Vacation Rental Scale-Up

How do you make sure that when ChatGPT recommends your short-term rental, the guest actually clicks "book"? 🤔While everyone is racing to get surfaced by AI search tools, a mere citation on Claude or Perplexity does not move money. A human still has to click through, weigh your trust signals, and decide to pay. How do you make sure your AI visibility actually turns into paying guests? 💸📖 Read the step-by-step recap and analysis on our blog: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/generative-engine-optimization-for-short-term-rentals/In this episode, Uvika Wahi sits down with Neely Khan, founder of Artword Creative and creator of the Kahani framework. Neely shares her GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) plus storytelling system for hospitality brands, breaking down exactly how to get found by the machine and chosen by the human 🤖🤝🧑. You will learn why the "messy middle" is where most bookings quietly die and a free exercise you can run this week to see exactly how AI is describing your brand.Key Takeaways🛑 The Visibility Trap: Being recommended by AI is not the same as being booked. The guest almost always leaves to verify you, and a thin digital footprint kills the sale.🧠 The EEAT Playbook: Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust are not just outdated SEO concepts. They are the exact signals AI tools now weigh, and small operators can build all four without a massive marketing budget.✨ Personality as Conversion: Generic "luxury, wellness, five-star" copy reads identically to machines and humans alike. Distinctive, story-led language gets registered as a genuine USP and wins the click.Episode Timestamps⏱️ 00:00 Intro: AI Visibility vs. Human Bookings⏱️ 02:15 Why the "Messy Middle" is Killing Your Conversions⏱️ 05:30 Understanding the EEAT Framework for AI Search⏱️ 08:45 How to Build Authority Without a PR Budget⏱️ 12:20 Why Distinctive Brand Personality Beats Generic "Luxury" Copy⏱️ 15:10 Try This "Reverse Engineering" Prompt Exercise TodayResources & Links🔗 Connect with Neely Khan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neelykhan/✍️ Read Neely on Substack: https://substack.com/@neelykhan1📩 Stay ahead of the market: Join over 10,000 professional operators who get the most important short-term rental news and algorithmic breakdowns delivered straight to their inbox every week. Subscribe to the RSU by PriceLabs newsletter for free here: https://rentalscaleup.com/newsletter

Most revenue tools still make you log in, click through, and cross-reference before you get an answer. This episode tests what happens when you skip all of that — wiring a live pricing engine straight into an AI assistant and asking it questions in plain English instead.I connected PriceLabs to Claude using its new MCP (Model Context Protocol) connector and put it through real tasks: diagnosing a cold listing, checking portfolio pacing, and making a live pricing change without ever opening the dashboard. Some of it worked exactly as promised. Some of it exposed exactly where a beta is still a beta.🔌 The Setup: How the MCP connector links live pricing and portfolio data directly into a conversation with Claude🧠 Read vs. Write Access: Why read-only is zero-risk, and why write access is where both the savings and the real risk live📉 The Cold Listing Test: Asking Claude why a specific unit hasn't booked, and what came back instead of a manual report🚧 Where It Breaks: No bulk actions yet, rate plans still read-only, and why that matters if your portfolio is large⚖️ The Judgment Call: Why treating AI-suggested pricing changes like a new analyst's recommendation, not gospel, is still the right instinctThis one's for any operator weighing whether to bring a general AI assistant into their daily pricing workflow, and what to actually check before you flip write access on.📩 Stay ahead of the market: Join over 10,000 professional operators who get the most important short-term rental news and algorithmic breakdowns delivered straight to their inbox every week. Subscribe to the RSU by PriceLabs newsletter for free here: https://rentalscaleup.com/newsletter

Vrbo's newest ads, Magician and No Chef, are the ones getting all the buzz right now. Big spend, big view counts, the full spotlight moment. 🎬So why bring up a much quieter content campaign running in the background at the same time?Because with major booking platforms, it's rarely the loudest release that teaches you the most. This time, the real playbook is buried in a low-key campaign called Eavesdrop, and it's far more useful to your business than either commercial. 🕵️‍♂️Here's what we get into:🎯 Two campaigns, two completely different goals: the commercials exist to grab attention mid-scroll, while Eavesdrop is built to rank and get discovered through search.🔍The tactics you can actually borrow: FAQ sections written for specific destinations, video hosted on your own website instead of only social platforms, and content centered on one genuine property rather than generic stock imagery.💸 Why this approach costs less: Expedia has said publicly that content like this is lowering marketing spend while lifting margins, without needing millions of views to justify itself.🗺️The signal that gave it away early: the destination behind Eavesdrop lines up with a market Expedia's own trend report called out as the country's fastest-growing, a full eight months before the campaign went live.📺 Want to watch instead? Full video breakdown right here: https://youtu.be/ZPr1jKbtPHA🔖 Read the full breakdown on our blog: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/vrbo-new-commercials-vs-eavesdrop/Stay ahead of the market: Join over 10,000 professional operators who get the most important short-term rental news and algorithmic breakdowns delivered straight to their inbox every week. Subscribe to the RSU by PriceLabs newsletter for free here: https://rentalscaleup.com/newsletter

Airbnb just promised Wall Street it would extract more money from every single booking this year. Yet, your platform fees aren’t going up, and your payouts remain untouched. So, where is that massive revenue growth coming from? 🛑💳While operators have been pressured to simplify pricing and fold cleaning fees into their nightly rates to show guests "one honest number," Airbnb has quietly replaced those empty lines with a suite of its own fintech products. The platform is now monetizing the guest's need for flexibility, security, and convenience—without sharing the profits.In this episode, we unpack the 4 hidden checkout mechanics:Travel Insurance: How Airbnb captures massive margins on trip protection.Extended Cancellations: The "cancel for any reason" upgrade that acts as a paid flexibility buffer.Buy Now, Pay Later: How zero-dollar down payments shift booking behaviors.Currency Conversion Fees: The invisible 2% surcharge international guests pay to avoid exchange rate headaches.Discover how these features shift financial risk, why the gap between guest payment and your payout is widening, and how you can implement these exact same add-ons to increase revenue on your direct booking website. 💸📈📺 Watch the full video breakdown on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/fpJxomGpj5Q📖 Read the step-by-step analysis and see the checkout data on our blog: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/insurance-pay-later-cancellation-fees-what-airbnb-now-earns-on-top-of-your-stay-rates/ 📩 Stay ahead of the algorithm: Join over 10,000 professional operators who get the most important short-term rental news and algorithmic breakdowns delivered straight to their inbox every week. Subscribe to the RSU by PriceLabs newsletter for free here: https://rentalscaleup.com/newsletter#ShortTermRentals #PropertyManagement #AirbnbUpdate #VacationRentalMarketing #RevenueManagement #PriceLabs

Should you build your own custom AI workflows, or wait for your software vendors to roll out their updates?In this episode, Thibault Masson sits down with Mark Simpson to break down exactly how independent operators can leverage artificial intelligence to automate their operations and scale revenue. In this episode, we cover:Level 1 (The Foundations): How to use Custom Instructions and Custom GPTs so your AI understands your exact brand voice and business rules.Level 2 (Data Conversion): Using Google's Notebook LM to instantly turn raw sales transcripts into slide decks and client presentations.Level 3 (Rapid Creation): Building functional digital guidebooks and niche direct-booking websites in minutes using simple text prompts.Level 4 (The AI Chief of Staff): How to use API connectors to link your AI directly to tools like Slack, creating an "employee" that monitors your business 24/7 and handles maintenance dispatch.Level 5 (Autonomous Agents): The mechanics behind OpenClaw and how Mark built a fully autonomous AI sales team that generated $60,000 in revenue for him in just 90 days.Where to Start: Why auditing your digital tasks for 7 days is the crucial first step to identifying what you should hand off to an agent.📺 Watch the full strategic breakdown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2xhTmxJqkw📖 Read the step-by-step recap and analysis on our blog: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/ai-agents-for-property-managers-five-levels/ https://www.rentalscaleup.com/ai-in-vacation-rentals-build-or-wait/ 📩 Stay ahead of the market: Join over 10,000 professional operators who get the most important short-term rental news and algorithmic breakdowns delivered straight to their inbox every week. Subscribe to the RSU by PriceLabs newsletter for free here: https://rentalscaleup.com/newsletter#ShortTermRentals #PropertyManagement #AIAutomation #VacationRentalTech #PriceLabs

