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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

The #1 Strength Of Vacation Rental Owners

Posted: 03 Oct 2012 02:00 AM PDT

Matt Landau recently published a new book, Matt’s Definitive Handbook On Email Marketing, which will be available FREE through Oct. 5th

by Matt Landau

You’ll hear arguments for privacy or spaciousness or value. But as you may know from my blog, I believe the #1 reason travelers choose vacation rentals over traditional hotels is personality.

Long gone are the days when our parents loaded into air-conditioned tour buses and holed up in all-inclusive resorts. Nowadays, travel has gone boutique. And there’s no better indicator of everyone’s preferences evolving towards “the authentic” than the growth of the vacation rental industry, which serves those who want to immerse, meet locals, and explore destinations on their own, without the help of a name-tagged tour guide (or his paddle or his megaphone).

Today, It’s About Authentic Experiences

Vacation rentals themselves – which is to say, the actual properties – contribute in large part to the authenticity of a vacation. Travelers can bring back groceries from the local tienda to make lunch in their rental’s kitchen. They can invite over locals for drinks on the balcony. They can chat with neighbors in a foreign language. They can wash their own clothes without $20 fees. And, at the end of a long night, they can tell taxi drivers they’d just like to go “home.”

Clearly, the vacation rental itself is a building block of authentic travel. But there is perhaps one factor that’s even more important in helping construct a “local” experience, and that is you, the host.

The Owner Identity

The relationship between host and traveler is built on a foundation of inherent trust. I trust that you will stay in my rental and not burn it to the ground and you trust that my vacation rental IS what I say it IS. But the best vacation rental owners take it a step further.

The best vacation rental owners in the world offer their guests not the luxury of their property, but the luxury of being connected. – Me

These great owners don’t just tell you what restaurant to eat at – they tell you what time to eat there and what dish to order. They don’t just suggest a tour for the afternoon – they call up their friend who gives the tour himself as if you were family. This is the value of the owner identity: part concierge, part friend, part insider expert. If your name comes up more than just a few times in your guest reviews, you have created an owner identity that has added value to someone’s vacation.

But ask yourself this question: assuming you have some/all of these attributes, are you marketing them properly? Most owners don’t do justice to the personalized service they offer. This is oftentimes a service that will sway guests from staying at a hotel, to trying something more unique.

3 Ways To Share Your Identity With Guests

Here is how you take advantage of perhaps the most important variable in vacation rental travel: the owner identity…

1. Get professional pictures
If you’re going to be the face of your rental – the one answering phones, making bookings, and responding if something goes wrong – having a smart looking profile picture is essential. And no, I’m not talking about the cropped photo of you with some mystery person’s arm over your shoulder at cousin Mimi’s wedding. Hire a local photographer to take some glamor shots of you at your property. You owe it to yourself. And your rental. Example: Check out these photos of Hans and Miranda in their Cortijo El Guarda Rural Retreat in Spain.

2. Start a blog
There’s no better way to convey a sense of expertise or hospitality or authenticity than a blog. The best owners use their blog to fill guests in on everything from activities to insider tips around town. If you’ve ever gone somewhere new and had a friend/relative/host that showed took you to all the best places so that you could maximize your vacation time, you know the beauty and value and comfort of being in someone else’s capable hands. A blog is the manifestation of these virtues all rolled into one! Example: Check out this Roatan vacations blog as it is not only SEO optimized, but also informative and seriously authoritative in proving this owner knows what he/she is talking about. [Note: in full disclosure, I just helped this owner with work on his website.]

3. Tell a story
Chances are, your guests have asked you a million times, “So, how did you end up here?” Why? Because people like stories. Travelers love to go home and tell friends about “their awesome host Matt, an American who ended up in Panama,” because it adds character to the reference. So the more you can leverage that personal story to your advantage, the better. Most listing sites like FlipKey have a portion of the page dedicated to owner profiles: it’s no secret that properties with personalities get more bookings. Example: Scroll down to the Owner’s Profile of this villa rental Petra in Tuscany to learn why she’s such a compelling hostess.

Let’s face it guys: 90% of vacation rentals are not as nice as the nearest ultra-luxury hotel. We know this David ain’t no Goliath. But by playing up your identity and by highlighting the true luxury you offer guests as host extraordinaire, comparing your rental with the world’s most renowned hospitality institutions suddenly doesn’t seem so far off.

Matt is the author of the Vacation Rental Marketing Blog and also the founder of VRLeap.com, where vacation rental owners and managers can find great services and tools at largely discounted prices.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

Teaching Abroad: What knowledge do you have to share?

Posted: 27 Sep 2012 07:12 AM PDT

Today we are featuring Katie Boyer, who studied public relations, journalism, and Spanish at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA and now works with Go Overseas in the Bay Area. Follow Katie on Twitter and Google+.

