Airbnb Adds Car Rentals, Betting Guests Won't Leave the App
Airbnb has folded car rental bookings into its app and website, the latest push to keep travelers spending inside its ecosystem instead of comparison shopping elsewhere.
OTAs Updates
Flagstaff Rental Fee Hike Spares Airbnb, Vrbo Hosts
Flagstaff, Arizona, is raising short-term rental registration fees and requiring insurance and background checks, but hosts booking exclusively through Airbnb and Vrbo are exempt from parts of the new rules.
Owners Warned to Put Airbnb Manager Deals in Writing
A free 2026 contract template highlights how many owners still hand Airbnb listings to co-hosts or managers with no written terms on fees, damage liability, or account access.
Airbnb's Luggage Storage Pitch Beats Its Car Rental News
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says a small luggage-storage feature outdrew car rentals for audience reaction at the company's product event, a sign of where its non-lodging bets actually land with travelers.
Airbnb's Boutique Hotel Rooms Are Reshaping Host Search Results
Airbnb keeps adding independent hotel rooms to its US search results, and hosts in those markets are now competing for the same screen space as branded inventory.
Host-Funded Discounts Now Drive More Than 40% of Vrbo Bookings
Supplier-funded promotions have jumped from roughly a third to more than 40% of Vrbo bookings in a single quarter, which makes the platform's growth partly a transfer from owner margin.
Vrbo Sponsored Listings: How the Paid Placement Auction Works for Hosts
A plain-language walkthrough of Vrbo sponsored listings - where the paid slots appear, what triggers a charge, and which numbers decide whether a campaign pays for itself.
Behind Airbnb's Lark Deal: Five Brands, Sub-150-Room Hotels
Lark's network of nearly 100 small independent hotels across five brands is the shape of Airbnb's boutique supply push, and only its US properties are going on the platform.
Airbnb Still Won't Give Cleaners Their Own Login
Airbnb offers no dedicated permission tier for cleaning staff, so hosts keep patching together full account access, iCal exports and outside software to manage turnovers.
Vrbo Leans on Discounts as Expedia Posts 14% Revenue Rise
Expedia's second-quarter results show room-night growth built partly on subsidised rates, with more than 40 percent of Vrbo bookings carrying partner-funded offers.
Expedia Ties Vrbo Guest Rewards to Loyalty Tier, Not Spend
Expedia has rebuilt how its One Key programme pays out rewards on Vrbo bookings, replacing a spend-based formula with one tied to guest loyalty status.
Airbnb Adds 75 Boutique Hotels From Lark in US Push
Airbnb has struck a distribution deal with boutique operator Lark Hotels, putting more than 75 of its properties on the platform alongside individual host listings.
Vrbo Starts Selling Search Placement, Expedia.com Ads Next
Vrbo has begun letting property managers pay for higher placement in search results, with the same sponsored listings set to appear on Expedia.com.
Airbnb's New AI Filter Reshapes What Guests See First
Airbnb has folded AI deeper into search ranking and guest messaging by summer 2026, and hosts are still working out what the platform's own filtering actually rewards.
Hidden VAT Charges Push Airbnb's Host Fee Well Above Advertised Rate for Many European Operators
A closer look at tax rules shows that unregistered small hosts across the continent could be paying nearly four percentage points more than Airbnb's headline commission suggests.
Airbnb Moves Into Shared Workspace Bookings via London Startup Tie-Up
Airbnb has struck a partnership with London-based flexible workspace operator Oneder, letting travelers reserve day passes, private offices and meeting rooms directly through the app.
Expanding to Expedia: What Short-Term Rental Hosts Should Weigh Before Signing Up
A closer look at how vacation rental operators can add Expedia to their distribution mix and where the process demands extra planning.
Airbnb Pedals Away From Paris: How the Platform Is Rebranding Itself Through Rural France
Airbnb is leaning on the Tour de France sponsorship and a nostalgic campaign tied to France's 90th anniversary of paid vacations to redirect attention toward countryside stays as Paris tightens short-term rental rules.
Airbnb's New Car Rental Tie-Up Hints at a Bigger Loyalty Play
A fresh partnership pairing Airbnb with a car rental provider offers guest credits that look less like a side perk and more like the foundation of a guest-retention system hosts should watch closely.