The rules of organic search visibility are undergoing a major shift. For years, professional operators have structured their businesses around strict performance metrics to secure Vrbo’s Premier Host badge and its promised visibility boost. 🛑📉But what happens when platforms introduce paid shortcuts?In this episode, we break down Expedia Group's new sponsored listings feature on Vrbo, shifting the platform toward the cost-per-click bidding models traditional hotels have used for years. This isn't an isolated event; it mirrors a broader industry pattern across Booking.com and Airbnb. 🏢💼We also dive into the macro-dynamics forcing this change—specifically how generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are drastically shrinking online search real estate, condensing multiple pages of listings into just a few curated recommendations. 🤖📊Key takeaways from this episode:The structural mechanics behind Vrbo's new paid placement tests.Why the financial risk of visibility is moving squarely onto your operational budget.The changing definition of "operational excellence" when badges become a prerequisite to bid rather than an organic reward. ⚖️🎙️ Listen to the full audio breakdown: https://youtu.be/no7apLvI84c📖 Read the strategic analysis on our blog: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/vrbo-sponsored-listings-premier-host/📩 Stay ahead of the market: Join over 10,000 professional operators who get weekly short-term rental news delivered straight to their inbox. Subscribe to the RSU by PriceLabs newsletter for free: https://rentalscaleup.com/newsletter

Airbnb’s new "risk-free" cancellation policy might guarantee your payout, but it could be silently draining your operational budget. 🛑💸In this episode of the RSU Podcast, Thibault Masson (Founder of RSU by PriceLabs) breaks down Airbnb's newly rolled out "Extended Cancellation Option"—a feature that allows guests to cancel up to 24 hours before check-in. While Airbnb absorbs the financial risk to protect your top-line revenue, the downstream scheduling and vendor chaos is left entirely on your shoulders.We unpack the real business impact, including:🧹 The Hidden Margin Bleed: If a guest cancels 24 hours before check-in, your payouts are safe—but your downstream operational costs are not. If your cleaning company or service providers require a 3-to-5-day notice for schedule changes, you are stuck footing the bill for unneeded turns.📅 The Calendar Trap: Cancelled dates immediately reopen on your calendar just hours before check-in. We discuss why you must rely on aggressive dynamic pricing rules to automatically capture last-minute rebookings before those dates sit empty.💰 The Financial Mechanics: How the policy actually works. Guests pay an upfront fee directly to Airbnb for flexibility, meaning Airbnb assumes the risk, not you.🏨 The Booking.com Parallel: How this mirrors Booking.com’s “Smart Flex” program—except Airbnb is actively charging the guest for the privilege.⚙️ Taking Back Control: This feature is automatically applied to listings with moderate, firm, or strict cancellation policies. Learn how to navigate your settings and opt out if the vendor friction is too high.If you keep this feature enabled, your operations team and your dynamic pricing software must be in perfect alignment. Tune in to ensure you aren't bleeding margin on last-minute cancellations! 🧠📉📺 Watch the video version: See the full visual breakdown and analysis on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/JVv-wr-HYtw📖 Want the written analysis? Read the full deep-dive article and operational checklist on our blog here: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/airbnb-extended-cancellation-option-what-hosts-and-property-managers-need-to-know/📩 Stay ahead of the market: Get the most important short-term rental news delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe to the RSU by PriceLabs newsletter here: https://rentalscaleup.com/newsletterIf you found this episode valuable, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and subscribe for weekly industry breakdowns!

Airbnb just made two major corporate moves that signal an aggressive expansion beyond traditional short-term rentals: they poached Booking.com’s top hotel executive and invested $58 million to build a real-life social network. 🛑📉In this episode of the RSU Podcast, Uvika Wahi (Short-Term Rental Industry Analyst and Editor at RSU by PriceLabs) unpacks these parallel strategies and what they mean for professional property managers. Why is a platform built for short-term rentals moving so fast into independent boutique hotels and curated millennial group travel? 💼💡We break down:🏨 The Hotel Expansion: Why Airbnb is aggressively growing its independent boutique hotel supply, especially in heavily regulated European urban markets like Barcelona, Paris, and Lisbon.🤝 The Real-Life Social Network: How Airbnb is utilizing its $58 million investment in WeRoad to capture repeat group travel intent and connect offline, real-world relationships back to the platform.⚖️ The Evolution of Search: How Airbnb's ranking algorithm is moving toward rewarding "communal fit" and social experiences, and what this signals for your future visibility.📈 The Business Impact: How professional property managers can defend their bookings and sharpen their local positioning when forced to compete directly with boutique hotels.If you are managing listings in major urban markets, your competitive landscape is actively changing. Tune in to learn how to adapt your portfolio to Airbnb's new hotel-friendly, social-first direction. 🧠📊📖 Want the written analysis? Read the full deep-dive article on our blog here: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/airbnb-hotel-supply-damico-booking-com-hire/📩 Stay ahead of the market: Get the most important short-term rental news delivered straight to your inbox every week. Subscribe to the RSU by PriceLabs newsletter here: https://rentalscaleup.com/newsletter📺 Watch the video version: See the full visual breakdown and analysis on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/_3qptzo12lY If you found this episode valuable, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and subscribe for weekly industry breakdowns!

Your dynamic pricing strategy might be flawless—but bad listing photos, inflexible cleaning fees, and over-promised owner estimates are silently destroying your short-term rental revenue. 🛑💸 In this episode of RSU by PriceLabs, Thibault Masson sits down with Bryant Loy (Director of Revenue Management at Brett/Robinson) and Becca Madigan (Manager of U.S. Solutions at PriceLabs) to uncover the hidden revenue leaks in your short-term rental business. We discuss why revenue management is no longer a solo function—it’s a team sport. Learn how your marketing, operations, and owner relations teams all play a critical role in your bottom line from experts managing over 1,800 properties. In this episode, we cover:🎯 Marketing & Distribution: Why poorly optimized listings (like blurry photos or unappealing descriptions) force you to lower your nightly rates to get booked. 🧹 Operational Impact & Fees: How to set seasonal cleaning fees and discount gap-night cleans by 40-50% to stay competitive in the off-season without losing your margin. 🤝 Owner Relations: The true cost of owner churn and how utilizing accurate, data-driven revenue forecasting builds trust and protects your portfolio. 📊 The "Total Revenue" Mindset: Why tracking just the top-line gross rental revenue isn't enough anymore, and how to track fee revenue. 🤖 AI vs. Human Expertise: Why blindly trusting AI optimization tools to build your listings without a human review is a dangerous operational mistake. Whether you manage 50 or 1,500 properties, you'll walk away with actionable strategies to align your teams and increase your overall profitability. 📈 📺 Want to see the data dashboards we discussed? Watch the full visual breakdown of this episode and see Becca's screen share on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJrKlJ6QCZU📖 Prefer to read? Get the complete written summary and download the accompanying SOP checklist on our blog: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/vacation-rental-revenue-management-leaks/ Never miss an update. Subscribe to the RSU by PriceLabs newsletter to get the latest STR data, trends, and revenue strategies delivered straight to your inbox:  https://rentalscaleup.com/newsletter If you found this webinar, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review!