As our world becomes more connected, more travelers are interested in long-term, meaningful travel opportunities. Teaching abroad is one of the best ways to live like a local in a new town. Whether you're volunteering, earning a stipend, or teaching as a career, there are plenty of options for those looking to teach internationally. You can teach through a recruiting company, through a school, tutor privately, homeschool, or teach in after-school groups.

English is a popular subject to teach abroad for many reasons. First of all, many foreign governments, especially in Asia, push their citizens to learn English for economic reasons. Secondly, many programs allow anyone who is native speaker to teach English. Teaching English is definitely the most common way to teach abroad but it isn't the only subject you can teach.

While English is the easiest subject for native-speakers to master, teaching a subject you have an expertise in will increase your impact on the students. For example, if a chemistry teacher from California wants to teach chemistry in Europe, their experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm for chemistry will transfer to their lessons.

What skills do you have that you could teach others in another country?

Teach math and science
Teach world history
Teach and coach sports
Teach art
Teach primary school

There are plenty of organizations that offer programs around the world that need teachers in a variety of subjects. Some popular organizations include:

1. United Planet

United Planet has teaching programs around the world. You can join a "teaching quest" as a volunteer and teach in primary school or even to older kids. Subjects that need volunteer teachers include Mathematics, Biology, Economics, French, Physics, Geography, History, English, Book keeping and Accounting, Science, French, IT and Social Studies. Popular "teaching quests" take place in Nepal and Tanzania.

2. Global Volunteers

Global Volunteers is a great organization for volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. Their programs allow you to go beyond teaching basic English and math and also focus on vocational subjects like catering, nutrition and household management.

3. ISV

International Student Volunteers (ISV) lets volunteers choose between teaching English, Math, Geography, Sciences or Health Education to local youth in the Dominican Republic, Australia, and New Zealand.

4. Global Routes

Global Routes offers a variety of teaching options in Kenya and Ecuador among other locations. Volunteer teachers with global routes can teach English, math, science, social studies, or environmental education.

5. Trek to Teach

This adventurous volunteer program allows you to teach whatever subject has the most need at the time. From teaching math and science to geography, Trek to Teach offers all types of programs. Their program in Nepal is great for travelers with all different skills and backgrounds.

Teaching is a great way to immerse yourself in the local community while traveling. Whatever skills you have, there is sure to be a teaching program right for you! So get out there and share your expertise with students around the world.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

Travel Trends: Hawaii Is For Lovers

Posted: 19 Sep 2012 12:35 PM PDT

We have been conducting in-depth research of travel data collected on FlipKey, and it’s time to start unveiling the results. In an effort to extend the summer, we bring you travel trends from the Aloha State: Hawaii vacation rentals offer great value for groups of all sizes, but we discovered that Hawaii truly sparkles as a top spot for romantic rendezvous. 45% of all travelers planning Hawaii vacations travel in groups of two, and the short romantic getaway is a surprisingly popular option for islands that are a few thousand miles from… everything.

Want the Hawaii Travel Trends infographic on your site? Copy and paste the HTML below:
<a href="http://www.flipkey.com/blog/2012/09/19/travel-trends-hawaii/"><img src="http://www.flipkey.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/TT-Hawaii-infographic-v02.png" alt="FlipKey Travel Trends: Hawaii Infographic" width="600" /></a><br /> <a href="http://www.flipkey.com/blog/2012/09/19/travel-trends-hawaii/">FlipKey Travel Trends: Hawaii</a> by <a href="http://www.flipkey.com/">vacation rentals</a> site FlipKey.com

Hawaii’s romantic appeal doesn’t exactly come as a surprise. Between honeymoons, destination weddings, and anniversary trips, couples have countless excuses to escape to the islands. It is interesting that the love birds of paradise flock to the islands around Valentines Day: mid-February is peak travel season, and the nightly rates spike right during that period.

The good news: the spots where you will find love are also spots where you can find deals – none of these romantic hideaways are among the most expensive locales in the state. A deeper look at the data revelas the top five couples destinations:

Honolulu, Oahu
Haleiwa, Oahu
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
Lahaina, Maui
Kihei, Maui

The other good news: Now is the time to travel. Forget Valentine’s Day, with its crowds and the pressure to be romantic. If you’re thinking of traveling to the islands, consider a fall escape. It’s still summer in Hawaii, and the best rates can be had before the holidays. Nothing heats things up like a quick jaunt to Paradise right when the weather is getting colder back home.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

FlipKey Joins VRMA Holiday Rental Professionals Seminar in Barcelona

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 10:42 AM PDT

Registration is now open for the inaugural Holiday Rental Professionals Seminar, to be held in Barcelona on December 4-5. Sign up today!

