Your Guests Don't Need Another Koozie... They Need a Reason to Come Back.
To be honest, most rewards programs are...forgettable. You sign up. You earn points. You forget your password. Somewhere along the way you're promised a free sandwich.
The best loyalty programs don't make customers think about points. They make customers think about you. I think that is especially true in vacation rentals.
After all, most vacation rental companies spend a small fortune convincing someone to book that first stay. Then they leave after a fantastic vacation... and you pray that they remember you next year. It is time for a better retention strategy.
Loyalty Isn't About Giving Things Away
One of the better articles I've read recently from TruCentive makes a point that really resonated with me. The companies that build strong loyalty programs aren't simply rewarding purchases, they're reinforcing their brand at every interaction. Every email, every reward, every surprise reminds the customer why they chose that company in the first place.
Vacation rental companies have an advantage here that hotels often don't. You're already creating memorable experiences. A rewards program simply gives guests another reason to choose you again.
Reward the Right Behaviors
Imagine if your rewards program encouraged guests to:
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Book directly instead of through an OTA.
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Stay an extra night.
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Return during shoulder season.
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Add airport transportation.
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Reserve a private chef.
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Tell their friends.
Notice none of those rewards are about discounting your brand. They're about encouraging the behaviors that make your business stronger. Now your rewards program isn't costing you money. It's helping grow your business.
That's Why We Built Barefoot Rewards
At Barefoot, we've always believed that the best technology doesn't ask your team to do more work—it quietly helps them do their jobs better. When we developed the Rewards Module, the goal wasn't to create another system to manage or another dashboard to log into. It was to make guest loyalty a natural extension of the way you already run your business, built on the same trusted accounting foundation that powers everything else in Barefoot.
Because the Rewards Module is fully integrated into Barefoot, guests automatically earn points as they book. Rewards are tracked through the reservation folio, and redemptions happen within the same system your team already uses every day. No spreadsheets. No manual calculations. No exporting data from one platform just to import it into another.
Your team stays focused on delivering exceptional guest experiences, while Barefoot takes care of the details behind the scenes. That's the kind of software we believe in—not software that demands attention, but software that quietly helps your business grow.
Sun Cabo Didn't Want a Generic Loyalty Program
Sun Cabo Vacations wasn't looking to hand out coupons. They wanted something that reflected their luxury brand while encouraging repeat stays and direct bookings.
Using Barefoot Rewards, they created a branded loyalty experience where guests earn rewards toward future villa stays and luxury experiences like private chefs and spa services. They even introduced Gold, Platinum, and Diamond membership levels with perks that fit their clientele—not someone else's template.
David Girard, CEO of Sun Cabo Vacations, summed it up well:
"With Barefoot, we can manage everything from bookings to guest rewards in one system. The rewards program has elevated our brand by turning first-time guests into loyal clients, while the trust accounting gives us complete confidence in our financial management."
What I like about David's quote is that it isn't really about the rewards program. It's about building a business where great guest experiences and solid operations work together
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The Opportunity
The vacation rental industry has become incredibly good at finding guests-- the challenge is keeping them. Because the guest who books directly for the third time is almost always more valuable than the guest you're paying to acquire for the first.
That's why I think loyalty programs are becoming less of a "nice to have" and more of a competitive advantage. Guests are looking for trusted local experts—not just another place to stay. A thoughtful rewards program reinforces that relationship every time they interact with your brand.
At the end of the day, loyalty isn't measured in points. It's measured in whether your guests think of you first when it's time to plan their next trip.
If your rewards program feels like an extension of your hospitality rather than another marketing campaign, you're probably doing it right.