Airbnb's 2026 Summer Release just rewrote the rules of how guests discover, evaluate, and book your property. 🛑📉With this update, Airbnb hasn't just rolled out new features—the platform has fundamentally inserted an AI layer into every single monetizable decision point of the guest journey. From discovery to booking, AI is now sitting between your property and your prospective guest.In this episode of RSU by PriceLabs, Uvika breaks down the 5 major AI shifts that property managers must adapt to immediately:✍️ 1. The End of the Copywriting Edge: How "Smart Setup" gives amateur hosts professional-grade listings, and where pros must pivot to maintain their edge.💬 2. The AI Sales Agent: Guests can now "Ask about this home," and the AI answers them using your structured data—completely bypassing you.⚖️ 3. AI Property Comparison: Why pure price competition is dead against platform-subsidized boutique hotels, and how AI now compares property attributes and trade-offs.⭐ 4. AI Review Summaries: Chronological reputation management is over. You can no longer bury a bad review; the AI will extract and highlight recurring themes.🏠 5. The Personalized Homepage: The unnamed AI algorithm that decides whether your listing even shows up on a guest's screen in the first place.The era of writing prose for human scanners is over. The era of structuring data for AI parsers has begun. Is your listing built for humans, or is it built for the AI that is now reading it? 🤖✨📺Watch the full visual breakdown of this episode on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDwqogPR7qs📖 Prefer to read the summary? Get the complete written analysis on our blog: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/airbnb-ai-strategy-2026-summer-release/✉️ Never miss an update. Subscribe to the PriceLabs newsletter to get the latest STR data, trends, and revenue strategies delivered straight to your inbox: https://rentalscaleup.com/newsletterIf you found this breakdown helpful, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review! 🔔💎

If Airbnb guarantees the lowest price on hotels, how will your short-term rentals compete? 🛑📉On May 20th, Brian Chesky is dropping the Summer 2026 Release, and the platform's priorities are shifting. To hedge against strict city regulations, Airbnb is aggressively pushing boutique hotel supply—and they might back it up with a low-price guarantee that puts standard STR listings at a massive disadvantage.In this episode of RSU by PriceLabs, Thibault analyzes earnings calls, legal updates, and 236 recent job postings to predict the 4 massive changes coming to the ecosystem:🏨 1. The Hotel Push: Why a hotel price guarantee is coming, and how it forces hosts to rethink pricing.🎒 2. In-Home Services: Native upselling for gear rentals, luggage storage, and groceries.🤖 3. The AI Takeover: Auto-generated listings that will raise the baseline for search competition.🤝 4. The "Member" Shift: Why Airbnb wants to be a weekly lifestyle app, not just a travel booking engine.Plus: We reveal the 2 highly anticipated features that are not launching this summer. ❌📺 Want to see the actual data and job postings we analyzed? Head to our Youtube channel.📖 Prefer to read the summary? Get the complete written analysis on our blog.✉️ Never miss an update. Subscribe to the RSU by PriceLabs newsletter to get the latest STR data, trends, and revenue strategies delivered straight to your inbox. If you found this breakdown helpful, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review! 🔔💎

✈️ Jet Fuel Crisis, 20,000 Cancelled Flights, and a Domestic Travel Boom — Which Side of the Line Is Your Portfolio On?Jet fuel prices have doubled and airlines are cutting 20,000 summer flights. ⛽📉 Guests still want to travel — they're just driving instead. But this isn't a COVID staycation repeat, and the windfall isn't guaranteed for everyone. 🚗In this episode, we break down:🔍 Why the flight crisis is triggering a domestic travel shift🏆 Which European markets are positioned to win — Cornwall, Bavaria, Normandy⚠️ Which fly-to destinations are most exposed — Greek Islands, Algarve💸 Why the windfall isn't guaranteed (driving costs are up too!)📊 The 5 data points you need to check in your portfolio this weekDrive-to or fly-to — which side of the line does your portfolio fall on this summer? 👇#ShortTermRentals #STRStrategy #RevenueManagement #VacationRentals #TravelDisruption #DomesticTravel #SummerTravel2026 #PriceLabs #AirbnbHost #DynamicPricing #PropertyManagement #TravelTrends2026

Airbnb’s Summer Release 2026 is almost here. What could Airbnb announce — and what should hosts and property managers be watching?In this episode, Thibault Masson, industry analyst, founder of RSU by PriceLabs, and Head of Product Marketing at PriceLabs, shares 7 predictions for Airbnb’s upcoming release.From AI-powered search and host listing tools to guest services, marketplace integrations, loyalty-style discounts, premium stays, and Airbnb’s possible move toward local lifestyle experiences, this episode looks at where Airbnb may be heading next.These are predictions, not confirmed announcements, but they raise important questions for short-term rental operators: Will Airbnb make hosting easier, or more competitive? Will guest services create new revenue opportunities, or take control away from property managers? And could new visibility tools put more pressure on host margins?⁠⁠Read the full article⁠⁠⁠RSU by PriceLabs publishes weekly news and analysis for professional short-term rental managers. Subscribe to our free newsletter for insights straight to your inbox 📩 ⁠⁠⁠Free weekly newsletter⁠⁠The Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast is powered by ⁠PriceLabs⁠ — the revenue management platform for short-term rental professionals.

In February 2026, Airbnb quietly updated its privacy policy. On April 20th, every host and guest will be asked to accept it — or lose access to the platform.In this episode, RSU Editor Uvika Wahi breaks down what actually changed, what it signals about Airbnb's AI ambitions ahead of its Summer 2026 product release, and what it means for professional short-term rental managers whose data sits at the center of it all.We cover the new privacy policy language and what it formally permits, the full scope of data Airbnb is now entitled to use — from host behavior to guest personalization to its emerging social features — the AI infrastructure already running at scale, and what other significant changes in the April 20th update professional managers need to understand before they click accept.⁠Read the full article⁠⁠RSU by PriceLabs publishes weekly news and analysis for professional short-term rental managers. Subscribe to our free newsletter for insights straight to your inbox 📩 ⁠⁠Free weekly newsletter⁠The Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast is powered by PriceLabs — the revenue management platform for short-term rental professionals.

Revenue management isn't broken — the model around it is.For years, dynamic pricing was the answer. But when your owner relations team is stuck in email, your BD team is pitching with outdated numbers, and your finance team finds out about a shortfall too late — pricing alone was never going to be enough.In this episode of the Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast, industry analysy Thibault Masson of RSU by PriceLabs breaks down why revenue is now a whole-company problem, what AI is doing to reshape how both experts and non-revenue teams work, and where the industry is heading next.In this episode:— Why pricing alone doesn't solve the revenue problem— The real picture of what a revenue manager is dealing with— How every team in your company touches revenue— Two major shifts reshaping revenue management right now— What AI can and still can't replace in your workflow— Where to learn more about tools built for the whole teamRead the full articleExplore the Revenue Accelerator📩 Free weekly newsletter — short-term rental news and insights, straight to your inboxThe Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast is powered by PriceLabs — the revenue management platform for short-term rental professionals.

