Email Deliverability Best Practices for Vacation Rental Companies: How to Reach More Inboxes

Introduction

Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools available to vacation rental companies. It helps drive repeat bookings, maintain relationships with past guests, promote direct reservations, and keep travelers engaged with your brand throughout the year.

However, even the best email campaigns will not generate results if those messages never reach the guest's inbox.

Email deliverability is the ability for an email to successfully reach a recipient's inbox instead of being filtered into spam or blocked entirely. Mailbox providers such as Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo evaluate every sender based on several factors, including sender reputation, authentication, engagement, and sending behavior.

For vacation rental companies, deliverability is especially important because email is used throughout the entire guest journey:

• Booking confirmations
• Payment reminders
• Rental agreements
• Check-in instructions
• Door codes
• Local recommendations
• Review requests
• Repeat booking promotions

A missed marketing email can mean a missed booking opportunity. A missed reservation email can create unnecessary support calls and a poor guest experience.

Successful email marketing is not just about sending more emails. It is about building trust with both guests and mailbox providers so your messages consistently reach the inbox.

 

1. Authenticate Your Email Domain

The first step to improving email deliverability is proving that your emails are coming from a legitimate sender.

Mailbox providers use email authentication to verify that messages are authorized to come from your domain. Without proper authentication, even legitimate vacation rental emails can be more likely to land in spam folders.

Your domain should have the following records configured:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

SPF identifies which email servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, allowing mailbox providers to verify that the message has not been altered and is coming from an approved sender.

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance)

DMARC provides instructions for handling emails that fail authentication and helps prevent unauthorized use of your domain.

Together, these authentication methods help establish trust with mailbox providers and protect your brand from email spoofing.

 

2. Send From Your Own Domain

Vacation rental companies should avoid sending marketing emails from free email providers such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook.

Instead, send emails from an address connected to your business domain.

Examples:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

Using your own domain:

• Builds guest trust
• Improves brand recognition
• Creates a consistent sender reputation
• Helps mailbox providers identify your business

Guests are more likely to recognize and trust communication from a professional business email address.

 

3. Only Email Guests Who Have Given Permission

One of the fastest ways to damage email deliverability is sending emails to people who never requested them.

Purchased email lists, scraped emails, and outdated databases often contain:

• Invalid addresses
• Spam traps
• People who never agreed to receive marketing
• Recipients likely to report emails as spam

Instead, vacation rental companies should build their audience through legitimate sources:

• Direct booking forms
• Website newsletter signups
• Guest marketing opt-ins
• Property inquiry forms
• Travel guides and downloadable resources

It is important to understand the difference between transactional and marketing emails.

Transactional emails include:

• Booking confirmations
• Payment receipts
• Check-in instructions
• Reservation updates

These are expected communications.

Marketing emails include:

• Seasonal promotions
• Newsletters
• Special offers
• Destination campaigns

These should only be sent to guests who have opted in.

 

4. Clean Your Email List Regularly

Every email database naturally becomes outdated over time.

Guests change email addresses, abandon accounts, or stop engaging with marketing messages. Continuing to send emails to inactive or invalid subscribers can negatively impact your sender reputation.

Regularly remove or suppress:

• Hard bounces
• Invalid email addresses
• Unsubscribed contacts
• Duplicate subscribers
• Long-term inactive users

Most email platforms handle part of this automatically. Mailchimp, for example, already suppresses unsubscribed contacts and cleaned addresses, which includes hard bounces and invalid emails, so there is no need to remove those manually for deliverability purposes. The list maintenance that still requires attention is merging duplicate subscribers and deciding how to handle long-term inactive contacts.

Cleaning your list improves deliverability in several ways.

Reduces Bounce Rates

A high bounce rate signals to mailbox providers that your list may not be maintained properly.

Improves Engagement Metrics

Removing inactive subscribers increases average engagement because your emails are reaching people who are more likely to interact.

Reduces Spam Trap Risk

Some abandoned email addresses can eventually become spam traps. Sending emails to these addresses can severely damage your domain reputation.

Before removing inactive guests, consider sending a re-engagement campaign.

