INDUSTRY NEWS
Petition Requesting Investigation of Expedia and TripAdvisor Circulates Among Homeowners
“We urge you to hold hearings on the duopolistic practices of Expedia and Trip Advisor,” states the petition. “Since Expedia bought the host of vacation home rental website of Vacation Rentals by Owners (VRBO), they have bullied the small businesses of vacation home renters. They have sought to take over the control of our properties, and they have imposed a 9% to 12% booking fee on our renters.”
Airbnb Is Testing a Luxury Service That Will Include Inspections for Quality Control
Airbnb Inc. is close to launching a new service that will match guests with quality-inspected home and apartment rentals. The product is intended to attract higher-paying travelers who have yet to use Airbnb because they prefer the amenities guaranteed by fancy hotels, said three people familiar with the project.
RELATED INDUSTRY NEWS
EU hits Google with record £2.1bn fine for abusing internet search monopoly
The penalty is the biggest ever. The EU said Google had broken EU competition law by exploiting the power of its search engine to promote its online shopping service, at the expense of other price comparison sites.
This is good news for travel brands concerned over Google introducing its own travel services in the future - most notably the potential for booking hotels through Google.
After a tip from TripAdvisor, FCC to fine vacation scammer $120m for 96m illegal phone calls
The Federal Communications Commission proposed the largest fine in its history, $120 million, on a robocall scammer after a local company tipped it off to the scheme.
The FCC alleged that Adrian Abramovich, of Miami, ran a robocall operation that made 96 million calls over three months last year. The calls would offer fake travel and vacation deals, using TripAdvisor’s name, in an attempt to fleece consumers, the FCC said.
MUST READ
HomeAway/VRBO radically shifts the playing field again.
With the latest round of sweeping changes, HomeAway is once again altering their platform and heavily impacting the vacation rental management industry. HomeAway announced today they are making the changes in support of their continued move to become a "booking platform," as opposed to an "advertising venue."
What are the changes & what do they mean for the vacation rental industry?
MARKETING
Property Page Optimization: 8 Ways to Drive More Conversions
It can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience designing tests, executing on conversion rate optimization tactics, and knowing how to use web design to influence consumer behavior online.
Here are 8 product/property page optimization tips that you can use to drive more conversions on your website.
How You Can Solve Your B&B's Direct Booking Dilemma
As nice as it would be, it’s impossible to collect 100% of your bookings directly through your website. To compete with the larger channels however, your booking process needs to match, if not surpass, the OTAs.
This means making your website simple, easy to understand, smooth, and secure. Here are our tips to solve your direct booking dilemma.
TIPS & TRICKS
Five Strategies for Naming Your Vacation Rental
What can help your word-of-mouth reputation, convey your key selling points in split seconds, and make your property more memorable when it comes time for guests to book?
A name—or, more specifically—a great name. Here are five strategies we recommend for creating one that does your property justice and convinces guests to commit.
Useful Habits to be Successful Vacation Rental Owner
Success isn’t the coincidence; it is the result of the hard work, planning and good habits. To make your vacation rental business successful, you also need to have some habits which lead to the path of success. While looking at the success scenario of the industry, here are the few common habits that have been observed amongst successful vacation rental owners.
MANAGE OPERATIONS
Housekeeping Basics: Joe Refosco Addresses Common Questions and Concerns
Cleanliness is one of the most important aspects of the property management business, and it can make or break your reputation. Housekeepers are the backbone of our companies, and their efficiency, knowledge, and loyalty to their profession is extremely vital.
The 2017 US Short-Term Rental Regulations Report
Short-term rental regulations vary dramatically by municipality, state, and country. To complicate matters, these regulations are constantly evolving. Now consider the inconsistent and complex language, and you'll find that it's a recipe for confusion. Here's the complete guide to navigating US short-term rental regulations in 2017.
STATISTICS & TRENDS
Soon, you will be able to split payments for your Airbnb vacation rental
Thanks to Airbnb’s acquisition of Tilt in February, it looks as though it is finally getting easier to share the cost of your vacation lodgings with Airbnb's new feature. This will likely prove particularly useful for those traveling in large groups and renting large (often expensive) properties.
Britain's holiday rental market booms as the weak pound persuades millions to opt for a 'staycation' this summer
Britain's holiday rental market is booming as the weak pound persuades millions to opt for a 'staycation' this summer.