The Smart Way to Price Your Vacation Rental
Ready to take your revenue strategy to the next level?
In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast, we uncover the three Rs of short-term rental revenue management — essential principles every property manager should know.
Our special guest is Zak Ali, a published author and revenue expert who has helped some of the biggest brands in the vacation rental space build powerful, bespoke pricing systems that deliver results.
Whether you manage one property or a growing portfolio, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you maximise income, boost occupancy, and optimise your pricing strategy.
Tune in now — and unlock the full potential of your revenue management game.
Key takeaways:
• Pricing automation without strategy is just accelerated noise.
• How to avoid reactive and emotional pricing.
• The obvious signs you are under-pricing your rental.
1:08 The most common revenue management mistakes
1:59 Be listed in the right places and know your target guest
3:36 Revenue isn’t earned, it’s designed
4:15 What can property managers do to avoid being reactive?
5:16 Revenue management advice for smaller hosts
7:13 Dynamic pricing
9:05 How to create a revenue management strategy
11:28 Automation without strategy is just accelerated noise
13:43 The importance of setting a target
16:01 You can have too many bookings!
18:03 Brand reputation should be part of your strategy
20:05 The three Rs of revenue management
23:39 Why property managers struggle to action their data
25:19 Pricing with a purpose
26:26 Should hosts use a dynamic pricing tool? Yes!
30:22 Obvious signs an operator is under-pricing
30:57 The optimum occupancy rate
34:37 What the STR industry can learn from hotels
36:33 Brand alignment and pricing strategy
41:10 Responsive calendars
45:08 Revenue management tools need strategy
46:42 Favourite brand: Hostfully and Joseph Cox
47:48 Individual shout-out: Alistair Handyside from PASC UK
49:06 No. 1 tip for revenue managers
Host Planet: https://www.hostplanet.club/
James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/
Zak Ali: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zak-a-056b2714/
PASC UK: https://www.pascuk.co.uk/
Episode to check next:
How Braydon Ross (AKA @MrAirbnb) Built a Short-Term Rental Empire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_OP7oqGsmE&t=7s
The Host Planet Podcast is presented by James Varley, a holiday let investor and property manager who is also the Founder of Host Planet. Before founding Host Planet, James spent 20 years in the media, including a decade leading corporate communications for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Contact the show: [email protected]
#HostPlanet #HostPlanetPodcast #HostPlanetBitesize #ShortTermRentals #VacationRentals #HolidayLets #Airbnb #BookDirect #PropertyManagement #PropertyInvestment #BookingCom #Vrbo #ZakAli #DynamicPricing #RevenueManagement
Host Planet
Welcome to Host Planet – the go-to podcast for short-term rental hosts, property managers, and industry professionals. Each episode, we dive deep into the latest trends, expert insights, and real-world strategies shaping the short-term rental market. Join James Varley and leading voices from across the industry as they share game-changing advice on revenue management, guest experience, direct bookings, tech innovations, and more. Whether you're a seasoned operator or just starting out, Host Planet is your ultimate resource for short-term rental knowledge.
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