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.

Short-term rentals and misalignment of the marketplace
Opinion / Distribution
Short-term rentals and misalignment of the marketplace
By Jared Alster - Dune7 | July 29, 2020
The distribution landscape for short-term vacation rentals is dominated by marketplaces. However, the pandemic has revealed some weak points and misalignment of incentives within the traditional... Read More
airbnb -cleaning-program
News / Online
Airbnb expands COVID cleaning protocol program and designation to 50 countries and regions
By Mitra Sorrells | July 21, 2020
Airbnb is now offering cleaning guidelines and materials to hosts in 50 countries and regions, up from 12 when it launched last month. Read More
Sounding Off: OTA version 2.0 is likely to come from outside the travel industry
Interview / Online
Sounding Off: OTA version 2.0 is likely to come from outside the travel industry
By PhocusWire | July 17, 2020
The brands that are able to position themselves in this as-yet undetermined role will most likely be all things to all people - selling more than just a form of accommodation and a flight. Read More
airbnb-one-million-bookings
News / Online
Airbnb claims 1 million nights booked in one day for first time since March 3
By Mitra Sorrells | July 15, 2020
Airbnb says users booked more than one million nights' worth of future stays on July 8, the first time that has happened since the outbreak triggered lockdowns in dozens of countries worldwide. Read More
How investors are taking the long view on opportunities in short-term rentals
News / Online
How investors are taking the long view on opportunities in short-term rentals
By Linda Fox | July 15, 2020
Private accommodation has been hard hit by the pandemic, leading some in the investment community to ask whether the size of the opportunity will be as great when the travel industry recovers. Read More
Airbnb claims Amsterdam rental ban "violates" rights of residents
News / Online
Airbnb claims Amsterdam rental ban "violates" rights of residents
By Kevin May | June 29, 2020
The three districts in question have around 1,500 private accommodation rental properties for tourists - around 6% of the amount available in the entire city. Read More
Airbnb won't take IPO off the table for 2020 despite business collapse
News / Online
Airbnb won't take IPO off the table for 2020 despite business collapse
By Kevin May | June 24, 2020
"We spent 12 years building Airbnb's business and lost almost all of it in the matter of four to six weeks." Read More
When it comes to planning trips, Black consumers feel “shut out” of the travel market
News / Online
When it comes to planning trips, Black consumers feel “shut out” of the travel market
By Jill Menze | June 22, 2020
For years, Black travelers have been voicing concern about the challenges they face planning and going on trips. Is the industry ready to listen? Read More
Airbnb partners with Broadway, the Olympics, IGLTA and TikTok for virtual Experiences
News / Online
Airbnb partners with Broadway, the Olympics, IGLTA and TikTok for virtual Experiences
By Jill Menze | June 17, 2020
The new lineup is an extension of the company’s pivot to virtual activities in April in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Read More
Airbnb seeks to help local tourism as cross-border travel remains uncertain
News / Distribution
Airbnb seeks to help local tourism as cross-border travel remains uncertain
By Linda Fox | June 11, 2020
Airbnb is working with tourist organizations and governments to help bring local travel back to pre-COVID levels, recognizing that domestic is going to come first. Read More
Unraveling COVID-19 hygiene liability issues for short-term rentals
News / Online
Unraveling COVID-19 hygiene liability issues for short-term rentals
By Mitra Sorrells | June 11, 2020
Due to COVID-19, cleanliness and hygiene are priorities for all consumer travel providers, but it is particularly complex in the fragmented short-term rental sector. Read More
national-tourism-portals
News / Distribution
Should national tourism portals be part of travel's recovery plan?
By Linda Fox | June 8, 2020
Many attempts to provide national tourism portals have fallen short in the past, some still believe they can succeed. Read More
airdna-booking-surge
News / Online
Global vacation rental bookings surge to more than 2M, up 127% from early April
By Mitra Sorrells | May 28, 2020
After a low of just 916,000 bookings in early April, AirDNA finds there has been a fairly steady increase in markets around the globe. Read More
People are staying longer in Airbnbs - for now
News / Online
People are staying longer in Airbnbs - for now
By Jill Menze | May 20, 2020
According to data from AllTheRooms Analytics, longer-term stays in Airbnbs are on the rise, but the trend may only last as long as the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More
Travel startups look to find new stars among the industry-wide layoffs
News / Startups
Travel startups look to find new stars among the industry-wide layoffs
By Linda Fox | May 18, 2020
The headlines are full of layoffs, furloughs and hiring freezes across the travel and hospitality industry, as companies take steps to survive the coronavirus crisis. Read More
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