Airbnb’s BNPL Move, Expedia’s Design Play & Weather-Backed Stays

This Monday, the GMH Short-Term Rental Crew, with Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, and Jamie Lane dive into the latest moves shaping the STR and travel landscape. Airbnb rolls out its new “Reserve Now, Pay Later” option, signaling a shift toward more flexible booking terms that could boost conversions for longer stays. BNPL trends are expanding across airlines, hotels, and cruises, raising questions about guest spending habits and potential adoption in vacation rentals. Expedia Group makes a strategic design hire with Rachel Been as SVP, underscoring the power of user experience in driving loyalty. Sonder faces a leadership shake-up with the departure of CFO Michael Hughes, while Vrbo’s WeatherPromise program offers automatic payouts for rain-affected stays—no claims required—hinting at new ways to protect and reassure travelers. The hosts unpack what these changes mean for operators, platforms, and guests, and explore how innovation, design, and traveler trust are becoming critical in the competition for bookings. This episode is brought to you by Guesty! Follow the Hosts: Brandy Canaley – ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ Jamie Lane – ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ Michael Goldin – ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ Connect with Skift: LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WhatsApp: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/skift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠@SkiftNews⁠ and never miss an update from the travel industry.