Hosts that target longer stays
Hi, I currently host in a single family home and most of my stays are 2-3 days. Occasionally I get a bit longer stays, and only once have I had a month (28 days) long stay.
I loved having the longer stay guest because it was just less stress without the turnover and messaging, etc. I'm considering switching to a 7, 14, or even 28 day minimum stay and targeting that demographic. I currently offer discounts for 7, 14, and 28 days. The issue I face now in attracting these stays is that my calendar is full of 2-3 day stays blocking out availability for long stays.
Are there any hosts who do this? I'm nervous that if I make this change I will end up with no bookings. A small hit in occupancy would be fine with me. How has it worked for you? When do you normally get bookings (last minute, a week in advance, months in advance)? Is there anything else you're doing to attract long stays?
For additional context the home is in a medium sized US city in a suburban neighborhood, near plenty of shopping and restaurants, etc.