Are you a professional rental agent looking to grow your business? Would you like to interact with some of the most influential minds in the holiday rental industry for professional development and networking? Could you benefit from the opportunity to share best practices that promise to make your business greater than the sum of its parts?

Join FlipKey representatives and other industry professionals from Europe and beyond at the inaugural Holiday Rental Professionals Seminar on 4-5 December in Barcelona, Spain.

Photos used with permission of VRMA. Copyright the Turisme de Barcelona

Hosted by the international Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA) based in North America, this two-day event will feature knowledgeable holiday rental professionals from across Europe and the United States who will present industry-specific education. The Seminar will provide a collaborative environment to promote the value of the holiday rental experience and foster professionalism within the industry.

The Holiday Rental Professionals Seminar is expected to draw an attendance of 150-200 holiday rental agents and industry supporters with products/services for rental professionals. Current sponsors of the event include FlipKey and VacationRentPayment.

A preliminary schedule of events and other information about the Seminar can be found here. Click here to register for the event.

Attendees network during the 2011 organizing event held in Rome

In 2011, an organizing event was held in Rome, bringing together approximately 40 holiday rental professionals from Europe. This event prompted the development of the inaugural Holiday Rental Professionals Seminar this year in Barcelona. Marie Pistinier, an attendee of the 2011 organizing event, is enthusiastic about the upcoming seminar:

"Being part of the Summit in 2011 was a great and fun experience. I met up several European companies working as we do in Paris, as well as meeting several members of VRMA. We had some time to learn, share and network during and between sessions. Europe was, of course, one of the main subjects, but exchanges worldwide and links between continents were also a big part of it. The sessions were very interesting and I am glad we have 2 full days this year."

-Marie Pistinier, Paris be a Part of It

Join your peers for this inaugural event that promises to enrich your business and professional growth. Register today!
For more information on the VRMA, please visit www.vrma.com.

For more information, feel free to contact Jill Curtis, VRMA Director of Membership, in the U.S. by phone at +1 (317) 454-8315 or by email.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

Back to the Future of Family Vacations

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 01:10 PM PDT

Remember climbing into the back of your parents’ old station wagon for family vacation? Remember all of the preparation surrounding claiming ‘spots’ and jockeying with your siblings to ensure you got the best seat? Remember the amazing destinations and the can’t miss roadside attractions along the way? Those were the days of no air conditioning, when seat belts were usually an after-thought to comfort. It was was the era of the great American road trip.

Today, you ask most kids where they go on vacation, and odds are it won’t include driving across the country with their entire family in a station wagon. These days, low-cost carriers and an over-abundance of flight options have made airlines the Greyhound of the sky. Now, vacations usually entail stressed-out parents trying to send last minute emails before they are out of the office for 3 days (even though they’ll still check their email throughout the vacation) and kids who would rather be home playing video games. Where has the spirit of vacation gone?

To try and recapture the glory that vacation used to be, FlipKey has pulled together the top vacation spots of the last century that are still hot family destinations today. Take deep breath, and take yourself back to the real era of vacations with these nostalgic gems:

Century of Vacations [see the SlideDeck]

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

FlipKey Review Promotion Winner

Posted: 21 Aug 2012 08:35 AM PDT

Thank you to everyone who submitted a review on TrustPilot.com and participated in our promotion. We love hearing your comments and advice, and it’s great to receive feedback from vacation rental owners, property managers, and travelers. It is clear to us that our community has a lot of travel experience and know-how, and we are hard at work incorporating all of that feedback into FlipKey and building the best vacation rental website around.

We are pleased to announce that the winner has been selected through a random drawing. Congratulations to Barrie White, of Adelaide, Australia. Barrie is a property owner and manager of several holiday homes in Adelaide. We love the creativity of Barrie’s review, so we wanted to reprint it here:

Monday, July 30, 2012

Easy to manage and great reward to those who list their property

It’s a great website that allows you to reach people all over the world who might want to stay in your place in the world.
When they are searching for a place they can see what others have experienced at your place and what they can truly expect when they get there.
The website is exceptionally secure and delivers on my expectations time and time again.
Keep up the great work Flipkey!

F antastic
L eading edge
I deal for me
P erfect for others
K ool
E asy to manage
Y our best way to manage your rental (original review on TrustPilot)

We work hard to help people find those special places in the world where they can have the time of their lives. We’re glad to hear it’s working! It’s also clear from your reviews and suggestions that there’s room for improvement; we will continue to take your advice, improve the service, and fix the bugs that do come up from time to time.

The promotion has ended, but we still encourage you to leave reviews and share your thoughts on TrustPilot, Facebook and Twitter. We’re happy to answer any questions about FlipKey service and the TrustPilot Review Promotion. Please feel free to contact us anytime at memberservices@flipkey.com.

