Set-Up your listing.
- List your amenities and describe the facilities accurately.
- Post great photos of the facility
- Price your listing –Airbnb should be able to help you with this, they have a smart pricing tool.
- Sit back and wait for your guest.
Should you have a problem with listing, we should be able to help.
As we get into the festive season, more and more people will be looking for space like yours to rent out.
You can take advantage of these holiday homes in Kenya and make yourself money. Moreover, to some, this full-fledged business pays their bills.
If you have extra space, why not take advantage of this festive season and begin your own listing on Airbnb.
