Diversifying Your Flower Farm Revenue by Using Airbnb
Krystina Olsen Photography
Whether you’re curious about hosting workshops or already have a calendar full of flower offerings, partnering with Airbnb to host an “Airbnb Experience” at your flower farm or design studio can be an additional revenue stream for flower farmers and florists.
Using Airbnb Experiences for Your Flower Farm
You’re probably familiar with the home-sharing aspect of Airbnb, but they now also allow users to book Experiences, such as a class or tour. These experiences can allow you to bring your craft and passion to tourists in your area. By marketing to travelers, you also have the opportunity to host at traditionally less popular times, such as weekdays and holidays. It can also be an excellent way to test a workshop idea with minimal investment or perhaps pare down a proven curriculum to reach a wider audience at a lower price point.
Krystina Olsen Photography
You get the benefit of listing on Airbnb’s platform, which handles booking and manages challenges like cancelations (be sure to become familiar with their policies and terms regarding cancelations and participant minimums). Let your insurance agent know your plans, and factor in the host platform’s commission when setting your pricing.
How to Get Started with Airbnb Experiences
First, you’ll need to dream up your offering. The key characteristics here are uniqueness and hospitality. The host platform wants to provide something special for their users, so now’s the time to get creative!
If your flower farm is not open to the public, for example, opening it exclusively to those who book your offering is one idea. Similarly, if your studio does not have public hours, you can give folks a unique opportunity by welcoming them in for an intimate design class.
You’ll find lots of helpful hospitality articles within the Airbnb Experience community once you become a host, but consider these basics when crafting your offering, so your guests feel welcome, safe, and at ease:
Parking or transportation, signage, and accessibility
Light refreshments or water to drink
Restrooms
Let guests know how to prepare (i.e., bring sunscreen, comfortable shoes, and water bottle for a flower farm tour)
Krystina Olsen Photography
Make some notes about what you’d like to offer and scope out other activities offered in your area. How long do they last? What are they charging? What are the reviews saying? This will help you hone in your experience to be both unique and compelling.
Get Your Airbnb Experience Approved by the Site
Once you’ve developed your session, submit your experience to Airbnb for approval. They’ll ask questions about your event, have you send photos, and let you customize when you offer your experience.
Once approved, be sure to keep your availability calendar updated. If you’ve never offered this class before, develop a timeline and practice with a couple of friends in attendance so you can get comfortable and have the timing down.
Get ready to meet new flower lovers, share your passion, and boost your biz with some added income!