Examples:

• "Still planning your next getaway?"
• "We miss hosting you!"
• "Here are new places to explore this year"

If a subscriber does not engage after multiple attempts, removing them is usually better for long-term deliverability.

PRO TIP

Never just delete these stale or inactive emails. Store them locally for future campaigns. Perhaps they simply have checked the “Visit Destin Florida” box for a few years. This doesn’t mean they will never be interested in visiting you again. These emails can be added back to a newsletter group every couple of years to try and re-engage OR they can be uploaded to Pay Per Click platforms such as Google or Meta to serve ads directly to them. Great for rainy day or slow pacing time period campaigns.

 

5. Maintain Consistent Sending Patterns

Mailbox providers prefer predictable sending behavior.

A common mistake in the vacation rental industry is disappearing during the slow season and then sending a large promotional campaign when bookings are needed.

Example:

❌ No emails for six months
❌ Suddenly sending 40,000 summer promotion emails

This pattern can negatively impact sender reputation.

Instead, maintain consistent communication throughout the year:

• Monthly travel inspiration
• Local event updates
• Seasonal guides
• Property announcements
• Repeat guest offers

Consistency helps mailbox providers recognize your sending behavior and helps guests stay connected with your brand.

 

6. Create Emails Guests Want to Open

Engagement is one of the strongest signals mailbox providers use when determining inbox placement.

Positive engagement includes:

• Opening emails
• Clicking links
• Replying
• Forwarding emails
• Moving messages into the Primary inbox

Negative engagement includes:

• Deleting emails without opening
• Ignoring emails repeatedly
• Marking messages as spam

Vacation rental companies should focus on providing value instead of only promoting available properties.

High-performing content ideas include:

• Destination guides
• Local restaurant recommendations
• Things to do during each season
• Travel tips
• New property announcements
• Exclusive repeat guest offers

The goal is to become a trusted travel resource—not just another company asking guests to book.

PRO TIP

Most vacation spots are once a year trips. Email marketing is all about timing. If every email is about 20% off not only does it devalue your properties, but it is also no longer valuable in their inbox when they only visit once every few years. Instead keep about 80-90% of your content lifestyle focused to keep people interested and see the long term value of staying on the list.

 

7. Encourage Positive Subscriber Engagement

Mailbox providers like Gmail and Outlook evaluate how recipients interact with emails. These engagement signals help determine whether future messages should be delivered to the inbox or filtered elsewhere.

Vacation rental companies have a unique advantage because guests naturally interact with emails throughout the travel journey. Booking confirmations, arrival instructions, and post-stay communication create opportunities for meaningful engagement.

Ask Guests to Move Your Email to Their Primary or Focused Inbox

If your email lands in Gmail's Promotions tab or Outlook's Other folder, encourage guests to move it to their main inbox.

It is worth clarifying that the Promotions tab is not the same as spam. Those messages are still delivered, and senders have very little direct control over which tab Gmail chooses. Strong engagement and sender reputation influence placement over time, but the most reliable path to the Primary inbox is a guest moving the message there themselves.

Ask guests to move emails to:

• Primary inbox (Gmail)
• Focused inbox (Outlook)

Example messaging:

Don't miss important updates about your stay! If this email appears in Promotions, Other, or Spam, move it to your Primary or Focused inbox so you receive important reservation information.

This action helps guests receive important communications and signals to mailbox providers that your emails are valuable.

 

Encourage Guests to Add You to Their Contacts

Adding your email address to a guest's contacts helps mailbox providers recognize your business as a trusted sender.

Example:

Add [email protected] to your contacts so you don't miss important updates about your upcoming stay.

This is especially valuable for vacation rental companies because many emails contain time-sensitive information such as:

• Check-in instructions
• Door codes
• Parking information
• Property details

 

Encourage Replies

Replies demonstrate genuine interaction between guests and your company.

Consider adding simple prompts:

• "Have questions about your upcoming stay? Reply to this email and our team will help."
• "What are you most excited about for your trip?"
• "Let us know if there is anything we can do before your arrival."

Replies can strengthen engagement signals while creating a better guest experience.

However, only encourage replies if your team monitors the inbox and can respond.

