How to get more bookings on Airbnb: 9 tips for 2026

Your home is beautiful and well located, but the calendar still has too many gaps? You are not alone. With so many listings competing, showing up in searches and convincing guests to book takes method. Here are nine practical tips to get more bookings on Airbnb in 2026.

1. Invest in professional photos

The first photo decides whether a guest clicks or moves on to the next listing. Professional photos with good natural light, tidy rooms and a strong cover image, such as the pool or the view, significantly increase click through rates. Show the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen and surroundings too.

2. Write a title that answers what guests are looking for

Instead of a generic title, highlight what makes your home unique: "House with pool and sea view, 5 min from the beach" says far more than "Lovely house in Itacaré". Use the words people actually search for, without overdoing it: Airbnb favors listings that turn views into bookings, not titles stuffed with keywords.

3. Write a complete and honest description

Explain the bedroom layout, the distance to the beach and town, the type of access, the house rules and what sets the home apart. Transparency prevents disappointment, bad reviews and cancellations.

4. List every amenity

Many guests filter their search by wifi, air conditioning, pool, parking or workspace. If an amenity is not ticked in your listing, your home simply does not appear in those filters.

5. Adjust prices to demand

Price is one of the factors that weigh most in ranking. A fixed rate all year means losing money in high season and sitting empty in low season. Follow events, holidays and what similar homes charge, and adjust often. Discounts for longer stays and last minute bookings also help fill the calendar.

6. Adapt to Airbnb's new fee

Airbnb has changed its fee structure. For most hosts, the platform now charges a single fee deducted from the payout, and guests no longer see a separate service fee at checkout. In Brazil, this fee is 16%. If you have not reviewed your prices since the change, you may be earning less without realizing it. Redo the math to keep the same net income.

7. Always reply quickly

Response speed influences both the algorithm and the guest, who is often comparing several listings at once. Automatic confirmation messages, arrival instructions sent in advance and a contact who is always reachable make a difference.

8. Aim for Superhost status

The Superhost badge gives guests confidence. To earn it, over the last 12 months you need an overall rating of 4.8 or higher, a response rate of at least 90% within 24 hours, a cancellation rate below 1% and at least 10 completed stays (or 3 stays totaling 100 nights). Airbnb reviews hosts every quarter.

9. Take care of every review

Reviews are your shop window. Spotless cleaning, a simple check in, a home that matches the photos and small touches, such as a guide with local tips, earn high ratings. Reply politely to every review, including criticism: it shows future guests you are professional.

Bonus: don't depend on a single platform

Listing on Booking.com as well and offering direct booking on your own website reduces your dependence on one channel and its commissions. A management system that syncs calendars prevents double bookings, which force cancellations and hurt your listing.

Need help with your property?

Applying all of this day to day takes time and presence. At Maison Luar, we handle the photos, listing, pricing, guest communication and full operation of high end homes in Itacaré and on the Maraú Peninsula. Discover your property's potential.

Address

Itacaré - BA

Contacts

+55 73 999 537865
conciergerie.luar@gmail.com