Vrbo Adds AI Search, Voice Booking and Pay-Later Plan
Expedia Group is rolling out natural-language search and a voice assistant on Vrbo, with a deferred-payment option for guests still to come.
US Vacation Rental News
Airbnb Blocks One-Night Bookings in Florida for Halloween Weekend
Airbnb is restricting last-minute, one-night reservations of entire homes across Florida ahead of Halloween, extending a party-prevention policy it has enforced nationally since 2020.
Occupancy, Not Rate Hikes, Drives US Rental Revenue Gains
Short-term rental revenue per available listing is running ahead of last year through the close of 2026, with more nights booked doing most of the work rather than higher nightly rates, according to Key Data.
Amex Premium Cardholders Can Now Spend Hotel Credits on Airbnb Luxe
American Express has folded Airbnb's search engine into Amex Travel, letting Platinum and Centurion cardholders redeem their annual lodging credits on Airbnb Luxe properties for the first time.
Vrbo Keeps Some Hosts on Subscriptions, Won't Say Why
Hosts and property managers being pushed off Vrbo's flat-fee subscription plan say a subset of listings is quietly being allowed to keep it, with no explanation of who qualifies.
New Orleans Raises Short-Term Rental Fees to Patch Budget Gap
The city council voted to raise permit fees on short-term rental hosts, directing the new revenue toward closing a gap in the city's budget.
VRMA's Nashville Conference Puts Platform Fees Under the Microscope
The vacation rental industry's largest annual gathering, running this week in Nashville, is dominated by hallway math on new platform commissions and a fresh push to formalize operator training.
Most US Property Managers Expect Revenue Growth in 2027
A Key Data survey finds 76.8% of professional property managers expect 2027 revenue to rise, even as 64.2% brace for tougher competition over guests.
Most Long-Stay Travelers Say Rental Options Don't Fit, Landing Finds
Landing's new report finds nearly three-quarters of travelers booking longer stays say the accommodations available to them don't match what they actually need.
Bartech Brings QR-Code Minibars to Vacation Rentals
Bartech is selling short-term rental hosts a $9.99-a-month minibar system that skips inventory sensors and PMS hookups in favor of guests scanning a code to pay.
PriceLabs Adds AI Analyst to Flag Pricing Problems at Scale
PriceLabs has launched Athena, an AI tool it says scans managed listings around the clock and flags pricing and performance problems before a revenue manager has to go looking for them.
Rental Trade Groups Back New Operator Training, Skip the Details
A coalition of short-term rental trade groups and management companies is throwing its weight behind a new operator education push, though it has not said who runs it, what it costs or who checks the work.
Rental Managers Bet on a Stronger 2027, Brace for OTA Return
Key Data's annual outlook survey finds short-term rental managers more confident on revenue and occupancy for 2027, even as they expect tougher competition and a bigger reliance on OTAs.
20 Regional Operators Merge Into Founder-Owned Rental Network
Pavilion, a new national vacation rental company built from twenty independently founded property managers overseeing more than 5,000 homes, launched in New York on October 5 as an alternative to private-equity-backed roll-ups.
Pavilion Buys Into 20 Rental Managers Without Taking Full Control
Pavilion has combined 20 vacation rental management companies into one group but left ownership and software decisions mostly in the operators' hands.
Annapolis Sets $5,000 Fines for Unregistered Short-Term Rentals
Annapolis, Maryland, will fine short-term rental hosts up to $5,000 per violation for operating without proper registration, sharpening enforcement of rules many hosts have so far ignored.
Casago Installs Joe Riley as CEO, Closing Vacasa Handover
Joe Riley took the top job at Casago on October 2, as the Phoenix-based manager wraps up folding Vacasa's property portfolio into its operation.
AI Assistant Clears Hotel PMS Standard, Easing Integration Costs
Avalora's VAIA becomes the first AI assistant certified against the American Hotel & Lodging Association's HTNG Express connectivity standard, a move aimed at cutting the cost of plugging AI tools into property management systems.
Folly Beach Residents Push to Scrap Short-Term Rental Cap
Folly Beach, South Carolina, residents want the city's planned short-term rental study to weigh ditching its license cap entirely, not just tweaking the number.
Heat Waves Push US Summer Renters Toward Cooler Markets
Sustained summer heat is nudging travelers away from traditional Sun Belt beach markets and toward cooler-climate destinations, forcing hosts in both camps to rethink their calendars.