Today's travelers can choose from many websites and apps to help them book their next vacations, including traditional OTAs like Airbnb, Expedia, or Booking.com and metasearch engines like HomeToGo. One of the top choices for travelers is the Hopper app, which helps users find the best flight and accommodation deals.
So what is the Hopper app, and is it a good option to list your vacation rental property? In this blog, we'll explore how Hopper works and why it might be a good platform for hosts looking to maximize their STR property potential.
To build a sustainable business, you shouldn't rely on a single online channel to market your vacation rentals. Successful hosts list on multiple booking platforms and implement a direct booking strategy. Although managing bookings on multiple platforms can be rather time-consuming, you can save hours of your time if you automate repetitive tasks using vacation rental software like Hospitable.
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What Is Hopper App?
Launched in 2014, the Hopper mobile-only travel app is designed to help users find the best deals on flights, hotels, homes, and car rentals. What sets Hopper apart from similar websites and apps is its predictive pricing feature that helps travelers find the best rates. Hopper uses AI to track and analyze price changes and recommend the optimal time for users to book flights and hotels.
Hopper Homes is a separate travel category added in 2022 dedicated to providing short-term rentals. Hopper app users can search for vacation rental properties based on location, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and amenities like outdoor space and parking.
The Hopper app is free for users and available for download on Android and iOS platforms. Hosts can also list their STR properties on the Hopper app for free, but the company charges a fee for confirmed bookings. The service fees are calculated as a percentage of the booking subtotal, including the nightly rate, cleaning fees, and other additional fees, excluding taxes.
Hosts who use a PMS/CM integration with Hopper pay a standard 14% fee. For hosts who don't use a PMS/CM integration, Hopper's fees are split between the host and the guest. Guests pay up to a 12% service fee, and hosts pay a 3% commission. The host commission fee is automatically deducted from their payout.
All bookings made through Hopper are confirmed and prepaid by guests. Hopper charges the guests the nightly rates, taxes, and fees upon bookings and provides hosts payouts via direct bank transfer (ACH) or a virtual credit card (VCC).
Hosts can see all their bookings from the Reservation tab in the Hopper Host portal. Hopper collects the guest's first name, last name, phone number, and email address. Since there is no Hopper messaging platform, hosts can communicate with guests via email or phone.
Why Use Hopper App as an Additional Distribution Channel
The Hopper app has become very popular, especially among younger travelers looking to find amazing deals on flights, hotels, homes, and rental cars. The company says its customers are primarily mobile-first generations, such as Millennials and Gen Z, who comprise 70% of its user base. Hopper also claims its app is North America's most downloaded travel app with over 120M+ downloads.
That means that the Hopper app can be a good additional channel for STR hosts and property managers, giving them access to unique customer demographics with a high lifetime value because younger travelers often return to online platforms they trust for future trips. Listing your ski chalet or vacation home with kid-friendly amenities on Hopper, in addition to your listings on major booking platforms and your direct booking website, will allow you to extend your reach.
Even if Airbnb or Vrbo and your direct booking website work well for you, adding Hopper and other niche channels can help increase your occupancy rates without putting in too much additional effort. Hospitable can help you seamlessly sync calendars across different niche booking platforms, including Hoper, avoid scheduling headaches, and prevent double bookings with iCal imports. Watch this short video to learn how this functionality works, and check out our help article for more details.
How to List Your Property on Hopper
Now that you know what the Hopper app is, you might wonder what you need to do to list your home or apartment there. Hosts who want to list their Airbnb properties on the Hopper app without a PMS system that has API integration with Hopper can add their listings manually. Here is what you need to do.
- First, you need to sign up for a Hopper Hosting Account. After you receive an email from Hopper Homes, click on Join Hopper Hosting and set a password.
- Then, you have to click No for integrating with a PMS or channel manager, choose the option Manually Add My Listings, and enter your Airbnb profile
- Click on Import Listings, and then click on Needs Review next to one of your listings to complete it.
- Follow the prompts to add your property's address, sync your calendars with iCal, add taxes to be collected (if required), and set nightly rates. Click on Publish Listing to set your listing live on Hopper.
It's important to remember that your listings must meet the minimum requirements criteria to be set live on Hopper. They must have a kitchen or a kitchenette, at least one photo and one amenity, and availability in upcoming months. You must also set pricing for available dates in upcoming months and choose USD, AUD, CAD, EUR, or GBP currency.
It may take some time before your Hopper listing appears in search results or is fully accessible to guests. Hopper also recommends hosts regularly review and update their listings to ensure they are accurate and up to date.
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