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 files suit against the City of San Francisco
News
HomeAway files suit against the City of San Francisco
By Nick Vivion | November 3, 2014
In the latest development in the short-term rental saga, vacation rental provider HomeAway has filed suit against the City of San Francisco in an attempt to block recent legislation regulating the ind Read More
More value in business travel to be driven by mobile, wifi and reviews
News / Technology
More value in business travel to be driven by mobile, wifi and reviews
By Linda Fox | November 3, 2014
Amadeus has drawn together insight from professionals at the coalface of booking business travel with research from the travellers themselves to produce its latest white paper. The Hotels 360 repor Read More
Hovelstay - yes, Hovelstay - nets $1.2M for its cheap lodging platform
News
Hovelstay - yes, Hovelstay - nets $1.2M for its cheap lodging platform
By Sean O'Neil | October 23, 2014
A treehouse yurt. A tent in a Hawaiian forest. A FEMA-certified dome. These are some of the examples of quirky places to rent for under $99 a night via Hovelstay, a Glendale, Calif.,-based startup. Read More
Is the new sharing economy in travel a democracy or a republic?
News
Is the new sharing economy in travel a democracy or a republic?
By Viewpoints | October 22, 2014
It seems like for as long as we have had the internet there has been talk of how it can and is “democratizing” anything and everything. There is the "democratization of technology", the "democratiz Read More
ShareBetter attempts to put a lid on NYC short-term rentals with safety tool, parody video
News / Online
ShareBetter attempts to put a lid on NYC short-term rentals with safety tool, parody video
By Nick Vivion | October 14, 2014
The ongoing saga of short-term rentals in New York City has been boosted in part by the legalization of the industry in San Francisco this month. A coalition in New York has started to counter recent Read More
Peer-to-peer rentals receive clarity from San Francisco, paving way for legal status
News
Peer-to-peer rentals receive clarity from San Francisco, paving way for legal status
By Nick Vivion | October 9, 2014
The evolving regulatory environment surrounding short-term rentals accelerated this week, with San Francisco's Board of Supervisors releasing clear rules framing short-term rentals. Board President Read More
The slowly evolving Airbnb - is it a distribution or hospitality company?
News
The slowly evolving Airbnb - is it a distribution or hospitality company?
By Viewpoints | October 3, 2014
In the latter half of 2013, Airbnb began making more direct comparisons between itself and the hotel industry. Nathan Blecharczyk, co-founder and chief technology officer, told the Telegraph in Nov Read More
UK government wants in on sharing economy
News / Distribution
UK government wants in on sharing economy
By Linda Fox | September 30, 2014
The UK government is looking to "open doors" for the sharing economy and make the country a global centre for businesses such as Airbnb and ZipCar. It seems a slightly out of left-field move for a Read More
HouseTrip founders quit amid restructuring and staff redundancies
News
HouseTrip founders quit amid restructuring and staff redundancies
By Kevin May | September 23, 2014
A major restructuring and shift in strategy is expected to lead to a widespread axing of staff at vacation rental brand HouseTrip. The company says in a statement issued this week that it is "chang Read More
Cosmopolit Home secures Euro 2 million for free night-swapping service
News
Cosmopolit Home secures Euro 2 million for free night-swapping service
By Kevin May | September 11, 2014
CouchSurfing trend returns, maybe - French startup Cosmopolit Home has raised Euro 2 million from a string of European investors. The company, which launched in mid-2013, has received the backing f Read More
Uber banned across Germany, temporarily
News / Technology
Uber banned across Germany, temporarily
By Linda Fox | September 2, 2014
Uber must wonder whether its coming or going in Germany having been slapped with a nationwide injunction preventing it from operating across the country. Media reports say the temporary injunction, Read More
Airbnb extends reach further via tie up with Ostrovok
News / Distribution
Airbnb extends reach further via tie up with Ostrovok
By Linda Fox | August 27, 2014
Marking its first distribution deal outside the US, Airbnb is making its inventory available through Russia-based online accommodation service Ostrovok. According to a statement the deal will exten Read More
Travel technology, boutique bidding, and innovations in travel [VIDEO]
News / Online
Travel technology, boutique bidding, and innovations in travel [VIDEO]
By Nick Vivion | August 19, 2014
Travel technology, boutique bidding and innovations in travel from Airbnb and Concur were all recent topics of conversation on Bloomberg West network, demonstrating the continued interest in the techn Read More
A short lesson on the history and future of the sharing economy [VIDEO]
News / Distribution
A short lesson on the history and future of the sharing economy [VIDEO]
By Kevin May | August 15, 2014
[video_popup width="805" height="454" video_link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcK6m3kVZxk" video_image_link="https://www.tnooz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/sharing-economy.jpg"] So much is be Read More
Couchsurfing's new CEO is optimistic, as Erik Blachford and Joel Cutler join board
News
Couchsurfing's new CEO is optimistic, as Erik Blachford and Joel Cutler join board
By Sean O'Neil | August 11, 2014
Last autumn, the board of Couchsurfing met to review Tony Espinoza's stormy tenure as CEO. The travel social network had seemed powerless in the face of a small, but vocal minority of digital stone Read More
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