 

8. Create Opportunities for Guest Feedback and Two-Way Communication

Vacation rental companies often focus heavily on sending emails but overlook the value of creating conversations.

Guest interaction is valuable because it provides:

• Better customer insight
• Improved guest relationships
• Higher engagement
• Opportunities to solve problems

Provide a Private Feedback Option Before Public Reviews

Many companies send guests directly to a public review platform after checkout. While reviews are critical, providing a private feedback option first creates a better communication process.

A simple "Share Your Experience" link allows guests to:

• Share what they loved
• Provide suggestions
• Mention issues
• Communicate concerns directly

Example:

How was your stay? We would love to hear your feedback. Your comments help us improve the guest experience.

This gives property managers an opportunity to:

• Identify recurring issues
• Improve operations
• Address concerns
• Show guests their opinions matter

The goal is not to prevent honest reviews. The goal is to create a direct line of communication between guests and the company that hosted them.

 

9. The Welcome Drip

A welcome email is one of the most valuable messages a vacation rental company can send. Whether someone signs up for travel inspiration, joins a newsletter, downloads a destination guide, or creates an account, they have shown interest in your brand.

This first email creates an opportunity to:

• Build trust
• Confirm the subscriber's interest
• Improve email deliverability
• Set expectations
• Encourage future engagement

Because welcome emails typically receive higher open and click rates than standard marketing emails, they can help establish a positive sender reputation with mailbox providers.

 

What to Include in a Vacation Rental Welcome Email

1. Confirm the Subscription

Start by acknowledging the action the user took.

Example:

Welcome! Thanks for joining our travel community. We're excited to help you discover your next getaway.

This reassures the subscriber that they signed up successfully and creates a positive first impression.

 

2. Explain What They Will Receive

Set expectations so subscribers understand why they are receiving emails.

Examples:

"You can expect to receive:

• Vacation inspiration
• Local guides
• New property announcements
• Special offers
• Travel tips
• Exclusive deals for subscribers"

When subscribers know what to expect, they are less likely to ignore future emails or mark them as spam.

 

3. Encourage Positive Email Engagement

The welcome email is the ideal time to improve future deliverability.

Include a simple request:

Don't miss future vacation updates!

To make sure you receive our emails:

• Move this email to your Primary inbox (Gmail)
• Move this email to your Focused inbox (Outlook)
• Add our email address to your contacts

These actions help ensure future emails reach the inbox.

 

4. Encourage a Reply

Invite subscribers to start a conversation.

Examples:

• "Reply and tell us your favorite vacation destination."
• "What type of getaway are you planning?"
• "Looking for a beach, mountain, or lake vacation?"

Replies create engagement while providing valuable information that can help personalize future campaigns.

 

5. Provide Immediate Value

A welcome email should provide something useful instead of only asking guests to book.

Examples:

• A destination guide
• Top local attractions
• Restaurant recommendations
• Travel checklist
• Seasonal vacation guide

Providing value early builds trust and increases future engagement.

 

6. Guide Subscribers Toward Their Next Step

Every welcome email should have a clear goal.

Examples:

• Browse available properties
• Explore destination guides
• Save favorite properties
• Follow social channels
• Plan a future vacation

Avoid overwhelming new subscribers with too many choices, in which case a welcome drip campaign would be beneficial.

 

Example Welcome Email Flow for Vacation Rentals

A simple automated sequence could include:

Email 1: Immediately After Signup

Purpose:

• Welcome subscriber
• Confirm subscription
• Explain expectations
• Encourage inbox placement actions

Email 2: 2–3 Days Later

Purpose:

• Provide destination inspiration
• Share helpful travel content

Email 3: 5–7 Days Later

Purpose:

• Introduce properties
• Highlight unique experiences

Email 4: 10–14 Days Later

Purpose:

• Encourage booking
• Share seasonal opportunities

This creates a relationship before asking for the reservation.

 

Why Welcome Emails Matter for Deliverability

Welcome emails create some of the strongest early engagement signals because subscribers are expecting them.

High engagement during this first interaction helps mailbox providers understand that:

• The subscriber recognizes your brand
• Your emails are wanted
• Your content is relevant

A strong welcome email can improve future inbox placement for every email that follows.