Thanks again to everyone who wrote a review, and congratulations to Barrie!

Saturday, August 4, 2012

The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

The 5 Best Countries to Intern Abroad in for Film Lovers

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 02:00 AM PDT

by Palwasha Khatri

Traveling isn't all about shutting your brain off and taking a vacation. A unique and exciting way to avoid the typical brain-turning-into-mush side effects of a vacation is interning abroad. With an internship abroad, you get to visit a new location, gain international work experience, and brush up your resume to make it stand out in a job search. Internships abroad are available in almost every field. Inspired by this growing trend, as well as the universal love for summer blockbusters, here's a list of places to intern abroad for movie buffs.

France

As the birthplace of film, France is an obvious destination for film lovers. Not only does the country host the world's most prestigious film festival, Palme D'Or, it has also always been a popular destination for filming locations due to the variety of landscapes, from beautiful countryside scenes to the fascinating city of lights, Paris. The French government has been aiming to protect and support the local film industry despite the global downturn in cinema. Many iconic films of the 21st century such as The Artist, La Vie en Rose, and Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain have come out of France. Interning in France is the perfect way to experience all that the cinema of France has to offer for film enthusiasts. Internship opportunities can be found at the Cannes Film Festival , or even French film production companies such as EuropaCorp, Gaumont, and Pathé.

Mexico

If you're looking to experience the excitement of a growing film industry, Mexico is the perfect place to intern abroad. During the Mexican Revolution, filmmakers began to document historical events of their country and since then the tradition of film in Mexico has been increasing. Mexico is currently home to Latin America's most notable film festival – the Guadalajara International Film Festival. The Nuevo Cine Mexicano has been a great time for young and independent filmmakers to shine. Mexico has also introduced the world to some of the most prominent figures in film currently such as Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuaron, directors of the Academy Award-nominated El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth) and Y Tu Mamá También, respectively. Interns in Mexico can find opportunities at the film festival, local film societies, or local production companies.

Italy

Italy is the country with the most Academy Awards won in the Best Foreign Language Film category, making it a choice destination for movie buffs. The cinema of Italy has a long history, and has gone through many phases. Interning in Italy will open your eyes to the past, present, and future of Italian cinema, as well as the worldwide film industry in general. In the past, Italy has started many film movements such as avant-garde, and the Spaghetti Western. The dedication to film is clear in Italy, as in the 1930s, the town Cinecittà was built exclusively for film production with theaters, technical services, and even a cinematography school. Many Italian and international films of the past and present have been produced and filmed in Cinecittà, such as La Dolce Vita, Satyricon, Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, and Gangs of New York. While interning in Italy, you can find opportunities at the Venice International Film Festival, on the set of films, or any other places you are interested in.

South Korea

South Korea is one of the few countries where domestic films are more viewed than imported films. The South Korean government has placed quotas on the number of international films allowed to play in theaters. Because of this unique arrangement, South Korea makes for a great place to learn about encouraging local film production. Since the late 1990s, South Korean films have been receiving international acclaim at film festivals and award shows. Due to their success and the Korean Wave because of which Korean culture has come into international visibility, many South Korean films have been acquired by international production companies for remakes. When you intern in South Korea, you will be able to experience the film industry that brought originals such as Oldboy, My Sassy Girl, and A Tale of Two Sisters. Internships in South Korea can be found at the Busan International Film Festival (the largest in Asia), media outlets, and local production companies.

New Zealand

It's not hard to understand why New Zealand is such a popular destination for filmmakers with its breathtaking and dramatic landscapes. Many famous films were shot and co-produced in New Zealand, including The Lord of The Rings, The Piano, Avatar, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Last Samurai. As an intern in New Zealand, you will be able to visit one of the most beautiful nations in the world, as well as get some hands-on experience in the industry. Currently, the film industry of New Zealand itself is relatively small. However, the country's popularity as a filming location has brought many international production companies to New Zealand, giving many people aspiring to work in film huge job opportunities. Internships in New Zealand can be found at the New Zealand International Film Festival, local special effects companies, or international production companies.

We may have gotten into the habit of experiencing the world from the comfort of a plush movie theater seat, but there's no reason to accept it as a substitute for seeing, breathing, smelling, tasting, and hearing all the world has to offer. Taking an internship abroad is a growing trend for travellers of all ages, and combining it with a love for movies is a great way to guarantee a fun time. Think about your favorite movie, where does it inspire you to travel?

Palwasha Khatri is a travel and film enthusiast pursuing her Bachelor's degree at the University of California, Berkeley. Palwasha currently works for the Intern Abroad team at Go Overseas, the best place online to find listings and reviews of intern abroad, teach abroad, study abroad, and volunteer abroad programs.