Ideally, a holiday home is much more than just a place to spend the night – for active holidaymakers, for example, it can serve as a starting point for exciting outdoor adventures. Many holiday regions offer numerous opportunities for activities such as hiking, cycling, water sports and much more. To make your holiday home attractive for outdoor enthusiasts and sporty holidaymakers and stand out from the competition, you can specifically equip it for this group of guests. In this article, we'll show you how it's done!
1. Analyse activities in the area
Find out what outdoor activities are possible near your holiday home. Even if it is not in a well-known winter sports resort, there are bound to be plenty of options for active holidaymakers!
- If your holiday homes are located in a region with lakes and/or rivers, water sports such as kayaking, canoeing, fishing or stand-up paddling could be attractive for your guests.
- If your holiday house is in a mountainous area, you can go hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking and, in winter, snowshoeing or, of course, skiing and snowboarding.
- In wooded areas, nature walks, climbing or bird watching could be of interest to your guests.
2. Providing information for guests
Summarise the information you have researched for your guests and make it available to them in a clear and concise way, for example in the guest directory. Include activities for every fitness level – from relaxed walks to more demanding hikes, bike tours or water sports activities.
If pets are welcome in your holiday home, add a section on pet-friendly activities in the area, such as dog-friendly beaches, hiking trails, restaurants or vets.
Describe special places and activities in the area that are not in the guidebook, such as hidden bathing bays, little-known hiking trails, but also local weekly markets or charming cafés. Guests love authentic recommendations that seem to be reserved for locals. It's also a good idea to include a list of contacts for sports shops and rental stations in your area.
Provide your guests with additional flyers or brochures and place them in a visible location in the holiday home. Nowadays, almost everyone can quickly access information through a simple internet search – but an appealing compilation including personal recommendations from the host is something special and is always well received!
3. Equipping your holiday home for active guests
Provide your own outdoor equipment
Consider whether it makes sense for you and is financially possible to offer outdoor equipment yourself. If so, make absolutely sure that it is of high quality, well maintained and always adapted to the respective season. Depending on the location of your holiday home, you could, for example, provide bicycles, hiking poles or kayaks in summer, while your guests in winter will certainly be pleased to receive sledges or snowshoes. Inform them in the guest directory or on information signs that the use of the provided sports equipment is at your own risk.
Create storage infrastructure
Schaffe passende und ausreichende Aufbewahrungsmöglichkeiten für Outdoor-Ausrüstung. Die Gäste werden es dir danken, wenn es umfangreichen Stauraum für die Ausrüstung, Fahrrad- und Skiständer sowie Haken für Rucksäcke gibt. Ein Trocknungsraum für nasse Kleidung und Gegenstände ist besonders für Wasser- und Wintersportler ein großer Pluspunkt.
Nice to have: Little extras
These relatively small and inexpensive outdoor items can also help to make your active guests' stay more pleasant:
- Games and entertainment: balls, frisbees or a boccia set for outdoor fun.
- Hiking and cycling maps: Detailed maps of the area help your guests find their way around better when hiking or cycling.
- Backpack or tote bag: a great all-rounder for day trips.
- Picnic set: A picnic basket and/or a cool bag, as well as robust crockery and Tupperware, enable relaxed meals outdoors.
- Reusable water bottles and thermos flasks: Practical for any outdoor activity.
- Hiking poles and seat cushions: Ideal for longer tours.
- Rain ponchos and sunscreen: This way, your guests are prepared for any kind of weather.
- First-aid kit: A compact box with plasters, disinfectant, etc. for emergencies.
- Insect repellent: Particularly useful in mosquito-rich areas.
- Flashlights or headlamps: Handy for evening excursions.
- Multifunctional tools: a multi-tool or pocket knife for all occasions.
Outdoor activities on the holiday home grounds
Your holiday house can not only be a starting point for regional outdoor activities, but also offer various possibilities directly on the property. Have you ever thought about the following facilities?
- Barbecue and campfire area: Ideal for convivial evenings outdoors.
- Wellness area: A sauna or hot tub offers the necessary portion of relaxation after an active day.
- For children: A trampoline, a swing or a sandbox makes children's hearts beat faster.
4. Work with local service providers
If you don't want to provide your own equipment, you can work with local sports equipment rental companies. Providers of guided tours, shuttle services or outdoor courses are also ideal partners for offering your guests even more variety. Think of seasonal activities – such as ski hire in winter and surfing lessons in summer. This way, your guests benefit from discounted rates, while you support local providers who gain new customers through you. Win-win!
For even more convenience for your guests, you could organise a pick-up and drop-off service for the equipment directly at the holiday house. Some rental companies even offer comprehensive ‘experience packages’ that include equipment, an introduction, and safety tips – a great way to take even more of the hassle off your guests.
5. Don't forget!
- Quality and maintenance: Make sure that the equipment provided is of good quality and regularly maintained to ensure the safety of your guests.
- Insurance: Check that your insurance covers any damage or accidents that may occur while using the equipment.
- Environmental friendliness: Promote sustainability by offering environmentally friendly equipment and products. You can find more information on this topic here: Sustainable holiday apartment: 10 tips for hosts
- Property presentation: Use your listing to briefly summarise the options for active holidaymakers in the area around your holiday home and the equipment that is available for guests in the holiday home.
A holiday house for active holidaymakers should be designed as the ideal starting point for outdoor experiences.
Whether hiking, cycling or water sports: with the right facilities, information about activities in the area and little extras such as hiking maps, you can increase the comfort and attractiveness of your holiday home. Collaborations with local service providers also offer your guests great opportunities.
Additional amenities such as barbecue facilities, a wellness area or outdoor games on the property round off the holiday experience for outdoor enthusiasts and create lasting memories.
