That 55-inch TV in your vacation rental living room? Right now, it’s costing you money—electricity, depreciation, the occasional Netflix subscription.
But what if it could generate $400 or more per month in passive income?
Smart vacation rental hosts are discovering that their TVs can do much more than stream shows. With the right setup, your display becomes a revenue center that pays for itself many times over.
The Untapped Revenue Opportunity
Think about what happens when guests arrive at your rental:
- They need recommendations for restaurants, activities, and services
- They’re in vacation mode, ready to spend money
- They trust your property as a source of local knowledge
- They’re a captive audience with time and disposable income
Right now, that value is walking out the door. Guests are Googling “best restaurants near me” and whoever has the best SEO wins their business—not necessarily the businesses you’d actually recommend.
How TV Revenue Actually Works
1. Tour and Activity Commissions
Platforms like Viator and GetYourGuide offer 8-15% commissions on bookings. Display curated local experiences on your welcome screen with QR codes for easy booking.
Example revenue:
- 20 guests per month
- 30% book at least one activity
- Average activity cost: $150
- Commission rate: 10%
- Monthly revenue: $90
2. Local Business Advertising
Local restaurants, tour operators, and service providers will pay to reach your guests. You’re offering them qualified leads—tourists actively looking to spend money.
Typical rates:
- Featured restaurant listing: $50-100/month
- Tour operator spotlight: $75-150/month
- Equipment rental promotion: $50-100/month
With 3-5 local business partners: Monthly revenue: $200-500
3. Food Delivery Referrals
DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub all offer referral programs. Display your referral link prominently and earn credits or cash when guests order in.
Example revenue:
- 20 guest groups per month
- 40% order delivery at least once
- Average referral bonus: $5-10
- Monthly revenue: $40-80
4. Equipment and Experience Rentals
Partner with local outfitters for bikes, kayaks, ski gear, or beach equipment. Many offer 15-25% referral commissions.
Example revenue:
- 20 guests per month
- 25% rent equipment
- Average rental: $80
- Commission: 20%
- Monthly revenue: $80
5. Grocery Delivery Partnerships
Instacart and Amazon Fresh affiliates earn when guests stock up. Display a QR code for easy ordering, especially effective for families.
Example revenue:
- 20 guests per month
- 20% use grocery delivery
- Average order: $100
- Commission: 5%
- Monthly revenue: $20
Total Potential: $430-770/Month
And this is per property. Multiply by your portfolio size.
| Revenue Stream | Low Estimate | High Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Tour commissions | $60 | $120 |
| Local advertising | $200 | $500 |
| Food delivery | $30 | $80 |
| Equipment rentals | $50 | $100 |
| Grocery delivery | $10 | $30 |
| Total | $350 | $830 |
Why This Works Better Than Paper Guides
You might be thinking, “I already have a binder with local recommendations.” Here’s why digital displays convert better:
Visibility
A TV screen is impossible to ignore. A binder sits in a drawer.
Dynamic Content
Update recommendations seasonally, promote weekend specials, highlight events. Paper guides are static.
Frictionless Action
QR codes let guests book instantly from their phones. No typing URLs, no searching.
Tracking
Know exactly which recommendations drive bookings. Optimize based on data, not guesses.
Professional Presentation
A polished digital display signals quality. A photocopied binder signals budget accommodation.
Setting Up Your Revenue Streams
Step 1: Sign Up for Affiliate Programs
Start with the big platforms:
- Viator - Tours and activities (8% commission)
- GetYourGuide - Similar to Viator (8% commission)
- Amazon Associates - For product recommendations (1-10%)
- DoorDash/Uber Eats - Referral programs vary by market
Step 2: Approach Local Businesses
Reach out to businesses you’d genuinely recommend:
“Hi! I manage vacation rentals in [area] and I’m creating a digital welcome guide for my guests. I’d love to feature [Business Name] as a recommended [restaurant/activity/etc]. Would you be interested in a featured placement?”
Most will say yes—you’re offering them free advertising to qualified customers.
Step 3: Create Your Display Content
For each partner, you’ll need:
- High-quality image or logo
- Brief description (2-3 sentences)
- QR code linking to booking/ordering
- Any promotional offer for guests
Step 4: Track and Optimize
Monitor which recommendations get the most scans. Double down on what works, replace what doesn’t.
Common Objections (And Why They’re Wrong)
“My guests don’t want to be sold to”
You’re not selling—you’re recommending. Guests actively want to know where to eat and what to do. You’re providing value, not pushing products.
“Setting this up sounds complicated”
Modern welcome screen platforms handle most of this automatically. Upload your recommendations, connect your affiliate accounts, and the system generates QR codes and tracks clicks.
“The revenue seems too small to matter”
$400/month is $4,800/year per property. That’s a nice chunk of your mortgage payment generated passively. Across a 10-property portfolio, it’s $48,000/year—enough to hire help.
“Won’t this look tacky?”
Only if you do it wrong. The key is curation. Feature 3-5 excellent recommendations, not 50 mediocre ones. Quality over quantity.
The Competitive Advantage
Here’s the strategic insight: your competitors aren’t doing this.
While other hosts are treating their TVs as a commodity, you’re treating yours as a revenue center. That $400/month adds up to a meaningful competitive advantage over time.
And guests appreciate the convenience. Better local recommendations lead to better experiences, which lead to better reviews, which lead to more bookings.
It’s a virtuous cycle that starts with rethinking what that TV is actually for.
Take Action Today
- Calculate your potential revenue using the estimates above
- Sign up for Viator and GetYourGuide affiliate programs
- List 10 local businesses you’d authentically recommend
- Contact those businesses about featured partnerships
- Set up a digital welcome screen to display it all
Your TV is already there. Your guests are already looking for recommendations. The only question is whether that value flows to you or to random Google results.
WelcomeSign makes it easy to monetize your vacation rental TVs. See how much you could earn with our revenue calculator.