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.

Startup pitch: PoolCircle aims to be at centre of peer-to-peer services
News / Technology
Startup pitch: PoolCircle aims to be at centre of peer-to-peer services
By Karthick Prabu | February 14, 2014
There are countless individual providers of peer-to-peer services in the accommodation, connecting locals with travellers and car rental segments. But how about bringing all those players under one Read More
Startup pitch: RoomnHouse targets alternatives in Asia and Middle East
News / Distribution
Startup pitch: RoomnHouse targets alternatives in Asia and Middle East
By Karthick Prabu | February 11, 2014
India-based RoomnHouse offers travellers alternate accommodation options by allowing private accommodation owners to list their properties on the site. These accommodation options could be a shared Read More
Beyond the sharing economy-hipster hype - The REAL Airbnb effect
News
Beyond the sharing economy-hipster hype - The REAL Airbnb effect
By Viewpoints | February 7, 2014
If I had an apartment or a house in a popular tourist destination, Airbnb would be my dream come true. NB: This is an opinion from Steve Brenner, co-owner of the Cross-Pollinate information site, o Read More
Startup pitch: RoomLion aims for global marketplace for serviced apartments
News / Distribution
Startup pitch: RoomLion aims for global marketplace for serviced apartments
By Karthick Prabu | February 3, 2014
Whilst the market is witnessing a number of peer-to-peer accommodation sharing services, India-based startup RoomLion focuses on one particular type. It is aiming to build a web marketplace for onl Read More
Take two: Airbnb rolls out new marketing initiative with a UGC contest
News / Online
Take two: Airbnb rolls out new marketing initiative with a UGC contest
By Nick Vivion | January 27, 2014
Airbnb had a difficult end to 2013, with a botched marketing campaign that included a trademark infringement lawsuit from competitor HomeAway. After scrapping the Birdbnb campaign, the company is b Read More
Google take on affluent travellers: trip planning, videos and multi-screen
News / Technology
Google take on affluent travellers: trip planning, videos and multi-screen
By Karthick Prabu | January 27, 2014
Affluent travellers rely on digital for travel inspiration and booking, are increasingly viewing travel videos online and seeking out loyalty programs, reveals a Google study. Trip planning A ma Read More
Discrimination in P2P marketplaces: Do whites really make more money than blacks?
News / Technology
Discrimination in P2P marketplaces: Do whites really make more money than blacks?
By Nick Vivion | January 23, 2014
The Internet has been abuzz with a recently released study from the Harvard Business School that found that black hosts on Airbnb were charging 12% less than white hosts for similar listings. So is th Read More
Hospitality standards and P2P: Airbnb and Housetrip talk building a global network of hoteliers
News / Distribution
Hospitality standards and P2P: Airbnb and Housetrip talk building a global network of hoteliers
By Nick Vivion | January 6, 2014
One of the most poignant criticisms of P2P accommodation websites is that the network's decentralized nature leads to slack standards as far as hospitality. The argument is that such a large collectio Read More
How crowded cities and the sharing economy are colliding
News
How crowded cities and the sharing economy are colliding
By PhocusWire | December 30, 2013
SOCIAL: The likes of Airbnb and countless car-sharing startups are not changing the world on their own - they are part of a cycle of change in how society thinks it can now obtain and use services. Read More
Airbnb quietly removes Birdbnb promotion after HomeAway legal action
News / Online
Airbnb quietly removes Birdbnb promotion after HomeAway legal action
By Kevin May | December 30, 2013
It looks like the threat of legal action has seen Airbnb's Birdhouse promotion fly away - the $2 million campaign appears to have been swiftly discarded. Just a few days after HomeAway issued court Read More
Ashton Kutcher on the art of investing in tech brands
News / Online
Ashton Kutcher on the art of investing in tech brands
By PhocusWire | December 30, 2013
STARTUPS: Attracting a heavyweight supporter to a startup can be both a benefit and a curse, especially from a PR perspective. Ashton Kutcher is perhaps the most high profile celebrity to cast their Read More
HomeAway urges Airbnb to admit bad judgement over Birdhouse ad
News / Online
HomeAway urges Airbnb to admit bad judgement over Birdhouse ad
By Kevin May | December 27, 2013
[video_popup width="805" height="454" video_link="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QJpMk8uuvo" video_image_link="https://www.tnooz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Screen-Shot-2013-12-18-at-9.28.23-AM-e1387 Read More
What is Social Media 3.0?
News / Online
What is Social Media 3.0?
By PhocusWire | December 23, 2013
SOCIAL: Travel brands, perhaps as much or more than most other industries, have finally got to grips with and are capitalising on the power of social media - at least from an engagement and customer Read More
Airbnb launches first flight into integrated marketing with $2 million campaign, Birdbnb
News / Online
Airbnb launches first flight into integrated marketing with $2 million campaign, Birdbnb
By Nick Vivion | December 18, 2013
[video_popup width="805" height="454" video_link="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QJpMk8uuvo" video_image_link="https://www.tnooz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Screen-Shot-2013-12-18-at-9.28.23-AM-e1387 Read More
Priceline duo speak: Huston on the future and Boyd on the past
News / Online
Priceline duo speak: Huston on the future and Boyd on the past
By Kevin May | November 21, 2013
For years Priceline top brass such as CEO Jeff Boyd would rarely speak to the media beyond the obligatory appearances with the financial press around earnings. But with him recently stepping aside Read More
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