From the community
Real strategies from vacation rental owners earning passive income with StayLocalX. Learn what works, what doesn't, and how to maximize your earnings.
"I wrote personal reviews for each business in my guide β 2-3 sentences about why I recommend them. That personal touch is what makes guests actually use the coupons instead of ignoring them. 'I eat here every Sunday' converts way better than a generic ad."
Write a host review for every business in your guide. Guests trust your personal recommendation more than any coupon. A few honest sentences make the difference between a guest ignoring the ad and actually visiting the business.
"At first I went door-to-door to local restaurants and pitched them. It felt awkward but it worked β 3 signed up in the first week. After a month, when they could see the coupon data and guest visits, other businesses started approaching ME. That initial effort pays off fast."
Don't wait for businesses to find you. Do the legwork in the first 2 weeks: visit 10-15 local spots, show them your guide, explain the coupon system. Once you have visit data, they come to you.
"The launch pricing was a game-changer. I offered 50% off for the first 2 months and filled all 9 slots in 3 weeks. Now they're all paying full price and renewing. Businesses need a low-risk way to try it β once they see real guests walking in with coupons, they stay forever."
Use the launch discount aggressively. 50% off for 2 months is irresistible for a small business. Once they see 15-20 coupon redemptions in their first month, they'll never cancel.
"My guests kept asking about the WiFi QR code in the guide β they loved that they could connect without typing the password. That tiny detail made them spend more time in the guide, which means more coupon activations. Little UX wins = more money."
Set up the WiFi section properly. The WiFi connect button is the first thing guests use, and it keeps them inside your guide. More time in the guide = more coupon activations = more commission for you.
"I replaced my paper welcome folder with a single physical QR plaque at the entrance. Guests scan it the moment they arrive. No paper to reprint, no booklet to update, and the guide stays fresh forever. I've had the same QR code for 6 months."
Print a physical QR plaque β not paper, get one made in acrylic or metal. Put it next to the front door. Paper gets lost, a plaque stays forever. The QR never changes even when you update your guide.
"I added a 'Write a review on Booking' button in the checkout section of my guide. My review count went from 12 to 47 in three months. Guests are in a good mood when they leave and the link is right there β zero friction. My Booking ranking shot up."
Add your Airbnb/Booking review link in the 'Things to do when you leave' section. Guests who had a good stay are in the perfect mood to leave a review. Make it one tap β they'll do it while waiting for their taxi.
"The sharing feature in the checkout section is underrated. When a guest shares your guide link with friends, those friends become potential future guests. I've had 3 direct bookings from people who saw my guide before booking β because a friend shared the link."
The 'Share on WhatsApp' and 'Copy link' buttons in the departure section are free marketing. Happy guests share your guide with friends who are planning trips. Each share is a potential direct booking without Airbnb's commission.
"I send the guide link before arrival β in my check-in instructions message on Airbnb. In Spain the online check-in is mandatory so guests have to open the link anyway. By the time they arrive, they've already browsed the restaurants and planned their first dinner."
Send the guide link in your pre-arrival message, along with check-in instructions. Guests open it before they arrive, and they start using coupons from day one. Don't wait until they're at the property β by then they've already made dinner plans.
"I manage 3 properties and the best part is that I set up each guide once. The same restaurants advertise across all three, and I earn from every property. It scales beautifully β each new property is basically 10 minutes of setup for another β¬150-200/month."
If you have multiple properties, add them all. The same local businesses will want to advertise in each one, and you earn 70% from every slot across every property. The setup time drops to almost zero after the first one.
"I collect guest emails through the guide β there's a 'come back without the fees' section that offers direct booking rates. 23% of my guests now book directly for their next stay. That's 23% less commission to Airbnb. The guide pays for itself just with that."
Enable guest email collection in your guide settings. Offer returning guests a direct booking discount. Every email you capture is a future booking without platform fees β that alone is worth more than the ad revenue.