Gearing up for an uptick in visitors

Writer: Stuart Cohen CabinCare Property Management & Project Specialists.

Within days of writing last month’s column on the shifting of the holiday rental market, the country went to Level 2 of lockdown, and Airbnb and holiday rental hosts were delighted to hear that it was all systems go and they could all reopen for “business as usual”.

Many hosts reported increased enquiries for weekend bookings and many have been made for the upcoming Heritage Day long weekend later this month. Some of the better-known and established guesthouses/Airbnbs/hotels are also reporting a distinct uptick in December bookings. The energy and excitement is palpable and there is a huge sense of relief amongst the majority of tourist-oriented hosts.

This follows two years of steady decline in the demand for rentals, not only due to the Covid-19 pandemic but also other key factors such as the Cape Town drought and the 2018 riots in Hermanus. With an oversupply of accommodation and lower tourist numbers, many Airbnb property owners were forced to enter the long-term rental market, and this trend is not only gaining momentum but also driving down the nightly and monthly rental rates.

Click below to read more. (The full article can be found on page 14)