Airbnb made two announcements this week that didn't make many headlines — but together, they reveal exactly how the platform's lifestyle ambitions are materializing in practice.In this episode, Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs breaks down both moves:The Welcome Pickups partnership, which brings private airport transfers into the Airbnb app across 125+ cities in Europe, Asia, and Latin AmericaThe Timeleft Airbnb Original in Paris — a social dining experience pairing strangers over dinner, and a signal of something more ambitious in Airbnb's long-term visionWe cover:What the Welcome Pickups integration actually looks like inside the appWhy the US isn't included yet — and what the expansion timeline looks likeWhat both announcements mean for short-term rental hosts and property managersHow this fits Airbnb's broader push to evolve from accommodation platform to full travel and lifestyle ecosystemIf you manage short-term rentals or follow Airbnb's strategy closely, this one's for you.RSU by PriceLabs publishes weekly short-term rental news and analysis for professional property managers and hosts worldwide.📩 Free weekly newsletter📖 Full articleWe are powered by PriceLabs

May 20, 2026, is circled on every European property manager's calendar. It's the official deadline for EU Regulation 2024/1028—the law that forces booking platforms to verify registration numbers and share monthly activity data with local governments.But will Airbnb and Booking.com actually delete your listings overnight?In this episode, Thibault Masson breaks down the "Honest Map" of European short-term rental enforcement. We move past the panic-inducing headlines to explain how this machine-to-machine data sharing will actually work, why this is completely different from DAC7 tax reporting, and why your real deadline depends entirely on the country you operate in.Whether you manage 50 units or 5000, this episode is your operational blueprint for surviving the biggest regulatory shift in European short-term rental history.In this episode, we cover:The Enforcement Reality: Why the May 20 deadline is a myth for some, and why Spain and Italy are already actively enforcing rules (including a €64M fine against Airbnb).The Platform Mandate: How OTAs are being forced to act as regulatory enforcers, and the 10-day countdown they face to remove non-compliant listings.Activity Data vs. Tax Data: The critical difference between the new housing data SDEP portals and your existing DAC7 tax reporting.The "Honest Map": A country-by-country breakdown of registration portals, featuring updates on France, Germany, and the Netherlands.The Property Manager Playbook: The exact steps professional managers must take today—including updating owner contracts—to protect their revenue and avoid automated delistings.Mentioned in this episode:👉 Read our Compliance Audit Guide👉 The "Honest Map" of EU EnforcementSubscribe to the Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast for weekly insights, expert interviews, and the latest regulatory updates in the global short-term rental industry.Get access to the RSU weekly newsletter to receive key industry news straight to your inbox every week, for free.We are powered by PriceLabs.

Are Airbnb and Vrbo becoming the exact same platform? If you look deeper than the recent launches, the answer is a resounding no. While Airbnb is prioritizing pure booking volume by removing checkout friction, Vrbo is building a financial fortress centered around one core concept: Reliability.In this episode, Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs breaks down Vrbo's impressive Q4 2025 financial performance, and contrasts it with Airbnb's strategy for the same period.If you are a professional short-term rental manager, you can no longer afford to treat these two channels the same. Here is what you need to know.ABOUT RSU BY PRICELABS: RSU by PriceLabs is the go-to source for actionable news, trends, and financial insights for professional short-term rental managers.READ RELATED ARTICLE 👇 STAY AHEAD OF THE INDUSTRY:Don't miss out on the data and strategies driving the short-term rental industry. Subscribe to the free RSU by PriceLabs newsletter for weekly STR news and deep-dive insights delivered straight to your inbox.[Connect with RSU by PriceLabs]⁠YouTube#Vrbo #Airbnb #ShortTermRentals #propertymanagementaccounting #STRInsights #VacationRentals #AirbnbHost #VrboHost

AI is becoming the new front door to travel discovery.In this episode, Thibault Masson (Founder of Rental Scale-Up / RSU by PriceLabs) is joined by David Ciccarelli (Co-Founder & CEO of Lake.com) and Uvika Wahi (RSU by PriceLabs) to explore how AI-powered search is changing the way guests find, compare, and book vacation rentals.We break down what’s actually happening across:– Google AI Mode– ChatGPT (Chat vs. Agent Mode)– Perplexity Travel– AI-powered browsing tools– OTA AI integrationsGuests are no longer typing short keywords. They’re describing full scenarios. They’re asking AI to compare listings. They’re extracting cancellation policies automatically. In some cases, AI agents are even navigating booking flows on their behalf.This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation focused on awareness and measurement. In the next session, we’ll dive into how to influence AI visibility and optimize for this new discovery layer.If you manage short-term rentals, operate a direct booking website, or lead marketing for a property management company, this episode will help you understand where guest behavior is heading — and how to prepare.

Is Airbnb quietly testing its own loyalty program?Some hosts are now seeing an offer:Provide a 20% discount, and Airbnb will boost your visibility and promote your listing to “top rated guests.”But here’s what makes this different.“Top rated guests” aren’t defined by how much they spend — they’re defined by behavior. Guests with 4.8+ ratings and multiple completed stays.In this episode, we unpack:• Why this looks like pay-to-play ranking• How it differs from Booking.com’s Genius or Expedia’s OneKey• Why Airbnb’s two-way review system gives it unique behavioral data• Whether this is a short-term experiment — or the beginning of real loyalty infrastructure• What this means for hosts funding the discountIf you manage short-term rentals, this could reshape how visibility, guest targeting, and pricing strategy work in 2026.Subscribe for more platform deep dives and short-term rental strategy insights.

In this episode, we break down the 10 biggest takeaways from Airbnb's Q4 2025 earnings call and what they really mean for professional short-term rental managers.From the likely end of the 3% split fee model… to rising cancellation rates under “Book Now, Pay Later”…to 500,000+ low-quality listings being removed…to Guest Favorites now driving nearly half of all bookings…Airbnb is clearly optimizing for one thing: reducing guest hesitation and increasing platform-wide conversions.But what does that mean at the property level?Are hosts absorbing more uncertainty?And how should managers adapt in 2026?We also unpack Airbnb’s global growth trends, hotel expansion, event-driven supply spikes, and the company’s long-term AI strategy.If you manage short-term rentals, this episode will help you understand where the platform is heading — and how to stay ahead of it.⭐ Follow the podcast for more breakdowns like this

Many property managers don’t fail — they stall.And for a lot of STR operators, that stall happens around 100–200 units.In this episode, we go inside GuestReady’s latest acquisition in Spain, its 12th to date, to unpack why that bottleneck exists — and how M&A is increasingly being used as a growth engine, not an exit.🎙️ Lorenzo Ritella, Country Manager for Spain at GuestReady, joins RSU to break down:Why so many PMs hit a ceiling at ~200 unitsWhat GuestReady actually looks for when acquiring a company (hint: not tech)Why multi-unit buildings are becoming the future of STR operationsHow regulation is quietly reshaping acquisition strategy in SpainWhy selling isn’t the end — but often the start of the next growth phaseIf you’re a property manager thinking about scaling, partnerships, or long-term survival in a regulated market, this episode is for you.👍 Like, follow & share if this helped you think differently about growth

In this episode, we break down how Airbnb actually rewards quality listings — and why many professional operators lose bookings even in strong markets.Thibault Masson dives into PriceLabs’ new Listing Optimizer, explaining how data + AI can uncover hidden issues in titles, photos, amenities, descriptions, and review sentiment — the stuff Airbnb’s algorithm really cares about.If you manage multiple listings and dropping prices isn’t fixing performance, this episode will change how you think about visibility, trust, and conversion.🎧 Listen now📬 Subscribe to the Vacation Rental Scale-Up podcast for weekly STR insights#airbnb #pricelabs #rsubypricelabs #airbnbguide #propertymanagement #propertymanagementcompany #propertymanagers #shorttermrentals #vacationrentals #vacationrentalmanagement #thibaultmasson #listingoptimizer #viral #podcast

