Booking.com’s Short-Term Rental Boom—But Hosts Face Delayed Payouts & Less Control

Booking.com just closed Q4 2024 with massive growth in short-term rentals—alternative accommodations now make up 33% of all nights booked, with 19% YoY growth. But here’s the catch: OTAs are gaining even more control over how and when hosts get paid, raising new concerns for property managers.🔑 Key insights from this podcast episode:✅ Why Booking.com is surging in short-term rentals (7.9M listings & counting).✅ How its strategy differs from Airbnb’s—focusing on pro hosts vs. casual hosts.✅ The rise of the Merchant Model—59% of bookings now go through OTA-managed payments.✅ What this shift means for STR managers in 2025—more demand, more competition, and less control over revenue flow.🔔 Like & Subscribe for more short-term rental insights!📩 Stay ahead with the most important industry updates—subscribe to our free newsletter: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/newsletter/