Why Your Airbnb Occupancy Rate Is Low, and How to Fix It Fast

How to Find and Improve Your Airbnb Occupancy Rate (So You Stay Booked Year-Round)

Let’s talk about a number that makes or breaks your short-term rental business: your occupancy rate.

Whether you're managing one property or growing a portfolio, knowing how to track and improve your Airbnb occupancy rate is key to staying profitable. At BNB Guardians, we coach busy professionals on how to launch and grow Airbnb businesses without burning out. And occupancy rate? It's one of the most powerful (and overlooked) metrics in your Airbnb strategy toolkit.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what occupancy rate is, how to calculate it, what affects it, and how to optimize it using smart tools like Guesty, effective Airbnb marketing, and proven hosting systems.

What Is Occupancy Rate (And Why It Matters for Airbnb Hosts)

Occupancy rate tells you what percentage of available nights your property is booked over a specific time period.

The formula is simple:

Occupancy Rate = (Nights Booked ÷ Total Available Nights) × 100

If your listing was available for 30 nights this month and booked for 21, your occupancy rate is 70%.

Sounds basic, but it’s a goldmine of insight.

At BNB Guardians, we teach hosts how to use this data to:

• Spot slow seasons or underperformance

• Adjust Airbnb pricing before it’s too late

• Evaluate new markets before expanding

• Improve Airbnb listing creation for higher conversion

What Causes Low Occupancy Rates?

If your property isn’t getting booked, you’re not alone, but you do need to fix it fast.

Here are some of the most common reasons your Airbnb occupancy rate might be lower than it should be:

• Seasonal demand drops (holidays, weather, off-season travel)

• Overpriced listings compared to nearby competitors

• Poor Airbnb SEO (your listing isn’t getting seen)

• Negative or few reviews

• Generic or outdated listing photos

• Lack of amenities or unclear descriptions

Most of these issues are fixable, but only if you know how to track them.

How to Track Your Airbnb Occupancy Rate Like a Pro

You don’t need a spreadsheet and calculator to stay on top of occupancy.

Here’s what we recommend:

1. Use Built-In Airbnb Analytics

Inside your Airbnb host dashboard, you’ll find basic booking insights—including occupancy, nightly rate trends, and performance compared to competitors.

2. Leverage Guesty

At BNB Guardians, we use Guesty to help automate and streamline Airbnb management. It consolidates calendars, bookings, guest messages, and revenue metrics across multiple platforms. This gives you a clear view of your occupancy trends, and saves you hours every week.

3. Dive Deeper with AirDNA

For market-wide trends, AirDNA offers in-depth data on occupancy rates, ADR, and revenue across your zip code. Great for competitive research or expanding to new markets.

7 Proven Ways to Increase Your Airbnb Occupancy Rate

If your calendar has more empty dates than bookings, it’s time to level up your approach.

Here are some of the Airbnb optimization strategies we teach inside our Airbnb coaching program:

1. Optimize Your Airbnb Listing for Search

Use clear, keyword-rich titles. Choose professional photos. Answer all FAQs in your description. Make your listing pop in the search results.

2. Nail Your Airbnb Pricing Strategy

Use dynamic pricing tools (like PriceLabs or Beyond) to automatically adjust based on demand. Review competitor rates weekly.

3. Offer Flexible Booking Options

Allow 1-night stays (when it makes sense). Enable instant booking. Consider last-minute or same-day bookings to fill gaps.

4. Get More Reviews, Fast

Follow up after every stay. Offer a flawless guest experience. The more 5-star reviews, the higher your listing ranks—and the more bookings you’ll get.

5. Target Niche Travelers

Business professionals. Remote workers. Pet-friendly travelers. Families. Customize your amenities and messaging to attract specific groups.

6. Partner with Local Businesses

Promote your stay as part of a local experience. Restaurants, tour operators, and event spaces can all help drive bookings.

7. Automate Guest Communication

Guests book faster when they feel supported. Tools like Guesty allow you to automate messages, check-in instructions, and review requests—so nothing slips through the cracks.

Why Tracking Occupancy Rate Is More Than Just a Number

Your occupancy rate is the heartbeat of your short-term rental business. But it’s not just about being “booked out.”

You want:

• Healthy margins (don’t underprice just to stay full)

• Positive guest experiences (to drive repeat bookings)

• Sustainable growth (without burnout)

At BNB Guardians, we help hosts combine Airbnb marketing, guest communication systems, and market data to stay profitable and sane.

Final Thoughts: Want to Stay Booked and Profitable?

Your occupancy rate tells a story. Learn to read it, and you’ll unlock more bookings, better guests, and bigger profits.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to fill more dates, we can help you create a strategy that works for you, not just the algorithm.

👉 Need help with Airbnb?

Join our Airbnb Super Host Academy or book a 1-on-1 call with our team at BNB Guardians. We’ll help you launch, optimize, and scale your Airbnb business without guesswork.