Register for fee workshop: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1317691874899/WN_T9XsB0s0TUSk2tQA4c50wwIf your Airbnb bookings are slowing down, your first instinct is probably to drop prices.But what if pricing isn’t the real problem at all? 👀Airbnb has been clear: listing quality now directly impacts visibility, trust, and conversion.Yet most teams still treat pricing and listing quality as two separate problems.In this free live workshop on 27 Jan · 5pm CET / 11am EST,Thibault Masson (Founder, Rental Scale-Up & Head of Product Marketing at PriceLabs) breaks down the hidden listing quality issues that quietly cost Airbnb managers bookings, even in strong markets.This is a hands-on session with live Airbnb listing audits, not theory.You’ll learn:✨ Why listings lose visibility even when demand is there📉 Why cutting prices often changes nothing🧠 What “listing quality” actually means to Airbnb today📸 How titles, photos, amenities, descriptions, and reviews impact trust📊 What data from thousands of listings reveals about quality vs revenue💰 How to fix revenue leaks without racing to the bottom on price👉 Register for the free live workshop: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1317691874899/WN_T9XsB0s0TUSk2tQA4c50ww🔍 Submit your Airbnb listing for a live audit during the session:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdtrCnVCI0sHL5w26W2_Hapwt-S40sshJb3bG9kH2Hpt4OfsQ/viewform?usp=headerIf you manage multiple listings and performance is getting harder to diagnose, this one’s for you.#airbnb #airbnblife #airbnbookings #shorttermrentals #propertymanagement #propertymanagementcompany #vacationrentalmanagement #vacationrentals #rsubypricelabs #thibaultmasson #pricelabs #ListingOptimizer #listingquality #airbnbproperty

Is the "click-through" era of travel over? For twenty years, platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com have been the indispensable gatekeepers of the industry. But with the launch of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), Google is attempting to collapse the entire booking journey into the AI layer.What You’ll LearnIn this episode, Uvika Wahi breaks down why the traditional "search and compare" model is facing an existential threat and what professional managers must do to survive the shift to Agentic Commerce:The Inspiration Gap: Why travelers are spending over 13 minutes in AI interfaces and how UCP finally allows them to "act" instead of just "browse".The Live Pipe: A look at how UCP connects AI agents directly to your backend for real-time pricing and availability, bypassing the need for a traditional website or OTA middleman.The Luxury Exception: Why 76% of high-end travelers still demand a human advisor, and how UCP acts as an efficiency tool rather than a replacement for hospitality.2026 Strategy: The rise of "Machine-Readable Trust" and the new storefront requirements for Google Merchant Center.Never miss a shift in the STR industry. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get professional news and insights for today and tomorrow delivered straight to your inbox.[Connect with RSU by PriceLabs]Full ArticleYouTube

Vacation Rental Trends 2026 didn’t start in 2026.In this episode, Uvika Wahi of RSU by PriceLabs breaks down the most important vacation rental and trends shaping 2026, using guidance from what happened in 2025.In this episode, we cover:Why luxury positioning is accelerating, and why more brands are chasing itHow Asia’s growing travel demand is reshaping global travel flowsWhy sports and live events are becoming the backbone of travel calendarsWhat’s driving shorter booking windows and growing last-minute demandHow regulation is forcing professionalisation and consolidationWhy generic listings are losing visibilityHow AI-driven personalisation is changing discovery and conversionAnd why pricing has become psychological, not just mathematicalBuilt for professional vacation rental managers who want clarity, not noise.🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music📰 Read more at rentalscaleup.com📬 Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter

Across articles, podcasts, webinars, and industry conversations throughout the year, the same topics kept resurfacing. And when that happens, it usually means something structural is changing.In this episode, we step back to connect the dots and break down the big themes that repeated all year — and why they matter as we head into 2026.We cover:• How regulation is structurally reshaping supply in key markets• Why fees aren’t disappearing — just changing how guests decide• What Airbnb’s moves into hotels, services, and experiences really signal• Why platform rules are tightening (and why that’s not random)• What the Vacasa story tells us about where the competitive landscape is headingThis isn’t about predictions or panic.It’s about understanding direction, so fewer things catch you off guard next year.If you’re planning for 2026, this episode helps you see the industry as a system, not as isolated news events.Subscribe the podcast, if you found it helpful!

World Cup 2026 demand is already showing up in the data ⚽📈 — but not evenly.Some host cities are seeing early booking spikes, others are moving slowly, and regulation + supply constraints are shaping outcomes just as much as football. In this episode, we break down what’s actually happening across key World Cup markets — and what STR managers should watch (and adjust) now.Listen via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music

If your 2026 planning is already underway, this episode gives you a final data check before you lock in your strategy.In the final RevLabs × Rental Scale-Up webinar of the year, Thibault Masson (Founder, Rental Scale-Up) sits down with Richie Khandelwal (Co-Founder, PriceLabs) to break down what the data is actually showing across the US, UK, France, Spain, and Italy — and what large property managers (100+ listings) should rethink now, not later.They unpack why booking windows are shortening (and why reacting too early hurts revenue), how last-minute demand has structurally changed, why major 2026 events are already shaping demand, how large operators deliberately trade occupancy for stronger RevPAR, why supply isn’t exploding but professional competition is intensifying, and how listing quality directly impacts ADR and pricing power at scale.💡Explore Listing Optimizer: https://hello.pricelabs.co/listing-optimizer/?utm_source=rsu&utm_medium=rsu+webinar&utm_id=rsu🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music📺 Watch the full video on YouTubeIf this was useful, follow/subscribe and leave a quick review — it helps more property managers find the show.

In today’s episode, we dig into a question more and more property managers are asking: Do you pivot to mid-term rentals—or expand into new markets?Regulations are tightening, demand is shifting, and guest expectations keep rising. To help break it down, we look at how Your Airhost grew in one of the toughest markets in the UK by mixing short-term, mid-term, and corporate stays, and why this flexible model helped them scale while others got stuck.You’ll hear how they approached:• Navigating restrictive rules like London’s 90-day cap• Expanding into nearby cities without losing operational control• Building a model that attracts long-term, more stable owner relationships• When mid-term rentals make financial sense—and when they don’tIf you’re managing 50+ properties and thinking about your next strategic move, this episode gives you the frameworks—and the real-world examples- to guide your decisions.🔔 Subscribe to the Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube to catch more in-depth founder conversations like this.

AI is rewriting how guests discover short-term rentals — and Lake.com is building for that future. In this episode, we sit down with David Ciccarelli, Co-Founder & CEO of Lake.com, to explore how a niche OTA for lakefront stays is betting big on:✨ AI-driven discovery✨ Structured content built for LLMs✨ Conversational search and trip planning✨ A demand profile perfectly suited for professional PMsIf you want a glimpse into the next wave of STR distribution — where visibility comes from structured data and guest intent, not filters — this conversation is for you.📖 Prefer reading? Check out the full article: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/lake-com-is-betting-big-on-ai-discovery-what-property-managers-can-learn/🔔 Subscribe to the Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts so you never miss an episode.

Airbnb’s 2025 updates weren’t random; they were signals.Signals about how the platform will operate in 2026… and what professional hosts will need to do to stay visible, profitable, and prepared. 💡In this episode, Thibault Masson and Uvika Wahi from Rental Scale-Up by PriceLabs break down the full picture:– the new cancellation rules– payout term changes– the shift to host-only fees– the return of Experiences– the launch of Services– the relaunch of Hotels– and Airbnb’s expanding AI-powered ranking systemMore importantly, we explain what each shift actually means for property managers in 2026, and how to build your strategy around it. 🎯If you manage listings on Airbnb, this is the clearest, most complete look at Airbnb’s direction heading into 2026. 🤝🏻RSU delivers no-fluff, actionable short-term rental insights for professional operators. We help you navigate OTA strategy, industry changes, and the trends shaping the future of hosting.📩 Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter:https://www.rentalscaleup.com/newsletter/🎧 Listen & subscribe on:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeIf this episode helped clarify Airbnb’s direction, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share your questions with us — we read every message. 🙏🏻

Airbnb just made one of its biggest strategic moves of the year: hotels are now officially part of the platform. In this episode, we break down how hotels are showing up on Airbnb, what the new guest journey looks like, and how these listings compete with home-based short-term rentals.RSU by Pricelabs' Uvika Wahi walks us through the live interface, compare Airbnb’s approach with Booking.com, and explain why Airbnb is positioning hotels as a core business line alongside homes, experiences, and services.If you're a short-term rental host or manager, this episode highlights the key shifts to watch in 2025–2026 — and what this expanding hotel supply means for pricing, visibility, and guest expectations.🎥 ⁠Watch the video version⁠ on YouTube📰 ⁠Read the key takeaways⁠ on RSU by PriceLabs📩 ⁠Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter⁠ for more short-term rental industry insights#AirbnbHotels #AirbnbHosts #AirbnbUpdate #AirbnbNews #ShortTermRentals

