European Hotels Sue Booking.com Over 20 Years of Rate Rules
Hotels across the continent are filing damages claims against Booking.com, arguing price parity rules enforced from 2004 to 2024 illegally blocked cheaper direct rates.
Industry News
Report Flags Midwest Cities as Cheaper Bet for Rentals
A new market report argues Midwest metro areas beat traditional coastal vacation markets on short-term rental returns, pointing to lower property prices and lighter local rules.
UK Holiday Let Hosts Fight Being Taxed as Second Homes
Owners who run holiday lets as a business say a 70-night letting rule and council tax premiums of up to 100% are treating them like absentee second-home owners.
Airbnb Sends First Housing Fund Dollars to Austin
Airbnb has begun deploying its $250 million housing commitment in Austin, Texas, making it the first city to receive money under the program.
A Coruña's Visitor Tax Collects €1.04M, Tops Forecast
The Galician city has already brought in more than its full first-half target from the tourist tax and now expects €2.5 million for the year, a number that keeps the fee's future firmly in view.
Wisconsin Farmer's Airbnb Trailer Now Beats Her Farm Income
A restored vintage Airstream parked on a Wisconsin farm is generating more rental income than the farm operation around it, its owner says.
Calvià Steers €17 Million Tourist Tax Into Magaluf Overhaul
Mallorca's Calvià town hall says it will spend close to €17 million raised through the Balearic tourist tax rebuilding Magaluf's infrastructure and shifting the resort away from its budget-party reputation.
StayTerra Adds 2,000 Homes Through Gather Vacations Deal
A distribution partnership pushes StayTerra's listing count past 2,000 properties, with new inventory concentrated in Hawaii, California and Washington.
Ibiza Inspectors Seal Home Rented Without Tourist License
Authorities shut down a property on the island after finding it was being marketed for short-term stays without the registration Balearic law requires.
Cloudbeds Folds Pricing Tool Into Its Core Data Feed
Cloudbeds has added a revenue management module that draws pricing signals directly from the reservation, channel and guest data already running through its property management system, rather than requiring a separate connected tool.
Airbnb Puts $250 Million Into Housing, Not Host Relief
Airbnb says it will commit $250 million to a new housing accelerator program aimed at boosting housing supply, with no new spending aimed at hosts' fees, tools or compliance costs.
UK Holiday Let Owners Report Profit Gains After Tax Overhaul
A survey of holiday let owners finds close to half say profits rose in the months after April's tax changes stripped away reliefs unique to furnished holiday lets.
Report Ties Short-Term Rental Hosting to Latino Wealth Gains
New research argues that hosting on rental platforms helps Latino families build generational wealth, though the underlying data has not been made public.
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.
Free Contract Template Targets Direct-Booking Legal Gap
A new downloadable short-term rental agreement template aims to give hosts who take bookings outside Airbnb and Vrbo's built-in terms of service a signed contract to fall back on.
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.
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.