Local Recommendations: An Underused Lever for Generating Revenue in Short-Term Rentals

Local recommendations have become a major asset in the guest experience. Despite their potential, they remain largely underused by hotels, conciergeries, and short-term rental managers. When structured effectively, they enhance guest satisfaction, reduce repetitive inquiries, and generate additional revenue in a simple and sustainable way.

Why Local Recommendations Have Become Essential

Most travelers look for reliable information before or during their stay: restaurants, activities, nearby shops, beaches, transportation, tourist services, and more.
Providing personalized recommendations answers these immediate needs while avoiding time-consuming online searches or repeated questions to the host.

Guests value simple, visual and easily accessible advice, ideally gathered in a single source such as a digital welcome guide that centralizes all essential stay information.

A Revenue Potential Often Overlooked

Beyond their practical use, local recommendations offer a significant economic opportunity. They influence how travelers consume their stay while strengthening the overall appeal of the accommodation.

Partnerships and commissions

Many local businesses (restaurants, activities, transportation) offer commissions for recommendations that generate bookings. These partnerships can become a passive, recurring revenue stream.

Higher guest spending

A traveler guided toward relevant experiences generally spends more: dining out, participating in activities, booking transportation, etc. A richer stay also leads to higher overall guest satisfaction.

Reduced repetitive tasks

When recommendations are accessible and well-structured, the number of operational questions decreases significantly. Fewer WhatsApp messages means more time to focus on essential tasks.

Streamlined Creation Through Google Maps

Creating local recommendations can be greatly simplified thanks to Google Maps. By simply searching for a place, it becomes possible to extract:

• Exact address
• Official photos
• Opening hours
• Directions link
• Reviews
• Phone number and website, when available

These elements allow the creation of a complete, reliable, and visually appealing recommendation without manual data entry. Integrated into a digital welcome guide, they ensure a clear layout and automatically updated information.

Optimizing Recommendations for Maximum Impact

To generate real value, local recommendations must be thoughtfully structured.

Easy access

Photos, address, hours, and directions should be immediately visible without complex navigation.

Categorization

Restaurants, bars, activities, transportation, useful shops, nature spots…
Clear categories help travelers quickly find what they need.

Personalized notes

A short comment can make the experience more engaging:
“Perfect for brunch,”
“Great value for money,”
“Only a 3-minute walk,” etc.

Reliable data

Automatic imports from Google Maps reduce the risk of errors such as incorrect opening hours, outdated locations, or permanently closed venues.

Turning Recommendations Into Direct Revenue

Several strategies can help increase revenue:

- Featuring local partners

Some businesses are willing to be highlighted in exchange for a commission or specific advantages.

- Linking directly to booking channels

A link to a reservation website, platform, or professional WhatsApp number allows travelers to book instantly.

- Combining recommendations with additional services

Recommendations can be paired with services offered by the accommodation, such as:
activity + late check-out, rental + cleaning service, etc.

Conclusion: A Simple, Profitable, and Underused Tool

Local recommendations are a powerful way to enhance the guest experience while generating additional revenue. Integrated into a digital welcome guide like Sunver, and enriched automatically with Google Maps data, they can be created in seconds, reliable, attractive, and highly effective.