In this hour-long episode, we explore where guests are really booking in 2025, and how professional short-term rental managers can build a smarter channel mix beyond Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo.Hosted by Thibault Masson, this conversation features:Alex Alioto, Co-Founder & Head of Growth at Whimstay, the leading marketplace for last-minute vacation rental deals across North America.Enrique Planas, Director of Business Development at Holidu, a top European booking platform helping families and groups find quality vacation homes.You’ll learn:🎯 Why dependency on the “big three” OTAs is riskier than ever🌍 How traveler behavior is shifting across regions and generations📈 What makes alternative platforms like Holidu and Whimstay successful🧭 How to decide which channels actually fit your guests and goalsThis episode was recorded live during RSU’s October 2025 webinar.🎥 Watch the video version on YouTube📰 Read the key takeaways onRSU by PriceLabs📩 Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter for more short-term rental industry insights#ShortTermRentals #VacationRentals #AirbnbAlternatives #PropertyManagement #PriceLabs #Holidu #Whimstay #RSUbyPriceLabs

In this episode of the Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast, we explore Expedia’s new AI Trip Matching feature, a tool that lets travelers send a Reel to Expedia’s Instagram and instantly receive:💬 Personalized itineraries🏨 Real-time hotel listings with prices & reviews📍 Hidden gem suggestionsIt’s not full booking (yet), but it’s a powerful bridge between inspiration and action — where travel discovery now begins in feeds, not search bars.For property managers, this marks a major shift in guest visibility. Your next booking could start in a Reel before a traveler ever visits an OTA.🎙️ Part of our ongoing AI in Travel series — tune in to related episodes on:▶️ Perplexity Travel Inspiration Hub▶️ GuideGeek on WhatsApp▶️ Google’s new AI Mode🔔 Subscribe to the Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast for more insights on how AI is changing the way guests discover, plan, and book stays.#AITRAVEL #Expedia #VacationRentalScaleUpPodcast #ShortTermRentals #PropertyManagers #AIinTravel #UvikaWahi #RSUbyPriceLabs #VacationRentalManagement #TravelTech #InstagramReels #TripPlanning

Google just launched its new AI Mode, and it could completely change how travelers discover, plan, and book trips , all without ever leaving Google. 🌍💡In this episode, Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs breaks down what Google’s AI Mode means for short-term rental managers, how it merges search and trip planning, and what you can do to stay visible as guest discovery shifts inside AI ecosystems.🔍 In this episode:• How Google’s AI Mode changes trip discovery and travel planning• Why visibility now depends on clean, structured data and listings• What “AI Mode Ads” could mean for future competition in bookings📖 Read the full article → https://www.rentalscaleup.com/google-ai-mode-trip-planning-short-term-rentals/🎧 Subscribe to RSU by PriceLabs for more insights on AI and short-term rentals

In this episode, Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs sits down with Michael LeClerc, Founder of SkyRun Vacation Rentals, Park City, Utah, to explore how the hybrid franchise model helped him scale his short-term rental business while staying true to what matters most: great guest experiences. Michael shares how his background as a professional chef shaped his approach to guest service, how he turned historic homes into successful vacation rentals, and why being part of SkyRun’s franchise system allowed him to focus less on backend operations and more on people, guests, homeowners, and his team.🔍 In this episode:How SkyRun’s hybrid franchise model supports growth while preserving hospitalityWhy bundling convenience and quick response time is key to guest satisfactionMichael’s “recipe for success” for property managers balancing scale with service💼 Explore PriceLabs tools:👉 Curious how top managers set smarter prices and outsmart market shifts? Try PriceLabs, our trusted dynamic pricing and market data tool. Sign up now for a 30-day free trial, $10 in credit, 1 Market Dashboard, and 2 Revenue Estimator Pro tokens when you add your first listing. Get started here: ⁠⁠https://hello.pricelabs.co/signup/?referral=RSU&utm_source=rsu&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=video🔔 Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to stay updated with new episodes in our Property Manager & Founder Interview Series, featuring real stories and insights from short-term rental leaders worldwide.#shorttermrentals #hotelmanagment #propertymanagers #vacationrentalmanagement #vacationrentals #franchisemodel #skyrunvacationrentals #propertymanagementcompany #utah #trending #videoviral #video #youtube #interview #founder #uvikawahi #podcast

Yes, WhatsApp can actually plan your next dream vacation!In this episode, I test GuideGeek (by @Matador Network) inside WhatsApp, from destination ideas to stays— and see how it handles Airbnb listings, hotels, pricing, availability, and bookings.Here’s what I found:✅ Great for inspiration & itineraries (fast, conversational, and context-aware)⚠️ Static nightly prices that don’t match real availability❌ No end-to-end booking inside WhatsApp (you’re redirected to Airbnb or OTAs)🤝 Hotels dominate integrations elsewhere, but short-term rentals do appear here💡 For property managers: AI chat could shift guest discovery and communication off OTAs, be ready with optimized listings, reviews, and direct-book funnels.Key takeaway for Property Managers: Travelers may soon plan, book, and communicate their entire trip within WhatsApp.That means guest communication, visibility, and booking funnels could change dramatically.📺 This is Episode 2 in our “AI in Travel” series.Watch Episode 1 on the Perplexity Travel Hub here: https://youtu.be/DQ-3SBh2xyM#ai #artificialintelligence #aiagent #aiagents #guidegeek #traveling #shorttermrentals #propertymanagement #propertymanagers #vacationrentalmanagement #vacationrentals #rsubypricelabs #uvikawahi #pricelabs #trending #youtubevideo #youtube #viral #aitravel #whatsapp #instagram

Travel discovery is changing, fast. AI is starting the trip conversation, shaping what travelers see first, and even guiding them on where to stay.In this video, we explore Perplexity’s new Travel Hub, an AI-powered platform designed to take guests from inspiration all the way to booking, without ever leaving the app. Here’s what we’ll uncover: • How AI changes the way people find destinations and accommodations • Why hotels dominate today’s results (and what that means for rentals) • The hidden signals about traveler intent that property managers should pay attention to • Where this could all be headed as AI-driven platforms matureThis isn’t just about one tool; it’s about the future of how guests discover, choose, and book.👉 Have you tested Perplexity Travel yourself? Drop your thoughts below!🔔 Subscribe to stay ahead of the curve with weekly short-term rental insights.⁠#perplexityai⁠ ⁠#perplexity⁠ ⁠#perplexitytravel⁠ ⁠#aiintravel⁠ ⁠#aitravel⁠ ⁠#propertymanagers⁠ ⁠#shorttermrentals⁠ ⁠#vacationrentalmanagement⁠ ⁠#vacationrentals⁠ ⁠#trending⁠ ⁠#rsubypricelabs⁠ ⁠#uvikawahi⁠ ⁠#pricelabs⁠

