Hey there everyone, welcome to the BookingTeam "What you need to know in the vacation rental industry" blog post! See below for everything to keep you up to date with the vacation rental industry. Enjoy!
Airbnb: I’m Not Trying to Break Up With You, But I Think We Should See Other People
Let’s get this out of the way: Airbnb is fairly amazing. These days, with the click of a button, you’re at home pretty much anywhere around the globe, whenever you want to be. For those who can’t stop exploring, it’s easier than ever to stay mobile at a price that’s often remarkably affordable.
Yes, Airbnb is terrific — until it’s not. Airbnb is still largely illegal in some cities — New York has been fighting with the company for years. Amsterdam is currently clamping down, hard. In many destinations, hosts choose to ignore building and municipal rules regarding short-term rentals, asking their guests to straight-up lie if confronted by neighbors. Many cities haven’t yet figured out how to collect taxes, giving hosts a major advantage over local hotels that they have in no way earned. Then, of course, there are Airbnb’s own fees, which can be downright punishing to the budget traveler.
Read on: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/David-Landsel/airbnb-im-not-trying-to-break-up-with-you_b_9612428.html
Airbnb Host Gets Fined for Discrimination After Canceling Asian-American Woman’s Stay
An Airbnb host who cancelled a reservation and told the guest, “One word says it all. Asian,” has agreed to pay a $5,000 fine and attend a college course in Asian-American studies, officials with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing said Thursday.
The guest, Dyne Suh, had booked the home as part of a ski trip with her fiancé and friends in Big Bear in February. When she was close to the house, Suh messaged host Tami Barker through the Airbnb app, but the host cancelled the reservation after a dispute over additional guests.
Barker told Suh in a series of messages that she wouldn’t rent to her if she were the last person on Earth.
Vacation Rentals Are a Bright Spot at TripAdvisor
Since February, TripAdvisor’s share price has dropped 27 percent to $38 amid investor concern about its margins peaking in 2009 and falling ever since. That current share price is far below its $108 high in summer 2014.
At issue has been a delay in the shift to a potentially more lucrative business model of instant booking for hotels. In early May, TripAdvisor scaled back this strategy.
But there are corners of the company doing well, and one of those is vacation rentals.
Read on: https://skift.com/2017/06/01/vacation-rentals-are-a-bright-spot-at-tripadvisor/
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