Considering a Vacation Rental? Here’s What to Know Before You Travel
There’s no completely safe way take a trip this summer, but there are methods to reduce the risks.
After more than two months of social distancing, Americans are eager to take a summer trip.
Source: Bluefish Vacation Rentals
Memorial Day traditionally heralds the start of the summer vacation season, but this one will look different than any other year on record. Spending this weekend is expected to fall by two-thirds, to $4.2 billion, compared with last year’s holiday results. Nonetheless, travelers remain eager to get away from home, even if that means driving a short distance to someone else’s.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic means that any venture away entails risk. That’s not something to be taken lightly, especially now that many states are reopening, and case numbers are expected to rise.
“It’s a hard calculus,” says David Abramson, a clinical associate professor at New York University’s School of Global Public Health, about the decision to travel. “It is really worthwhile to get a break, to find relief, to feel as if there is normality to this, but that has to be weighted against what that risk will be,” he explains.
Even those avoiding air travel are still exposing themselves to situations inherently difficult to control: Beaches and hiking trails may be crowded, rooms may not be properly cleaned, and a destination could see a sudden spike in infections.
To regain some of that control, many may prefer a rental property, rather than a hotel room this summer, since it can provide more space and separation from other vacationers.
Also worth considering is how a stay in a rental property can benefit small business owners whose livelihood depends on bookings, as well as local restaurants and grocery stores. In a study of nearly 400 rental businesses from property management platform Guesty, nearly all respondents suffered revenue loss in the first quarter of 2020, compared to the same time last year—and that’s just through March. (The second quarter will close at the end of June.) Airbnb has said its revenue could drop by 50% this year.