Market
Two hosts, two completely different jobs
How hard your market makes you work for a booking.
9 to 80 views per booking
Based on
13,304 properties, 114 markets
Key finding: Across 13,304 properties in 114 markets, booking conversion ranges from 9 search views per booking in the easiest markets to 80 views per booking in the hardest.
The short version
How many people have to look at your listing before one of them books depends heavily on your market. In easy markets it takes about 9 views. In hard markets it takes as many as 80. That means two hosts with equally good listings can be doing completely different jobs, and it explains why the same effort produces very different results in different places.
The data
We measured booking conversion as search views per booking. Here is what the range looks like.
Easy markets convert at roughly 9 views per booking.
Hard markets need up to 80 views per booking.
The sample covers 13,304 properties across 114 markets.
Destination and cabin markets like the Disney area convert on intent, so it takes few views to turn a shopper into a booking. Big metros flood listings with views but convert the worst.
Why it works
The difference is shopper intent. In a destination or cabin market, people are already committed to going. They browse, they pick, they book. In a big metro, the same listing gets buried in a huge pool of options and shoppers who are still comparing, still deciding, and often still choosing between cities. More views does not mean more intent. It can mean the opposite. So the raw view count on your dashboard tells you very little until you know how your market shops.
What to actually do
Find out where your market sits on the conversion range before you judge your own numbers. A low view count in an easy market can outperform a high view count in a hard one.
Set expectations by market, not by a single benchmark. If you manage listings in different market types, do not hold them to the same views-per-booking bar.
In hard, high-view markets, put your energy into conversion levers like photos, pricing, and reviews rather than chasing more impressions you already have.
The honest caveats
This is a correlational finding. It shows that markets differ enormously in how many views a booking takes, but it does not prove that your market alone causes your result. Listing quality, pricing, and seasonality all still matter within any market. The 9 to 80 figure is the observed range across markets in this sample, not a guarantee for any single property. Treat it as context for reading your own numbers, not as a target to hit.
Methodology
The study draws on IntelliHost and Key Data covering 13,304 properties across 114 markets in 2026. Booking conversion was measured as search views per booking. We compared that ratio across markets to surface the spread between the easiest and hardest ones. The headline is the range of that ratio, from about 9 views per booking in easy markets to as many as 80 in hard ones.
Frequently asked questions
How many views does it take to get a booking on a short-term rental?
It depends on your market. Across 114 markets we saw a range of 9 to 80 search views per booking, so there is no single number that applies everywhere.
Why do big cities have more views but fewer bookings?
Big metros flood listings with views but convert the worst. Shoppers there are still comparing options and often still choosing between destinations, so high view counts do not translate into intent the way they do in cabin or destination markets.
Does a high view count mean my listing is doing well?
Not on its own. A high view count in a hard market can convert worse than a low view count in an easy one, so you have to read views against how your specific market shops.