A Strategic Guide for Launching Your New Property
Have you just opened your hospitality business, or are you about to take the plunge? Stop for a moment and answer this question with total honesty: do you want to A) list your second home on an OTA and hope someone bookings, or B) build a solid, long-lasting tourism business?
In other words: are you looking for an (expensive) hobby, or do you want to launch a profitable enterprise?
- If your answer is A, well, we can only wish you good luck.
- But if your answer is B, keep reading—and follow our social channels—because you’ll find the answers you need to make your project take off.
As we’ve analyzed in previous articles, the overcrowding of the short-term rental market demands clearer rules, but above all, it demands better-prepared managers. The “Golden Age” of DIY rentals is giving way to a mature, regulated, and highly competitive market.
Table of Contents
Amateur Host vs. Hospitality Entrepreneur
Many believe the difference lies in the size of the property or the number of apartments managed. It’s not. The real difference lies in the mindset and the tools you choose to use.
1. The Approach to Pricing: Instinct vs. Data Analysis
The amateur host simply looks at what their neighbor is doing on Airbnb and sets a similar price, often rounding down in an attempt to be competitive. If bookings don’t come in, they panic and slash prices wildly, fueling a “race to the bottom” that damages the entire local ecosystem.
But how low can you go before you start losing money?
Let’s do the math:
- OTA fees: 15% to 25%
- Taxes: 21% or 26% (e.g., Cedolare Secca)
- Cleaning Costs: 10–15%
- Utilities: Electricity, water, and gas (which are becoming increasingly expensive)
In this scenario, profit margins shrink until they vanish. When you add in routine maintenance and unexpected repairs—from a broken boiler to an AC unit that needs fixing—the amateur host discovers too late that they haven’t created a business, but rather a low-paid, high-stress job.
The hospitality entrepreneur, on the other hand, doesn’t guess: they analyze. They study destination occupancy, monitor local events, and analyze historical flows and booking windows. They know that if they are 100% full three months in advance, their price was too low. If they are empty as the date approaches, they don’t just cut prices at random; they analyze whether the problem is the rate or a drop in channel visibility.
2. The Relationship with OTAs: Dependence vs. Strategy
For the amateur, OTAs (Booking.com, Airbnb) are their only sales tool. Their approach is passive: they upload a dozen photos taken with a smartphone, write a generic description, and wait, hoping someone finds them among the thousands of listings in the area. Their only lever is price.
For the entrepreneur, OTAs are not the “masters” of the business, but simply acquisition partners. Their goal is to constantly work on their own Digital Marketing to reduce dependence on third-party portals.
The entrepreneur invests in a fast, high-performance website equipped with a Booking Engine to receive direct bookings without paying commissions. They build a Brand Identity and manage their online reputation by relying on professionals. SEO, Social Media Marketing, Google Ads, and Meta campaigns are just some of the tools an entrepreneur uses to grow.
While the amateur host doesn’t even know their guest’s email address, the entrepreneur uses CRMs and automation to stay by the customer’s side. Through personalized communication and tailored offers, they not only increase upsells but build a lasting relationship that encourages guests to stay longer and return again and again.
Why Regulation is Your Friend (If You’re a Pro)
It might sound strange, but if you chose answer B, you should welcome stricter rules for short-term rentals. Why?
- They eliminate unfair competition: Those operating in the shadows or without minimum standards lower the perceived quality of the entire destination.
- They professionalize the market: As the market becomes more complex, those who are unprepared are forced out, leaving room for those who truly invest in training and technology.
- They protect your investment: A regulated city is a city that doesn’t “implode”—it remains attractive to tourists and livable for residents.
Conclusion
The market no longer forgives guesswork. If you want your property to be a business capable of generating income, personal satisfaction, and value for the region, you must stop “renting” and start doing business.
At Destinalytics, we help those who have made this choice. Through data analysis and digital marketing strategies, we transform the enthusiasm of those starting out into the success of those who lead the market.
Are you ready to make the leap?
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