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.

HomeAway removes last remnant of independent guest-owner interaction
News / Online
HomeAway removes last remnant of independent guest-owner interaction
By Kevin May | January 31, 2017
HomeAway has split opinion over its decision to alter the way in which potential guests can interact with a property's owner. At the turn of 2017, HomeAway shifted the ability for a traveller to fi Read More
Airbnb - never mind the volumes, look at the growth
News / Distribution
Airbnb - never mind the volumes, look at the growth
By Martin Cowen | January 27, 2017
Certify's findings for 2016, based on expense claims filed through its system, includes some proper statistics for Airbnb. During the year just gone, Airbnb continued its run of doubling transactio Read More
Understanding the Airbnb phenomenon, using 3D maps
News / Distribution
Understanding the Airbnb phenomenon, using 3D maps
By Kevin May | January 27, 2017
There are various ways of viewing the rise of Airbnb on both a global and in individual country basis. And, depending on who you ask, you'll inevitably get a different perspective. Hotels are ei Read More
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary and Donald Trump - two men with similar issues
News
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary and Donald Trump - two men with similar issues
By Viewpoints | January 19, 2017
Let’s play a game that I like to call "Who said this: Donald Trump or Michael O’Leary?" - US president-elect versus the Ryanair CEO. NB: This is an opinion by Matt Walker, chief storyteller at Like Read More
Could a president Donald Trump protect his (and other) hotels by regulating Airbnb?
News / Distribution
Could a president Donald Trump protect his (and other) hotels by regulating Airbnb?
By Kevin May | January 18, 2017
President-elect Donald Trump is well-known now for not only mixing his metaphors but also proclaiming one thing and then saying something else later. Countless examples are being paraded in the mai Read More
Data science, China, buses and other travel trends for 2017
From Our Partners / Technology
Data science, China, buses and other travel trends for 2017
By Sponsored Content | January 18, 2017
After the failure of even the most well respected pollsters to accurately predict the outcomes of not only Brexit but also the US presidential election, predictions are out of favour. NB: This is a Read More
Startup pitch: Aviva IQ gives Airbnb hosts a helping hand
News / Technology
Startup pitch: Aviva IQ gives Airbnb hosts a helping hand
By Kevin May | January 13, 2017
Since its beta launch in late-2016, at the Airbnb Open in Los Angeles, Aviva IQ, has been tapped to automate messages for thousands of listings worldwide. The Silicon Valley startup offers messagin Read More
Airbnb bookings by corporate travellers on growth tear
News / Distribution
Airbnb bookings by corporate travellers on growth tear
By Kevin May | January 9, 2017
In some respects, booking figures for Airbnb by corporate travellers remain low compared to those for hotels - but the growth is certainly noteworthy. Business travel management platform Concur has Read More
Starkov’s technology and marketing resolutions for hoteliers (part two)
News / Distribution
Starkov’s technology and marketing resolutions for hoteliers (part two)
By Viewpoints | January 9, 2017
Finding the balance between form and function on the hotel dotcom, personalisation of marketing campaigns and the threat of Airbnb are among the issues hoteliers need to address in 2017 in order to at Read More
Private accommodation travel bookings to reach $106 billion by 2018
News / Distribution
Private accommodation travel bookings to reach $106 billion by 2018
By Kevin May | January 3, 2017
Private accommodation will account for almost a fifth of global hospitality bookings within two years - and the online travel agency giants are tipped to benefit. In terms of figures, financial ana Read More
Airbnb and third party distribution - and so it begins again?
News / Online
Airbnb and third party distribution - and so it begins again?
By Kevin May | December 20, 2016
Airbnb has dipped its toe back in the waters of third-party distribution, almost a year to the day since it axed its original affiliate programme. The global property-sharing giant has signed a dea Read More
How Airbnb reckons it can change the traveller experience
News / Distribution
How Airbnb reckons it can change the traveller experience
By Viewpoints | December 19, 2016
There has been a great deal of discussion around what the launch of Trips means for Airbnb... and for travel more broadly (if anything). Commentary has come from all quarters, both within the compa Read More
Airbnb and hotels - frenemies at last
News / Distribution
Airbnb and hotels - frenemies at last
By Kevin May | December 16, 2016
It makes for a good headline to push some type of bloodthirsty battle going on between hotels and Airbnb. We in the media are brilliant at (and guilty of) doing it - knowing rather contentedly that Read More
Tripping.com nets $35 million, as investors come knocking for travel metasearch
News / Online
Tripping.com nets $35 million, as investors come knocking for travel metasearch
By Sean O'Neil | December 14, 2016
Investors are positioning themselves to take advantage of the proven model of travel metasearch in many of the world’s markets, as witnessed by Ctrip's recent purchase of Skyscanner for $1.7 billion a Read More
Airbnb demand increasingly hitting hotels, not online travel agencies
News / Distribution
Airbnb demand increasingly hitting hotels, not online travel agencies
By Kevin May | December 12, 2016
Use of Airbnb is growing faster than industry commentators predicted, with hotels the main losers in the new accommodation war. A large survey and follow-up analysis by global financial services gi Read More
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