Most Airbnb hosts in Ireland think success comes down to keeping their property spotless. But the real driver of bookings and revenue isn’t cleaning — it’s marketing. In this guide, we reveal why the highest-earning Airbnb listings in places like Kerry, Dublin, and Galway win with better photos, smarter pricing, and stronger listings — and how many hosts are unknowingly leaving thousands of euro on the table each year.

Ireland’s short-term rental sector is moving into a regulated, performance-driven phase. By 2026, all hosts must register with Fáilte Ireland, with unregistered listings effectively removed from platforms. At the same time, expanded planning permission rules mean many non-primary residences will require formal approval to operate. This marks a structural shift: short-term letting is no longer informal participation, but a regulated segment of the housing and tourism system.