 

10. Personalize Your Emails

Personalization goes beyond adding a guest's first name.

Vacation rental companies have valuable information that can create more relevant campaigns.

Examples:

• Previous destination
• Property type
• Travel season
• Family vs. couples travel
• Repeat guest history
• Interests and categories. Example: Pet friendly search category or interested in Golfing based on pages visited.

Relevant emails create stronger engagement and improve deliverability.

Scurto Bonus

The Oliver platform allows users to manually set their interests and/or we can make assumptions as to their interests based on what they look at. If they read blogs about golfing, look at units on the golf course we can assume they like golf and be added to a yearly email all about golfing.

 

11. Segment Your Audience

Sending every email to every subscriber is one of the biggest missed opportunities in vacation rental marketing.

Segment audiences based on:

• Past guests
• Future reservations
• Property preferences
• Destination
• Travel season
• Family travelers
• Couples
• Luxury travelers
• Engagement level

Better segmentation leads to:

• Higher open rates
• More clicks
• Fewer unsubscribes
• Stronger sender reputation

The more relevant the email, the more likely guests are to engage.

 

12. Avoid Spam Trigger Practices

Spam filters evaluate both content and formatting.

Avoid:

• Excessive capitalization
• Too many exclamation marks
• Misleading subject lines
• Excessive promotional language
• Image-only emails
• Too many links

Instead:

• Write naturally
• Provide useful information
• Use clear subject lines
• Balance promotions with valuable content

 

13. Make Unsubscribing Easy

A clear unsubscribe process actually improves deliverability.

If guests cannot easily unsubscribe, they are more likely to mark emails as spam.

Every marketing email should include:

• A visible unsubscribe link
• Company information
• Required business details

Removing uninterested subscribers is healthier than continuing to send emails they ignore.

SCURTO Bonus

Instead of just saying unsubscribe, Scurto clients can send people to their personal dashboard. You can add links to email that say “Update your email preferences and frequency”. This allows them to stay on the list but perhaps adjust their settings to their liking.

 

14. Optimize Your Email Design

Email design impacts engagement.

Best practices include:

• Mobile-friendly layouts
• Clear calls-to-action
• Balanced text and images
• Fast-loading content
• Readable fonts

Many guests check emails from their phones, especially while traveling.

A poor mobile experience can reduce engagement and hurt deliverability.

 

15. Monitor Your Deliverability Metrics

Review performance after every campaign.

Important metrics include:

Metric	Healthy Range
Open Rate	15-30% depending on audience
Click Rate	2–5%+
Bounce Rate	Under 2%
Spam Complaint Rate	Under 0.1%
Unsubscribe Rate	Under 0.5%

Open rates vary by audience and reporting settings. Apple Mail Privacy Protection and bot filtering can affect the number displayed, so the open rate shown in your account may read lower than the range above even when performance is healthy.

For vacation rental companies:

Transactional emails often perform much higher because guests are actively expecting them.

Marketing emails should be evaluated based on audience quality, segmentation, and relevance.

 

Vacation Rental Email Deliverability Checklist

Before sending your next campaign, ask:

✅ Is my domain authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC?
✅ Am I sending only to guests who opted in?
✅ Have I removed inactive subscribers?
✅ Is this email relevant to this audience?
✅ Would a guest find this helpful?
✅ Are guests encouraged to move emails to Primary or Focused?
✅ Are important reservation emails separated from marketing emails?
✅ Is there a clear unsubscribe option?
✅ Am I monitoring engagement metrics?

 

Final Thoughts

Email deliverability is not about finding tricks to bypass spam filters. It is about building trust with mailbox providers and creating emails that guests actually want to receive.

For vacation rental companies, strong deliverability impacts more than marketing performance. It ensures guests receive the information they need before, during, and after their stay.

By authenticating your domain, maintaining a healthy email list, creating valuable content, encouraging engagement, and building stronger guest communication habits, vacation rental companies can improve inbox placement while increasing bookings, reviews, and repeat stays.

Great email deliverability starts with one simple principle:

Send the right message, to the right guest, at the right time—and make sure they actually receive it.