How we started
As a seasoned Airbnb host of many years, I was getting more and more frustrated with regularly receiving unwanted guests. I define unwanted guests as non-payers, thieves, rule breakers for example noise complaints, smoking inside and the list goes on.
If only there was a legal way to vet a guest before they arrive. I came to believe the big local booking websites don’t seem interested in protecting the hosts but rather focusses on increasing their guest memberships. No vetting is done and no historic guest behaviour records are kept.
We decided to create a tool for you the host where you can report bad guests based on a set criterion and so Travel Score was born.
We will continue to develop this product with a host of additional features coming in the future.
What is our mission?
We are actively promoting this first of its kind service in South Africa to guest house owners, Airbnb hosts, rental agents and holiday to let companies. We recognize that the short-term rental hosts are key role players in ensuring reporting the actions of unscrupulous visitors and making Travel Score a success. For those already registered and actively reporting we thank you on behalf of all our members.
What can YOU do to help the short-term rental community rid ourselves from this growing problem?
By registering your establishment on our website, we provide you the opportunity to report visitors you would not recommend to other hosts.
How do we help warn you about potential problem visitors?
We will allow registered establishment members the opportunity to search our database using primarily the potential visitors cell phone number. Members will receive back an indication whether this guest has been flagged as a problem visitor on our database.
Why is it important to be an active Travel Score member?
Hosts can inform potential visitors via your hosting platform profile or your website that they are Travel Score members.
Potential visitors will love the fact that when they book by you that other guest that might also be staying on the premises has been vetted and won’t disrupt their visit with noise or even worse steal their belongings.
Potential unwanted visitors will note that your establishment do Travel Score vetting and not even bother to try and make a booking
What are our goals?
One of our biggest challenges and goals is to keep our database of rental offenders as accurate as possible. We have developed AI systems that actively analyse reported incidents and will also in the future be able to predict when and which areas are likely to be target by repeat offenders as our database grows.
We also want to reserve membership to our platform to hosts only and will actively review all new registered accounts credentials for authenticity.