February is #BookDirect Month on AlaVHR

TRAVEL, TRAVEL TIPS - February 4, 2023

In case you missed it, February 1 was International Book Direct Day!!!! Here at AlaVHR, we celebrate #BookDirect Day everyday, but we thought we would take #BookDirect Day a step farther and celebrate the entire month of February!

What exactly is #BookDirect Day?

The “book direct” movement started about four years ago when the “big sites” like VRBO and AirBnB started charging ridiculous fees to travelers and hosts to advertise on their websites. These fees are now 20-25% of the total that the guest ultimately pays for their vacation. #BookDirect Day was created to educate travelers why they should book direct and how to do it safely.

When you “book direct,” you are going directly to the owner or property manager and cutting out the middle man. At AlaVHR, we connect you directly with owners and property managers with NO ADDED booking fees and NO site commissions! Owners pay us a small annual fee, and you, the guest, pay the owner directly. Super Simple and Super SAFE because we verify every owner that lists on our site.

You will see a lot of posts on social media or digital classifieds where someone is offering to let you book directly with them – be very careful! Scammers are real and all too common. It’s very easy for them to pretend to own a vacation rental and scam you out of a down payment or worse, the entire payment for a vacation. We hear stories of families traveling 8-12 hours only to find they have no place to stay! Don’t let that happen to you – learn the signs (check out our short video with real life examples here) and be sure to check AlaVHR.com first!

If you ever have questions about booking with one of our owners, Contact Us and we will be happy to look at it with you to verify you are communicating with the verified owner.

Besides saving money and not getting scammed, there are many other reasons to #BookDirect:

Direct communication between owners and guests. Do you have any special needs or concerns? Speed up your selection process by going straight to the source.
Local Expertise – Our owners know the area and can offer tips on where to eat or things to do. At AlaVHR, you can also call us directly for information about your next stay.
Best rates – You are automatically saving up to 20% off those “big sites” – the average family saves over $400 – yikes!! Think of all the FUN your family could have with that extra money!
Supporting local small businesses

So go ahead, #BookDirect with one of our Verified Owners on AlaVHR.com – you will be glad you did!

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Using PayPal Invoices for Vacation Rental Owners

OWNER RESOURCES - March 18, 2020

At AlaVHR.com, we do not collect payments from travelers so you get paid directly. Many owners use PayPal for Business to manage their reservation invoices. It’s actually very easy to set up and use with a few simple steps.

We created a series of three short videos to get you started.

Part 1: Create a Template in PayPal

Part 2: Create an Invoice in PayPal

Part 3: Manage Invoices in PayPal

We are dedicated to helping owners succeed – if you have any questions or need assistance with your listing, please contact us.

Thank you for choosing Alabama Vacation Home Rentals!

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Book Direct with ALAVHR and Avoid Booking Fees on Your Next Alabama Vacation Rental!

OWNER RESOURCES, TRAVEL, TRAVEL TIPS - May 28, 2018

It’s no secret – the vacation rental industry has changed dramatically over the last few years and not for the better. These changes negatively impacted both the traveler and vacation rental owners alike. As a result, more and more owners are leaving the online travel agencies (“OTA’s”) and listing their properties on regional sites like Alabama Vacation Home Rentals, where there are no booking fees and no commissions. Most regional websites charge owners much less to list their properties and travelers pay absolutely nothing! This is how the OTA industry actually started – before they got greedy!

Alabama Vacation Home Rentals (ALAVHR) is a pure and simple listing site that connects travelers and vacation rental owners. We believe in open and direct communication between owners and travelers before, during and after the booking. In contrast, OTA’s want to control the process by making the rules to their benefit, at the expense of the traveler and owner. The reason that OTA’s block communication between owner and guest is simple, they want their money.

On February 7, 2018, we participated in the first ever “Book Direct” day. Vacation rental owners, hoteliers and industry related websites are coming together as one common voice to educate travelers and guests to inform them that there is an alternative to the OTA’s. Looking for tips on how to #BookDirect safely? Read our article here.

BookDirect to Save Hundreds of Dollars On Your Next Vacation Rental!

So say NO to VRBO! Other OTA’s that will gladly take you hard earned money are: AirBnb, Flipkey, HomeAway, Booking, etc. All of these websites will charge both the owner and traveler very high fees. Buyer beware! Ask questions and read the website! Some sites, like Booking .com, try to hide their fees as commissions tacked on to the owner cost. In the end, the traveler pays more for the same vacation and often times, the owner makes much less on their own property that the OTA’s.

Why pay more for the same vacation rentals?

Booking a vacation rental on a no fee-listing site can save you money, sometimes hundreds of dollars! Yes, hundreds of dollars! At Alabama Vacation Home Rentals: Our pledge to you: We do not charge a traveler fee and never will!

Receive personalized service.

Vacation rentals are not hotels. Each one is unique. In fact, not every vacation rental is for everyone. Booking direct with an owner or property manager allows for open communication so that you can ask important questions before you book.

Want the inside scoop? Owners are local experts who know their destination the best, the attractions,, the restaurants, the vendors, the happy hours the discounts, etc., and are more than happy to share with you their insider local tips. Remember, owners genuinely want your repeat business and will go the extra mile to ensure you are happy and enthusiastic enough to come back and tell your friends. Many owners appreciate returning guests so much that they offer special perks or discounts.

Receive the best possible price.

The cost for an owner to list their property on the OTA’s has become increasingly more expensive. While many of these OTA’s want you to think that they are offering you the best possible price, the fact is they are not. Owners have no choice but to pass the increase on to travelers. Your cost goes up! Speaking directly with the owner guarantees you the best possible rental price, access to special offers and/or last minute cancellations deals.

No fee regional listing sites are gaining in popularity. Alabama Vacation Home Rentals (a member of Vacation Home Rental Network) is one of them. Owners and travelers can make a difference by spreading the word that there is an alternative to VRBO, HomeAway, AirBnb, Booking etc.

You have saved all year for your vacation, so save some of those hard earned dollars for enjoying your vacation and not lining the pockets of a big OTA. Make sure it is your perfect vacation rental BEFORE you book.

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