How events in Sydney are driving growth in STR investments

Sydney is without a doubt one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations — according to Destination NSW, Sydney led all Australian capital cities for tourism in 2023, drawing in more than three million international visitors and capturing 27% of the domestic market. And the reason why is no big secret: known for its urban culture and home to icons like the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House, you’ll never run out of things to do in Sydney.

For many, the best time to visit Sydney is during the summer months (December through to February), when they can enjoy various outdoor activities such as visiting the local beaches, alfresco dining, and hanging out at rooftop bars. The high season in Sydney peaks around Christmas and New Year, as many people come to spend the holidays with family and friends, as well as to watch the famous Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks.

And while Sydney does quiet down a little at the end of autumn and going into winter, business travel and visitors during the off-peak season still maintain a good level of demand year-round, when travellers can enjoy the local attractions with smaller crowds.

How do events in Sydney contribute to local tourism and property investment?

However, aside from the many highly-recommended things to do in Sydney, another big tourist draw for this city is that it hosts some of the country's biggest events, such as Mardi Gras and Vivid Sydney, annual events that always draw in huge crowds every year. It's also a favoured tour stop by many musical artists, both local and international, especially since the Sydney Cricket Ground precinct concert cap was finally raised to 20 per year. And, given the accessibility of the area, their fans won't hesitate to travel for the tour, no matter where they're coming from.

These key events in Sydney always cause a huge surge in demand for Airbnbs and short-term rentals whenever they take place, which also leads to an overall increase in nightly rates and profit for homeowners, even if they take place during the off-peak season. And as Sydney will continue to host these popular events for many years to come, short-term rentals in Sydney will continue to experience these consistent uplifts throughout the year, every year. This, in turn, makes it a reliable source of passive income for property investors.

Upcoming Events in Sydney in 2025

Popular annual events

• Sydney Festival (January)
• Mardi Gras (March)
• Vivid Sydney (May-June)
• Pride Month (June)
• City 2 Surf (August)
• Sydney Marathon (September)
• Sculpture by the Sea (October-November)
• New Years Eve (December)

Is Airbnb worth it in Sydney?

Though Airbnbs and short-term rentals in Sydney are an attractive property investment option, the idea of self-managing all the operational tasks associated with holiday accommodation can be off putting for some.

Tasks such as market research, property maintenance, Airbnb cleaning, guest maintenance, and the like can become taxing, especially if you own multiple properties. Luckily, you can still get the best of both worlds by working together with Hometime’s Airbnb managers and Airbnb management experts, who’ll take care of your property on your behalf.

What does Hometime’s Airbnb management in Sydney include?

Our full-service property management solutions in Sydney are designed to maximise your earnings and guest satisfaction with these dedicated services:

• ‍Property onboarding:
  We’ll help you set up your short-term rental as quickly as we can so you can start getting bookings ASAP.
• Listing optimisation:
  Our team constantly works on improving your listing through great content showcasing the best of the property with high-quality professional photos, and creating detailed guides for your guests. This includes property styling and photography to make your Airbnb stand out and to maximise its appeal.
  
• Dynamic pricing strategy:
  Hometime’s pricing analysts and market experts will help optimise your revenue while increasing occupancy at the same time.
  
• Airbnb cleaning services:
  We’ll find the best cleaners in Sydney to look after your home, whether it’s for regular cleans, deep cleans ready for peak season, or even restocking essentials. We use the built-in cleaning fee from the booking, so there’ll be no need to pay for it out of pocket.
  
• Guest communication and management:
  We go the extra mile to ensure your guests enjoy every part of their stay, from making the booking, checking in, checking out, and everything in between. This includes taking care of maintenance issues quickly, providing alternatives for late-night arrivals, and even meeting them in person when needed!
  
• Property maintenance:
  Hometime’s local Airbnb experts will sort out all your maintenance needs to make both you and your guests happy. We’ll also do our best to get you the best rates for services in the area due to our close relationships with local businesses.

Ready to see what Hometime’s Airbnb management in Sydney can do for you? Leave us your details and we’ll be in touch about your short-term rental in Sydney.

The best Airbnb management in Sydney: Five reasons why Hometime works

1. Hometime homes in Sydney have above-market occupancy rates

Hometime homes consistently outperform the regular short-term rental market in Sydney, despite continually increasing supply and competition. The occupancy rates of Hometime properties have remained steady and the overall market occupancy has even increased in the last financial year. We achieve this through our in-house listing optimisation, with our local Airbnb experts and data analytics teams making sure your home is as bookable as possible, which increases your occupancy rates and average daily rates (ADRs) even if they take place during the off-peak season.

2. Dynamic pricing to help you determine nightly rates

With Hometime’s Airbnb management, you won’t need to worry about doing market research to determine pricing — we’ll do that for you! Our algorithms will fine-tune nightly rates based on current market fluctuations to make sure that we maximise returns while maintaining high occupancy rates, helping you earn more.

For example, our algorithms helped increase revenue for Hometime homes in Sydney by at least 15% in February 2024 compared to February due to Taylor Swift’s highly-anticipated tour, even if it took place during the off-peak season.

3. Data-driven insights to further boost property value

Hometime’s data can also provide various insights to increase your property’s value, such as:

• Which areas in Sydney are most popular during which times of the year
• Which amenities the most popular Airbnbs in Sydney feature
• What you can add to your short-term rental to increase its booking appeal, leading to an increase in occupancy rates and nightly rates.

Our in-house data has identified properties with good public transport connections and those around Sydney's central business district (CBD) as particularly valuable for those visiting around the holidays, which increase their ADRs during this period. You can get similar insights and more by listing your Sydney short-term rental with Hometime.

4. Top-quality guest communication to help you get great reviews

Hometime is a trusted Airbnb management company in Australia that delivers quality results to both short-term rental owners and Airbnb guests. See how our people feel about our Airbnb property management and guest management services in Sydney.

‍1 million+

‍nights booked across Australia

‍4.7/5

‍average guest rating on Airbnb

‍3,500+

‍properties managed since 2016

Hometime uses its very own property management software that can do it all — from managing bookings, guest management, and even coordinating Airbnb cleaning services. We also offer a dedicated booking platform for guests to increase your visibility, drive more bookings, and rental returns even further.

5. Dedicated local Airbnb managers in Sydney 

We’ll connect you with experienced local co-hosts with years of experience in Sydney’s short-term rental market and have welcomed many guests to your area. They will be your first point of contact and will manage everything related to your home, from managing bookings, communicating and vetting guests, and assisting them with any concerns.

Grow your short-term rental earnings

Get started on your Hometime journey by entering your Sydney Airbnb's address, and our local experts will schedule a call. Own properties in areas outside of Sydney? No problem — we also offer Airbnb management right across Australia!