The global short-term vacation rental market was valued at $149 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $362 billion by 2033. Grand View Research

That's a massive, fast-growing market - and it's increasingly populated by guests who want more than a place to sleep. They want experiences, services, and local expertise delivered without friction.

If you run any kind of concierge, experience, or lifestyle service business, that growth curve is your opportunity.

The Gap That Defines the Opportunity

48% of travellers now plan trips specifically around local attractions, dining, and unique experiences - yet only 17.6% of short-term rental operators are actively facilitating access to those experiences through their properties. Ensoconnect

That 82.4% gap is where concierge businesses operate. Guests who arrive at a short-stay property and find a curated, bookable set of local services are dramatically more likely to book them than guests who have to find their own way. The host acts as a trust intermediary - their recommendation carries enormous weight.

What Guests Are Spending On

Transportation and local experiences are the most popular add-on categories globally, with cultural tours achieving 65% adoption in European markets. Wellness, private chefs, and event packages command the highest per-booking margins. Ensoconnect

In the UK specifically, the average short-stay guest spends £100 per day in the local area, with 43% going directly on food, drink, and retail. Ukstaa Across 90.1 million UK guest nights in 2024 Office for National Statistics, that's an extraordinary volume of daily spending - from guests who are already in your area, already motivated to spend, and actively looking for guidance on where to go.

The Business Model That Works

The most effective model for concierge businesses entering the STR market is platform-facilitated discovery: list your services on a host-facing platform, appear in the host's digital welcome guide, and receive confirmed bookings directly. This means:

• No cold acquisition - guests are already in the area and motivated to book

• Pre-established trust - the host's recommendation does the selling for you

• Digital payment - no invoice chasing or cash handling

• Reviews compound - every guest review builds your profile for future guests

Timing Is Everything

One of the clearest patterns in STR upsell data is that guests who receive service recommendations before arrival convert at significantly higher rates than those who discover options on arrival. A pre-stay digital prompt - "your host recommends this private chef for Tuesday evening" - converts at multiples of the same message delivered on a leaflet at the door.

For in-stay experiences, a mobile-accessible guest portal creates ongoing purchase opportunities throughout the stay. A guest who decides on day three that they want a guided day trip can book it in seconds - if the booking flow is in front of them.

What Hosts Need From You

Hosts will recommend the services they trust. In the STR concierge world, that trust is built on three things above all else:

• Real-time availability - guests expect an instant answer on whether you're free

• Confirmed bookings - no ambiguous enquiry flows; a booking should feel like a booking

• Reliable delivery - you're representing the host's brand as much as your own; a bad experience with you reflects on them

In Hostaway's 2025 survey, property condition and cleanliness topped guest complaints - but communication failures and unmet expectations came a close second. Hostaway Partners who communicate clearly, confirm promptly, and deliver consistently become the hosts' default recommendation. That's a defensible, compounding business position.

StayPay connects concierge partners with short-stay guests through host-curated welcome guides across London.