According to Malcolm Gladwell in ‘Outliers’ It takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice at something to become a master at it. This applies to our business too and sadly we see too many quasi ‘experts’ proclaiming how they can teach their skills in a short course or an ebook, and make millionaires out of a new Airbnb host in as little as a year.

Today’s podcast guest has been in this business for much longer, has immersed himself in it to the degree his annual conference is attended by owners and managers from all over the world.

Understanding how hospitality works is one thing to learn – appreciating how the ever-growing expectations of guests impact business is another, and Antonio Bortolotti, the founder of the Vacation Rental World Summit has a sound grasp of both.

Antonio has been remotely managing his vacation rental in Sardinia, Italy, for over 10 years and more recently has leased the villa next door to his home on Lake Maggiore. In this episode, he shares how he’s managed the transition to being an on-site host, how the new acquisition has him exploring new methods of attracting guests and his philosophy of hosting.

We talk about:

• Negotiating a lease to transform a property to short-term rental
• How to market a new listing
• Using technology to delight guests
• Driving traffic to a new website
• Why the OTAs are still important for a new listing
• What to expect from VRWS19

Listeners to this episode can get $50 off a ticket to VRWS19 in Como, Italy. Email me at highfive@18589cedbe.nxcli.io for the code to access the discount. Come meet me, Antonio, Alan Egan and many more industry experts all in one place.

Outliers

VRWS

The White House on Lake Maggiore

Casa Teulada in Sardinia