Vrbo HomeAway family vacation rental US trends for 2021

What can vacation rental owners and managers take away from Vrbo’s 2021 travel trend report? A first insight is that, in 2021, US families will do what they intended to do in 2020 and what they actually ended up doing: The appetite to rebook canceled trips is strong, so you may want to get back to people who were supposed to stay at your properties in 2020 and offer them a good reason to actually come in 2021.

As Thanksgiving travel data has shown, people have a strong appetite to move as a family or to reunite with their family. On Vrbo, would-be travelers have started planning their trips and saving their list of favorite properties using the Trip Boards tool. It is crucial that your listings have already been updated with you 2021 rates and availability.

We’ve already had at the Airbnb and Bookiing.com 2021 travel trends for vacation rentals.

Overall, the report is interesting to Vrbo partners who match the company’s core focus:

• The Vrbo HomeAway family of websites focuses on family vacation rentals. Vrbo is a good fit for entire homes and properties located in non-urban markets (e.g. cabins, lodges, cottages, and chalets near lakes and rivers).
• To attract Vrbo travelers, optimizing listing settings to look like the best family vacation rental option is a must.
• Vacation rentals that offer a work-friendly environment will also get a boost from parents keen on remote working

US travelers want to travel and have already started planning for 2021

Update your listings, families are coming

• 82% of families surveyed already have travel plans in mind for 2021
• 65% of travelers plan on traveling more than they did pre-COVID and 33% are willing to spend more than they traditionally would

Ready to re-book canceled trips

• 44% of travelers who had a trip canceled due to COVID-19 plan on rescheduling the same vacation
• 61% of families had a trip canceled due to COVID-19, travel is still top of mind.

Pandemic travel habits will still be around

Road trips

• 59% of families say they are more likely to drive instead of flying on their next trip

Outdoors

• 61% of U.S. families said they are more likely to visit an outdoorsy destination than an urban one.
• Vrbo demand data reveals an uptick in destinations near lakes and rivers across the south, midwest, and eastern regions of the U.S.
• In 2020, on Vrbo.com, demand for cabins grew by +25% and chalets by +20%

Work and travel

• 52% of travelers who took a Flexcation (leisure + work) this year found the experience refreshing and 67% said they would do it again.
• 30% of families were able to travel because parents were remote working

Action list

• Update your 2021 rates and availability
• Read our Vrbo how-to‘s to adapt your listing setting to families
• Add amenities c to cater even more to children?
• Update your property description to make it obvious that you are within a 3-hour driving distance of some major urban areas
• Contact your past guests to entice them to rebook with you (especially if there were direct bookers)