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 News
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.
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.
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.
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.
EU Push Gives Cities Firmer Legal Ground on Airbnb Rules
A Brussels plan to write short-term rental caps into EU law is being framed as protection against court challenges, which would make existing city restrictions harder for hosts to overturn.
EU Links Housing Shortage to New Short-Term Rental Curbs
Brussels is again pointing to the region's housing shortage to justify tighter rules on short-term rentals, with a registration mandate and a city-cap proposal both already in motion.
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.
Scotland's Rental Hosts Win Cross-Party Ear at Holyrood
Self-catering operators and hospitality trade groups shared a platform with MSPs from every major party to press for relief on licensing costs, rates and the coming visitor levy.
Líbere Opens Second Porto Property Mixing Short and Mid-Stays
Líbere Hospitality Group has opened a second Porto asset, pairing short lets with month-plus stays in Vila Nova de Gaia's old port wine cellar district.
Fraudsters Now Use WhatsApp to Scam Rental Guests
Booking fraud has jumped in recent months as scammers ditch generic phishing emails for WhatsApp messages built from real reservation details.
AI Feature Claims Multiply for Vacation Rentals, Details Stay Thin
A fresh roundup of AI capabilities pitched to vacation rental hosts covers messaging, pricing and photo editing, but comes with no independent testing or numbers attached.
Pricing Trend Reports Pile Up, Few Show Their Math
A fresh crop of short-term rental pricing and occupancy reports is landing in hosts' inboxes, but most withhold the sample size and methodology behind the numbers.
Italian Hosts' Group Rejects EU Case for Airbnb Rent Caps
Aigab, the Italian association representing short-term rental managers, says Brussels has no proven evidence that short-term lets push up rents, as the EU moves to let cities cap listings.
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.
Sonder Brand Returns Under New Owner Chasing $100M
TravelAI has bought the Sonder name, trademarks and domain portfolio and plans to rebuild it as an AI-driven urban stay brand, with a stated $100 million target.
Brussels Folds Short-Term Rentals Into Affordable Housing Push
The European Commission is drafting an Affordable Housing Act that would give cities fresh grounds to restrict short-term rentals, with no formal proposal date yet set.
Verona and Lake Garda See Autumn Bookings Already Running Hot
Verona and the Veneto shore of Lake Garda closed peak summer with occupancy at seasonal highs, and the region's tourism observatory says autumn demand is already tracking strong.