Airbnb is rolling out a global host-only fee model for all PMS-connected listings. It affects pricing strategies and margins for property managers everywhere. 💰In this expert-led session, you’ll hear from Theoharis Mihailidis (VillaRentals.gr), who has been managing 160+ listings under the host-only model in Greece for years; John An (@TechTape), who has been running the numbers for operators to understand the financial impact; and Monique DeLorenzo Pomeroy (⁠ @PriceLabs-DynamicPricing ⁠), who’s helping property managers adjust pricing without losing margin. The session is hosted by Thibault Masson (⁠ @RentalScaleUp ⁠), who breaks down why Airbnb is making this change, clears up confusion, and connects the dots in a simplified and strategic way.📌 Key topics covered:What Airbnb Actually AnnouncedUS Math (Split-Fee → Host-Only)Europe Math (15% → 15.5%)Why Is Airbnb Doing This?What this Means for YouHow Airbnb’s fee structure compares to Booking.com & Vrbo✅ Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if you found this helpful!Read our detailed articles on this:1. https://www.rentalscaleup.com/airbnb-new-service-fee-single-fee/2. https://www.rentalscaleup.com/airbnb-host-fee-change-correct-markup/👉 Curious how top managers set smarter prices and outsmart market shifts? Try ⁠PriceLabs—our trusted dynamic pricing and market data tool. ⁠⁠Sign up now for a ⁠30-day free trial, $10 in credit, 1 Market Dashboard, and 2 Revenue Estimator Pro tokens when you add your first listing. ⁠Get started here⁠⁠!⁠#airbnb #airbnbnews #airbnbhost #vacationrentalmanagement #propertymanagers #shorttermrentals #propertymanagement #hospitalityindustry #splitfee #airbnbhosttips #thibaultmasson #pricelabs #payout #airbnbguide #hostonlyfee #podcast

​ @vrbo  is about to get a LOT bigger. 🚀Expedia just announced that Vrbo listings will no longer be limited to Vrbo.com or the app. Instead, they’ll show up everywhere, from Expedia.com and airline sites like  @Delta  and Alaska, to apps like Revolut, and even through 160,000+ travel agents worldwide.In this video, we break down what this expansion means for hosts and property managers: • Wider reach — Vrbo properties now appear on Expedia’s global travel network. • Head-to-head with hotels — rentals will sit side by side with hotel listings on Expedia.com. • Massive B2B push — airlines, fintech apps, and travel agents can now sell Vrbo stays. • Stricter standards — only reliable, top-rated listings will qualify for the added visibility.Vrbo’s funnel is getting wider, but its filter is getting tighter. The big question: will this help you attract new guests, or just make the competition tougher?👉 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we'd love to hear if you think this is an opportunity or a challenge for short-term rental managers.#vrbo #shorttermrentals #vacationrentals #vacationrentalmanagement #shorttermrentaltips #hosts #vrbohost #propertymanagers #propertymanagement #trending #expedia #pricelabs #rsubypricelabs #uvikawahi #viral

Airbnb’s latest update is shaking things up for hosts and property managers: the Airbnb Host Fee Change. PMS-connected hosts are moving to a 15.5% host-only fee, and the math on how to set your markup has caused plenty of confusion.In this episode, we clear things up once and for all. You’ll learn why the correct PMS markup isn’t 15.5% but 18.34%, how to recalculate your nightly rates and cleaning fees, and what this shift means for your payouts, competitiveness, and channel mix.Want more detail? Read our in-depth article at Rental Scale-Up.Hosted by: Thibault Masson, Founder: Rental Scale-Up, and Head of Product Marketing at PriceLabs.🔔 Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next #propertymanagers #propertymanagement #dynamicpricing #airbnb #vacationrentalmanagement #shorttermrentals #vacationrentals #thibaultmasson #pricelabs #rsubypricelabs

The summer rush is over, and the 2025 shoulder season slowdown is here. Guests are booking later, staying fewer nights, and cutting budgets more than ever. For property managers, this means emptier calendars and tighter revenue.In this webinar replay, our expert panel shares practical pricing, marketing, and data-driven strategies to help you beat the shoulder season dip and keep occupancy steady:Speakers: • Eduardo Mandri – Founder & CEO, Angel Host • Jessica Mollard – Revenue Manager, OVO Network • Kyle Driskell – Senior Solutions Consultant, PriceLabs • Hosted by Thibault Masson – PriceLabs &  @RentalScaleUp  What you’ll learn: • Why the 2025 shoulder season is different from previous years • How to adapt pricing & minimum stay rules to capture demand • Marketing tactics that work in slower months • Using data benchmarks to spot pacing shifts before it’s too late • How to engage owners and keep them aligned during slow demandRead the detailed key takeaways article: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/shoulder-season-2025-strategies-property-managers/ @PriceLabs-DynamicPricing 's STR Index is a free and comprehensive data tool for vacation rental markets worldwide. Managers can access up-to-date insights, with historical trends dating back to 2020 and forward projections for the year ahead. Use for free here: https://hello.pricelabs.co/str-index/?utm_source=rsu&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=rsu+video🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss what’s coming next#shoulderseason #slowseason #propertymanagers #propertymanagement #dynamicpricing #strindex #marketdata #vacationrentalmanagement #shorttermrentals #vacationrentals #videoviral #trending #thibaultmasson #pricelabs #eduardomandri

Airbnb has officially ended the split fee model, moving to a new 15.5% host-only fee in the U.S. This change means property managers and hosts will see new payout rules that directly affect earnings.In this podcast, we break down: • What “split fee” was and why Airbnb ended it • How the 15.5% host-only fee works • What property managers need to know about payout changes • Why this shift matters for your bottom lineWhether you manage one property or hundreds, understanding these updates is crucial.📌 Stay tuned for more insights on Airbnb updates, short-term rental trends, and property management strategies.Read our detailed article on this: ⁠https://www.rentalscaleup.com/airbnb-new-service-fee-single-fee/⁠🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss what’s coming next.👉 Curious how top managers set smarter prices and outsmart market shifts? Try PriceLabs, our trusted dynamic pricing and market data tool. Sign up now for a 30-day free trial, $10 in credit, 1 Market Dashboard, and 2 Revenue Estimator Pro tokens when you add your first listing. Get started here: ⁠⁠https://hello.pricelabs.co/signup/?referral=RSU&utm_source=rsu&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=podcast#airbnb #airbnbnews #airbnbhost #vacationrentalmanagement #propertymanagers #shorttermrentals #propertymanagement #hospitalityindustry #splitfee #airbnbhosttips #thibaultmasson #pricelabs #podcast

Vrbo is shifting gears in 2025. With U.S. travel growth slowing and guests watching every dollar, Vrbo is responding fast, launching aggressive promotions, shortening stays, and expanding trip types to stay competitive.In this video, Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs breaks down Vrbo’s full Q2 2025 performance and what it means for professional property managers. You’ll learn: • How Vrbo’s new Promotion Suite is driving 10 percent of bookings • Why last-minute deals are now a central part of Vrbo’s search and ad strategy • What shorter booking windows and midweek trips signal about guest behavior • How Vrbo is using Expedia’s tech to bundle value without chasing new markets • Why Airbnb’s international growth softened the blow while Vrbo had to adapt fasterVrbo isn’t chasing global expansion. It’s focusing on squeezing more value from each U.S. trip. If you list on Vrbo, or are considering it, this is what you need to know to stay visible and competitive.Read our detailed article on this: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/vrbo-q2-2025-promotions-shorter-stays-and-bundled-value/📩 Get our free weekly newsletter to get industry insights straight to your inbox: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/newsletter/🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss what’s coming next.👉 Curious how top managers set smarter prices and outsmart market shifts? Try PriceLabs, our trusted dynamic pricing and market data tool. Sign up now for a 30-day free trial, $10 in credit, 1 Market Dashboard, and 2 Revenue Estimator Pro tokens when you add your first listing. Get started here: ⁠⁠https://hello.pricelabs.co/signup/?referral=RSU&utm_source=rsu&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=newsletter⁠⁠#shorttermrentals #vrbo #vrbohost #airbnb #bookingdotcom #propertymanagement #propertymanagers #vacationrentals #videoviral #uvikawahi #pricelabs #rsubypricelabs #strindex

