Airbnb News and Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb continues to be a major force in the travel industry, redefining how people book and experience accommodations worldwide. At PhocusWire, we bring you the latest Airbnb news, along with broader coverage of the short-term rental sector, including platform innovation, market trends, and regulatory developments that shape this fast-moving space.

Updates on Airbnb, short-term rental trends, and regulatory shifts

Track how Airbnb is evolving its product offerings, enhancing guest and host tools, and adapting to consumer demand for more flexible, immersive travel. Our stories examine the intersection of tech innovation, policy, and platform strategy—providing insight into how short-term rentals continue to influence the broader hospitality landscape.

guesty-yieldplanet-new-hub
News / Distribution
Guesty expands hotel offerings with acquisition of YieldPlanet
By Mitra Sorrells | September 14, 2022
Guesty is also launching a new Distribution Hub that adds direct connections with Hopper, Trip.com, Marriott Homes & Villas and Google’s hotel and vacation rental search products. Read More
q2-2022-marketing-analysis
News / Online
OTAs see marketing efficiency improvement in Q2
By Mitra Sorrells | August 31, 2022
Booking Holdings, Expedia Group and Airbnb all increased their marketing spend in Q2 of this year compared to 2021, but it decreased as a percentage of revenue. Read More
airbnb-q2-2022-earnings
News / Online
Airbnb posts record Q2 income of $379M on $2.1B revenue
By Mitra Sorrells | August 2, 2022
Airbnb says growth in “Nights and Experiences booked” and strong daily rates drove revenue up 58% compared to Q2 2021. Read More
gebbia-airbnb-cofounder
News / Online
Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia steps back from operating role
By Mitra Sorrells | July 22, 2022
Gebbia says he's making the move to pursue new ventures, including “a complementary product to Airbnb” - and his upcoming role as a new father.   Read More
apptopia-vrbo-lead-july-22
News / Online
Vrbo outranks other OTAs as most downloaded travel app
By Kathryn Walson | July 14, 2022
Vrbo had 10 million downloads in the first half of 2022 – the same amount it had in all of 2021. Read More
airbnb-destinations-remote-work
News / Online
Airbnb partners with 20 destinations for new “live and work anywhere” initiative
By Mitra Sorrells | July 6, 2022
Airbnb has selected 20 destinations that will receive landing pages on the platform that are intended to serve as a “one-stop shop” for remote workers. Read More
Airbnb highlights unique properties through funding campaign
News / Online
Airbnb highlights unique properties through funding campaign
By Linda Fox | June 22, 2022
The company is providing $100,000 each to 100 people to create a unique property. Read More
Airbnb adds new safety feature for solo travelers
News / Online
Airbnb adds new safety feature for solo travelers
By Jill Menze | June 13, 2022
Airbnb will automatically activate a special in-app experience when a solo guest books a private or shared room. Read More
travel-ad-spend-2022-report
News / Online
Travel advertisers ramp up spend as demand recovers
By Jill Menze | June 9, 2022
According to a new report, travel ad spend in the U.S. has already reached nearly $623 million in 2022. Read More
Hopper extends trip protection to third-party bookings
News / Online
Hopper extends trip protection to third-party bookings
By Linda Fox | June 7, 2022
With Hopper's Standalone Trip Protection, travelers can purchase insurance via Hopper's app for flights booked elsewhere. Read More
Airbnb is shutting its China business
News / Online
Airbnb is shutting its China business
By Jill Menze | May 24, 2022
Airbnb will remove its Chinese listings this summer due to "costly and complex" operations. Read More
airbnb-may-22-updates
News / Online
Airbnb enables “split stays” to ease inventory woes
By Mitra Sorrells | May 11, 2022
"Split stays" are part of Airbnb's newest version of its platform, described as “the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade.”   Read More
One in five Airbnb stays over 28 days, revenue hits $1.5B for Q1 2022
News / Online
One in five Airbnb stays over 28 days, revenue hits $1.5B for Q1 2022
By Kevin May | May 3, 2022
The U.S.-based home-sharing and alternative accommodation giant saw revenue increase by 70% year-over-year and 80% higher than corresponding quarter in 2019 ($839 million). Read More
Short-term rental industry must do a better job vetting travelers
Opinion / Online
Short-term rental industry must do a better job vetting travelers
By Carl Shepherd | April 25, 2022
The co-founder of HomeAway says, with property owners becoming farther removed from those renting their properties, a new, stronger system is needed to minimize the chance of tragedy. Read More
winding-tree-dtravel-new-systems
News / Distribution
New booking systems signal next step for blockchain
By Mitra Sorrells | April 19, 2022
In notable advancement for blockchain, two new systems are enabling travelers to book hotels and rentals. Read More
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