STR News.

Fill last-minute Airbnb vacancies by adjusting minimum stays, offering 10-20% discounts (never below cost floor), and optimizing Instant Book settings. Focus on eligibility before price cuts to rescue revenue from otherwise empty nights.

Instant Book on Airbnb offers increased bookings and visibility in exchange for less control. While risks exist, guest requirements and automated screening can mitigate them. Standard rentals with basic systems benefit most.

Discover 22 top short-term rental podcasts to elevate your hosting game. From industry trends and marketing tactics to operational efficiency and financial strategies, these shows offer expert insights for hosts of all levels.

Ember Stays has been recognized as the top vacation rental manager in St. George, Utah. This ranking highlights the growing importance of professional management in competitive STR markets and underscores the need for hosts to optimize operations to stand out.

Travelport's new TripServices API aims to streamline AI travel booking by connecting flights, hotels, and extras. It uses machine learning to rank content and reduce irrelevant options, with expanded servicing tools for changes and disruptions. This platform could impact how travel tech integrates with GDS systems.

Aven, a former Sabre hospitality unit, has launched a new direct booking engine designed to keep travelers on hotel websites. This tech aims to reduce abandonment by eliminating redirects, focusing on a cleaner, rebuilt infrastructure.

Ed Ulmer of Barefoot emphasizes trust accounting as the foundation for vacation rental management, not a back-office task. Growing complexity in managing owner/guest funds and meeting state regulations necessitates robust PMS technology. Choosing the right system is crucial for operator success and guest retention.

OwnerRez announces integration with GuestsKey, a smart lock automation platform for property managers. This new tool automatically generates, schedules, and removes guest access codes, syncing directly with OwnerRez bookings to eliminate manual code management and enhance security for hosts.

Accor bets on AI for hospitality, focusing on AI discovery, distribution, loyalty, and operations. 63% of travelers use AI for trip planning, impacting hotel visibility. Hosts must ensure brands are "AI-ready" for survival.

AI is fundamentally changing hospitality, making human traits like judgment, curiosity, and emotional intelligence more valuable than technical skills alone. Hosts should focus on these human elements to differentiate their businesses.

Lorraine Bonner of YorGuest leverages OwnerRez for comprehensive STR management, handling 25 properties with a focus on automation and owner statements. She highlights the platform's user-friendliness and customization for UK operations, improving efficiency and profitability.

Hotel AI is struggling to drive revenue due to fragmented data. Connecting disparate systems (PMS, CRM, etc.) is key for AI personalization and upselling opportunities. Implementing integrated tech requires careful planning to avoid operational disruption.

A short-term rental property was struck by bullets during a graduation party involving teenagers, highlighting safety concerns. This incident underscores the risks associated with hosting large gatherings and the need for stringent house rules. Hosts should prioritize guest safety and consider security measures.

A tragic incident saw bullets pierce a short-term rental during a graduation celebration, highlighting safety concerns for hosts and guests. This event underscores the need for robust security measures and careful guest vetting, especially during peak booking periods.

Airbnb's Extended Cancellation Option is now available, providing hosts and property managers with more flexibility. This update offers potential relief during unexpected events, allowing for cancellations beyond the standard policy, which could improve guest trust and booking confidence.

Lighthouse launched Ernest, an AI assistant for hotel commercial teams that consolidates data from revenue, marketing, sales, and distribution into one dashboard. This tool aims to simplify complex commercial work for hotel teams by turning scattered data into actionable workflows, allowing users to ask questions and act on answers without switching platforms.

Casago has launched VueStay Vacations, a full-service management company backed by Trivest Partners. This expansion signals growing investment and consolidation in the vacation rental management sector, potentially impacting independent operators.

Klook is beta-testing an AI shopping agent to simplify travel booking by consolidating diverse services into a single conversational interface. This aims to enhance customer experience by understanding intent and automating bookings across attractions, transport, and hotels.

Class Valuation is partnering with Makena to equip appraisers with InstaPlan, a mobile tool for faster floor plan generation and data collection ahead of the UAD 3.6 mandate on Nov. 2, 2026. This aims to streamline inspections and ensure preparedness.

HUD pilots robotics and automated permitting for faster, cheaper housing construction. Two programs totaling $13M aim to industrialize home building and streamline local approvals, potentially influencing future federal housing policy and private investment.

OwnerRez announces an integration with TidyStay, an automation platform designed to streamline short-term rental turnovers. This integration automates cleaning scheduling, notifies cleaners via SMS with booking details, and allows for photo proof of cleaning, aiming to simplify operations for hosts.

The STR market demands professionalism, not casual hosting. Hotels and rentals are converging, pushing hosts to differentiate beyond price. Build a direct booking strategy and leverage AI for search optimization.

An Airbnb owner is suing a startup for allegedly testing robots secretly in their home. The startup claimed staff were remote workers from Thailand. This incident highlights potential privacy and security risks when third parties access guest properties for testing.

A traveler faced an inaccessible VRBO rental, highlighting the importance of robust support. VRBOCare intervened to resolve the issue, showcasing the value of platform-provided assistance in challenging guest situations.