Industry insights
When and how to expand your holiday let portfolio: a data-driven growth strategy for 2025
20 Oct 2025
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By Amanda Sanders
With the market showing resilience, many experienced hosts are now looking to expand. For holiday let owners, this presents a real opportunity to scale up. In this guide, we explore when you’re ready to grow, how to choose the right location for your next property, and the systems you need to manage multiple lets efficiently. You’ll also discover how Travelnest helps hosts expand their portfolios with expert guidance and technology that simplifies every stage of the process.
Are you ready to grow your holiday let portfolio?
Before adding another property to your portfolio, it’s essential to evaluate whether your current operations are performing strongly and efficiently. Growth without readiness can stretch your time, finances, and quality standards.
You’re likely ready to expand if:
Your first property achieves consistent occupancy and profit margins after all costs.
You have reliable processes for check-in, cleaning, guest communication and maintenance.
You understand your data, including seasonality, booking lead times and guest trends.
You’ve built a dependable network of suppliers or use trusted partners.
You have access to sufficient finance for another investment, including a contingency fund.
You’re confident navigating regulations such as local licensing and tax requirements.
If this sounds like your situation, you’re well-placed to begin looking for your next opportunity. As Sykes’ report highlights, host confidence remains high across the UK holiday letting sector.
Choosing the right second location
Selecting the right destination is critical to the success of your next property. A well-chosen location can improve occupancy, reduce risk, and balance seasonality across your portfolio.
Understand demand and seasonality
Aim for destinations with steady, year-round demand rather than purely seasonal peaks. Sykes’ data shows regions such as the Cotswolds, Lake District and Cornwall remain top performers for revenue and bookings. Their October 2024 Pulse Report also found guests are booking closer to arrival, meaning flexibility in pricing and availability is key.
Meanwhile, countryside and coastal markets continue to outperform many city lets. For example, Property Investor Today reported that Northumberland saw average annual incomes grow by 36% in 2024.
Assess competition and regulations
Before investing, research the local market carefully. Review other listings to identify what’s missing and what guests value most. Also check any licensing or short-let restrictions that could affect profitability.
Consider your management model
If you self-manage, proximity is important for efficiency. However, with professional support from Travelnest, you can successfully operate in locations further afield, as the platform manages day-to-day operations and channel distribution on your behalf.
Run the numbers
Use industry data such as Visit Britain to estimate potential returns. Model various scenarios for revenue and expenses, and plan for different occupancy rates to understand your potential yield.
Setting up systems for multi-property management
Running multiple holiday rentals brings new challenges. Without solid systems, maintaining quality and profitability becomes difficult. Start by focusing on the core areas that keep operations running smoothly.
Operational systems
A good management structure includes:
Centralised channel management: Avoid double-bookings by using a single platform that syncs calendars across booking sites. Travelnest’s platform connects to over 30 major channels, including Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia.
Guest communication: Use consistent messaging for check-in, FAQs and reviews to maintain a professional tone across all your listings.
Cleaning and maintenance workflows: Establish clear schedules and supplier checklists.
Dynamic pricing tools: Travelnest’s Smart Pricing automatically adjusts rates based on demand and seasonality.
Performance tracking: Monitor key metrics such as occupancy and guest ratings to measure success across your portfolio.
People and processes
As you expand, your success depends on the people and tools supporting you.
Work with a dedicated property expert, such as those available through Travelnest, who can provide insights and personalised recommendations.
Scale your supplier network with service-level agreements and quality checks.
Use automation for guest messaging and cleaning reminders to save time and reduce errors.
Maintain a consistent brand across your properties to encourage repeat bookings.
Maintaining quality standards as you scale
Growth is only sustainable if quality stays high. Poor guest experiences can quickly harm reputation and profitability.
To maintain standards:
Keep your guest experience consistent across properties, regardless of location.
Monitor review scores and address recurring feedback promptly.
Invest in periodic property inspections and maintenance checks.
Refresh interiors and amenities regularly to stay competitive. Sykes’ May 2025 Pulse Report notes that features like hot tubs and outdoor spaces can increase bookings significantly.
Automate guest feedback collection and use the insights to refine your listings.
Consistency in service and presentation builds trust and makes scaling sustainable.
How Travelnest supports your portfolio growth
Expanding your holiday let portfolio can be challenging, but the right partner can make it seamless. Travelnest supports hosts at every stage, helping you grow with confidence.
Here’s how:
All-in-one platform: Manage multiple properties, calendars, and channels from one dashboard.
Channel distribution: List on over 30 booking sites automatically, maximising visibility and reducing dependency on one platform.
Dedicated property expert: Get tailored advice from an experienced partner focused on your success.
Dynamic pricing: Stay competitive with automated pricing tools that respond to market demand.
Automation and insights: Save time through smart guest messaging, payment handling and reporting.
Direct booking capability: Capture bookings through your own branded site with Travelnest Direct, keeping more revenue in your pocket.
For multi-property hosts, these tools and services simplify growth and keep standards high without additional stress.
Your portfolio growth checklist
Before you take the next step, use this checklist to ensure you’re prepared:
Review performance data from your current property.
Document key operational processes.
Research and compare potential locations.
Forecast revenue and costs for your next investment.
Define your management model and supplier network.
Maintain brand consistency across listings.
Adopt tools that streamline communication, pricing and reporting.
Preparation and clear systems will make scaling smoother and more profitable.
Conclusion
Expanding your holiday let portfolio in 2025 is an exciting and achievable goal. With continued strength in the UK travel market, opportunities are plentiful for hosts who approach growth strategically.
By focusing on readiness, choosing the right location, and implementing strong systems, you can expand successfully without compromising guest experience. And with Travelnest by your side, you’ll have the technology, data insights and expert support to make multi-property management simple and scalable.
If you’re ready to explore your next property, speak to our team of dedicated Property Experts today and discover how we can help you grow your portfolio with confidence.
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