The Nightly Rate: Daily Vacation Rental News
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Industry NewsGlobal
Airbnb Pledges $250M for Housing, None for Hosts
Airbnb commits $250 million to housing affordability projects as it fights the narrative that short-term rentals drive up rents, with none of the money reaching host fees, tools or legal defense.
Industry NewsGlobal
Free Contract Template Targets Direct-Booking Legal Gap
Lodgify has released a downloadable short-term rental agreement template aimed at hosts who take bookings outside Airbnb and Vrbo's built-in terms of service.
TechnologyGlobal
Most Booking Software Vendors Keep API Docs Hidden
An audit of 343 property management system vendors found only 7% publish complete, public API documentation, leaving most integration terms locked behind sales calls.
OTAs UpdatesGlobal
Airbnb Bets $250M on Housing Supply, Not Host Tools
Airbnb has committed $250 million to a new fund aimed at housing construction, a move that changes nothing about fees, tools or listing rules for hosts.
Industry NewsGlobal
Marriott's Rental Platform Wants Portfolios, Not Single Listings
Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy vets applicants on safety gear, photography and property condition before granting access to its loyalty-tied booking channel, and single-listing owner-hosts rarely clear the bar.
Market DataGlobal
Airbnb Eyes $1 Billion From Paid Search Placement
Airbnb has told investors that selling top spots in search results could become a $1 billion revenue line, a shift that would put paid placement ahead of organic ranking for hosts who don't buy in.
Málaga Hotel Group Fights New Three-Year Lodging Freeze
Costa del Sol hotel employers have filed formal objections against Málaga's ban on new tourist accommodation licenses, arguing the freeze will scare off investment without fixing the city's underlying problems.
EU Commission Moves to Shield Cities' Rental Restrictions in Law
The European Commission has proposed giving national and local governments explicit legal cover to cap, license or restrict short-term rentals, aiming to end years of court fights over whether such rules break EU market law.
Industry NewsGlobal
Chesky Signals Airbnb Will Push Ads and Services for Growth
Airbnb chief executive Brian Chesky has laid out plans to grow revenue beyond the booking take rate, pointing hosts toward a future that includes advertising and paid placement inside the app.
Vacation Rental News by Region
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Ranking Names Top Tax-Saving Markets for STR Cost Segregation
A tax advisory firm has published a top-10 list of short-term rental markets it says produce the largest first-year depreciation write-offs through cost segregation studies.
Marina, California, Nears Vote to End Rental Fight
Marina's city council is moving toward a decision meant to close out a long-running dispute over short-term rentals in the small Monterey County city.
Airbnb Puts Homes and Hotels Under One New Chief
Airbnb has named Pepijn Rijvers, who previously held senior roles at Booking.com and Tripadvisor, as chief business officer overseeing Homes, Hotels, Global Markets and Enterprise Operations.
Frequently asked questions
What is The Nightly Rate, and who is it for?
The Nightly Rate is a daily vacation rental news publication written for professional short-term rental operators and property managers. Each night it covers industry news and deals, OTA updates from Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo, short-term rental regulations and licensing, market data on occupancy, ADR and RevPAR, and the technology hosts run their portfolios on.
What is a vacation rental, and how is it different from a long-term rental?
A vacation rental - also called a short-term rental (STR) - is a furnished home, apartment or cabin let to guests for short stays, typically fewer than 30 consecutive nights, priced per night and managed by the owner or a property manager. Unlike a long-term tenancy, it is booked through platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo or a direct site, includes hospitality services like cleaning and guest communication, and is usually regulated as a separate activity with its own licensing, tax and night-cap rules.
What does OTA mean in vacation rentals, and which OTAs matter most?
OTA stands for Online Travel Agency: a booking platform that lists inventory from many hosts, takes the reservation and charges a commission. For vacation rentals the OTAs that drive most third-party demand are Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo, with Expedia and Google Vacation Rentals relevant in some markets.
What are ADR, occupancy and RevPAR in vacation rentals, and how are they calculated?
ADR (Average Daily Rate) is accommodation revenue divided by booked nights. Occupancy is booked nights divided by available nights. RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Rental) is accommodation revenue divided by available nights, or ADR multiplied by occupancy.
What is a direct booking in vacation rentals, and why do hosts want more of them?
A direct booking is a reservation made through the operator's own website or channels instead of a third-party OTA. Hosts want more of them to avoid OTA commission, own the guest relationship and reduce exposure to platform policy changes.
How are vacation rentals regulated, and what rules typically apply?
Vacation rental (short-term rental) regulation typically covers registration or permitting, licensing conditions, annual night caps and tourist or occupancy taxes, with the specific thresholds set city by city and revised often.
What is dynamic pricing for vacation rentals, and how does it work?
Dynamic pricing adjusts a rental's nightly rate continuously in response to demand signals such as booking pace, competitor rates, lead time, day of week, seasonality and local events, aiming to lift ADR when demand is strong and protect occupancy when it is soft.