Airbnb is shifting gears — and fast. In its latest strategy update, CEO Brian Chesky confirmed that the platform is going aggressively after B&Bs, boutique inns, and small hotels. But what does that really mean for hosts and vacation rental managers?In this video, we break down: • Why Airbnb is pushing around B&Bs, inns, and small hotels right now • The 3 big reasons behind this supply shift (think: growth, regulation, competition) • How this impacts your listing visibility, pricing power, and bookings • What you should be doing as a property manager to stay competitiveWhether you’re a solo host or manage 100+ properties, Airbnb’s growing supply mix directly affects your strategy.📩 Get our free weekly newsletter to get industry insights straight to your inbox: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/newsletter/🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss what’s coming next.👉 Curious how top managers set smarter prices and outsmart market shifts? Try PriceLabs, our trusted dynamic pricing and market data tool. Sign up now for a 30-day free trial, $10 in credit, 1 Market Dashboard, and 2 Revenue Estimator Pro tokens when you add your first listing. Get started here: ⁠⁠https://hello.pricelabs.co/signup/?referral=RSU&utm_source=rsu&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=newsletter⁠⁠#airbnb #airbnbhosting #airbnblife #airbnbrules #cancellation #airbnbguide #airbnbnews #shorttermrentals #propertymanagement #hospitalityindustry #vacationrentalmanagement #propertymanagers #trending #thibaultmasson #trending #videoviral #hotels #bedandbreakfast

With this new direct integration, you can now connect your Booking.com listings to PriceLabs without needing a PMS. Dynamic pricing comes to Booking.com. That means you can:✅ Sync rates, minimum stays, and pricing rules in real time✅ Apply consistent revenue strategies across OTAs✅ Skip manual updates and messy spreadsheets✅ Start optimizing your Booking.com listings in minutes Connectivity Partner certification shows that Booking.com recognizes PriceLabs as a reliable, secure, and innovative platform built to empower hosts of all sizes.📈 In this video, we’ll break down: • What the certification means for the industry • How the integration works • Why this matters in a time when OTAs are tightening control • What it unlocks for independent hosts and growing teams📣 Whether you’re managing one listing or fifty, this move opens the door to professional pricing tools without the full tech stack.Read our detailed article on this: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/new-pricelabs-integration-with-booking-com/📩 Get our free weekly newsletter to get industry insights straight to your inbox: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/newsletter/🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss what’s coming next.👉 Curious how top managers set smarter prices and outsmart market shifts? Try PriceLabs, our trusted dynamic pricing and market data tool. Sign up now for a 30-day free trial, $10 in credit, 1 Market Dashboard, and 2 Revenue Estimator Pro tokens when you add your first listing. Get started here: ⁠⁠https://hello.pricelabs.co/signup/?referral=RSU&utm_source=rsu&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=newsletter⁠⁠#bookingdotcom #dynamicpricing #pricingtool #shorttermrentals #propertymanagement #propertymanagers #vacationrentalmanagement #vacationrentals #pricelabs #hosts #thibaultmasson #podcast

Airbnb is rewriting the rules in 2025, and that means big changes for how you operate.You’re losing control over the things that matter most: 💸 payouts, ❌ cancellations, 💬 guest communication, and 💼 upsells.In this webinar replay, we break down what’s changing in Airbnb’s 2025 policies, and how short-term rental pros are adapting in real time. Whether you’re a host, co-host, or property manager, this session gives you the clarity (and strategy) you need to stay in control.👥 Panel of Experts:– François Gouelo, CEO, Enso Connect– Heather Fillmore, CEO, StayLuxe Properties– Thibault Masson, Founder of RSU by PriceLabs & Head of Product Marketing, ⁠ @PriceLabs-DynamicPricing ⁠ 👇 What we cover:🔹 What’s happening with cancellation policies (yes, the strict option is going away)🔹 New limits on off-platform messaging and guest communication🔹 Why fees, deposits, and upsells may no longer be in your hands🔹 How delayed payouts are already affecting operators🔹 Real-world strategies from managers and tech tools adjusting to the shift🎯 If you list on Airbnb, this isn’t just a policy update; it’s your 2025 survival guide. Watch now, take notes, and stay one step ahead. 📩 Get our free weekly newsletter to get industry insights straight to your inbox: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/newsletter/🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss what’s coming next.👉 Curious how top managers set smarter prices and outsmart market shifts? Try PriceLabs, our trusted dynamic pricing and market data tool. Sign up now for a 30-day free trial, $10 in credit, 1 Market Dashboard, and 2 Revenue Estimator Pro tokens when you add your first listing. Get started here: ⁠https://hello.pricelabs.co/signup/?referral=RSU&utm_source=rsu&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=newsletter⁠#airbnb #airbnbhosting #airbnblife #airbnbrules #cancellation #airbnbguide #airbnbnews #shorttermrentals #propertymanagement #hospitalityindustry #vacationrentalmanagement #propertymanagers #trending #thibaultmasson #podcast

🎯 Airbnb just flipped the script on host recruitment.In its newest set of commercials, Airbnb isn’t just advertising, it’s strategically crafting a brand-new kind of host:🏡 The homeowner who never thought of hosting… until now🎪 The local who only wants to rent during a festival weekend🧹 The host who wants someone else to do all the workThese ads aren’t targeting Superhosts. They’re unlocking casual, flexible, low-commitment supply, the kind most platforms don’t even try for. And Airbnb? 💡 They’ve quietly built the tools to make it all work.In this video, we break down how these quirky ads 🎈are actually a roadmap to Airbnb’s long-term supply strategy, and what it means for property managers.Read our detailed article on this: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/airbnb-ads-2025-new-kind-of-host-strategy/📩 Get our free weekly newsletter to get industry insights straight to your inbox: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/newsletter/🔔 Hit the bell so you don’t miss what’s coming next.👉 Curious how top managers set smarter prices and outsmart market shifts? Try PriceLabs, our trusted dynamic pricing and market data tool. Sign up now for a 30-day free trial, $10 in credit, 1 Market Dashboard, and 2 Revenue Estimator Pro tokens when you add your first listing. Get started here: https://hello.pricelabs.co/signup/?referral=RSU&utm_source=rsu&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=newsletter#airbnbhost #airbnb #shorttermrentals #vacationrentals #propertymanagers #vacationrentalmanagement #airbnblife #airbnbguide #propertymanagement #uvikawahi #trending #videos #viral #airbnb ads

France is planning to cut two of its most important public holidays: Easter Monday and May 8th (Victory Day), and that could spell trouble for short-term rental managers.In this episode, Thibault Masson explores how these proposed holiday cuts could impact: 🏡 Occupancy rates in key markets like Alsace and the French Riviera •💶 Spring season revenues that rely on long weekends •📊 Productivity vs. profit arguments from the French government •🌍 The broader implications for property managers in Europe and beyond📉 With Easter Monday alone responsible for up to one-third of early-season bookings, these changes could reshape your revenue forecast overnight.Whether you operate in France or just want to understand how fragile holiday-driven demand can be, this is a crucial watch.Read our detailed article on this: ⁠https://www.rentalscaleup.com/what-if-someone-stole-labor-day-frances-lost-holidays-and-the-shocking-impact-for-rental-managers/⁠📩 Get our free weekly newsletter to get industry insights straight to your inbox: ⁠https://www.rentalscaleup.com/newsletter/⁠🔔 Hit the bell so you don’t miss what’s coming next.👉 Curious how top managers set smarter prices and outsmart market shifts? Try PriceLabs, our trusted dynamic pricing and market data tool. Sign up now for a 30-day free trial, $10 in credit, 1 Market Dashboard, and 2 Revenue Estimator Pro tokens when you add your first listing. Get started here: ⁠https://hello.pricelabs.co/signup/?referral=RSU&utm_source=rsu&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=newsletter⁠#france #french #francese #holidayseason #easter #publicholidays #shorttermrentals #propertymanagement #propertymanagers #hospitalityindustry #vacationrentalmanagement #vacationrentals #trending #videoviral #europe #thibaultmasson #RSUbyPriceLabs