How to Get Airbnb Guests' Emails (Legally, Without Breaking the Policy)

One of the most misunderstood topics in short-term rentals: how to get your Airbnb guests' emails without breaking the platform's policy. Most hosts believe it is forbidden. It is not.

This article explains what is actually allowed, the 5 methods that work, and why this is probably the most profitable project in your business.

The stakes in numbers

You probably think an Airbnb guest belongs to Airbnb, not to you. That is true for the first booking. False for the second.

If you manage to get their email, you can sell to them directly for their next stay. Zero commission, an average ticket that is often higher (they know the property, they come back with confidence, they stay longer).

Statistically: 15 to 30% of satisfied guests come back within 24 months if you keep in touch. On a property hosting 50 guests a year, that is 7 to 15 potential direct stays: the equivalent of 1 to 2 months of rent in pure margin.

What is forbidden (and what is not)

Airbnb's anti-circumvention policy is often misread. Here is the precise reading:

The golden rule: forbidden circumvention means taking away Airbnb's commission on a booking that exists. Building a post-stay relationship for future, independent stays is normal commercial management.

The 5 methods that work

Method 1: ask on arrival or at check-out

The simplest, most effective, most human. At check-in (in person or by message), you leave a welcome book that contains:

• Your contact details
• A note: "To book your next stay direct, sign up on our website / scan this QR code"
• A box: "Would you like to receive our seasonal offers?" with an email

Typical collection rate: 40 to 60% of guests leave their email if they enjoyed the stay. Far more than through any other channel.

Method 2: the invoice (a legal requirement)

If you operate as a business, you need to issue an invoice that legally contains the guest's email. It is an accounting obligation, not a commercial request.

Advantage: 100% of guests give you their email for the invoice (because they need it for their own bookkeeping).

Once it is in your CRM, you can use it for post-stay outreach, while respecting GDPR (explicit consent for marketing).

Method 3: the direct booking website as a gateway

If you have a direct site (ideal), invite your current Airbnb guests to sign up for exclusive offers. For example, you can:

• Offer 5% off their next direct stay
• Give access to dates ahead of everyone else
• Send a seasonal newsletter with good deals

The guest signs up voluntarily, you get their email with explicit marketing consent. It is the "cleanest" method from a GDPR standpoint.

Method 4: the channel manager that collects automatically

All modern channel managers (Smoobu, Lodgify, BedLink, Hospitable, etc.) store the emails provided by the platforms at booking time:

• Airbnb provides an alias email firstnamelastname-xxx@guest.airbnb.com (useful for initial communication, but not the real email)
• Booking provides the guest's real email after confirmation
• Vrbo also provides the real email

The channel manager unifies this data in an exportable database. You automatically have a guest CRM with no manual effort.

Method 5: the off-platform review request

At check-out, you send a message that asks for two things:

1. An Airbnb review (the commercial priority)
2. An email to stay in touch (special offers, news about the property)

Many satisfied guests leave both. It is the moment they are most inclined to be generous with their data.

What to avoid at all costs

A few mistakes that can cost you dearly (Airbnb suspension, loss of Superhost status, removal from the platform):

• ❌ Asking a guest to cancel their Airbnb booking to book direct
• ❌ Exchanging an email before booking (before they have confirmed on Airbnb)
• ❌ Putting your email in the public description of the listing
• ❌ Mentioning an external site in the first messages before booking
• ❌ Blackmailing the guest over their review ("if you do not give me your email, I will leave you a bad review")

Common sense prevails: Airbnb sanctions what makes it lose commission directly. Getting an email after the booking for future stays is tolerated and even expected.

The recommended complete workflow

Here is how I suggest structuring email collection for 1 property:

1. Before booking: your Airbnb listing mentions an "official site" without giving the URL (this is allowed)
2. At confirmation: Airbnb message with practical info + a link to the welcome book
3. On arrival: physical welcome book with a QR code to the direct site, GDPR mention
4. During the stay: business card on the table
5. At check-out: Airbnb message "5★ review + newsletter sign-up" with a link
6. 24 hours after departure: email (if collected through the invoice or the site) "Thank you for your stay, receive our exclusive offers"
7. 3 months later: seasonal newsletter
8. 12 months later: anniversary offer "Come back with 10% off"

Set up once, this workflow runs automatically thanks to the channel manager.

The role of the direct booking website

The cornerstone of this whole system is your direct booking website. Without a direct site, you have nowhere to send the guest to sign up, and no way to capture a future booking. With a direct site, you have:

• A newsletter sign-up form that collects emails
• A booking system that turns the collected email into a paid booking
• A synced calendar so they see availability in real time

This is precisely what BedLink sets up for you as part of the service with setup included.

Going further

• If you want to create your direct booking website: see setup included
• For the comparison of channel managers: best channel manager 2026
• To calculate how much OTA commissions cost you: free calculator
• To understand the overall direct booking strategy: Airbnb property management: do this calculation

Simon Laurent, founder of BedLink. Channel manager + direct site + guest email collection, with setup included. For owners with 1 to 10 properties.