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 - Tansler wants to become a price-driven challenger to Airbnb and HomeAway
News / Distribution
Startup pitch - Tansler wants to become a price-driven challenger to Airbnb and HomeAway
By Kevin May | October 15, 2013
Does the internet need another vacation rental website? Tansler seems to think so, going live today with a new service which claims it has developed a "transparent marketplace" for both users and owne Read More
Airbnb’s Brian Chesky blinks, finally talks taxes
News / Distribution
Airbnb’s Brian Chesky blinks, finally talks taxes
By Sean O'Neil | October 3, 2013
In a bold move, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has moved his company's position closer to that of New York City's regulators, agreeing that hosts should pay some tax. Today Chesky blogged a response to th Read More
Airbnb celebrates New York victory, vows to fight on [UPDATED]
News / Distribution
Airbnb celebrates New York victory, vows to fight on [UPDATED]
By Linda Fox | September 30, 2013
Airbnb is claiming a victory for the sharing economy after a New York appeal board overturned an earlier ruling. Back in June, the accommodation marketplace said it was going to help Nigel Warren, Read More
Doing the maths - 5 ways to bring your startup bang up to date
News / Online
Doing the maths - 5 ways to bring your startup bang up to date
By Viewpoints | September 4, 2013
The online consumer space is experiencing a trend I call 'singular-use' products Read More
Travel swap marketplace Demeure raises $4 million funding
News / Online
Travel swap marketplace Demeure raises $4 million funding
By Karthick Prabu | September 1, 2013
Demeure, a platform for people to list and trade properties, has raised $4 million in funding from new investors and existing shareholders. Read More
Warning: the big challenges for anyone involved in P2P tour and activity marketplaces
News / Online
Warning: the big challenges for anyone involved in P2P tour and activity marketplaces
By Alex Bainbridge | August 28, 2013
There has been plenty of coverage in recent months about the development and fate of person-to-person online marketplaces in the travel industry - not all of it particularly positive. Read More
Understanding search: Google gives localized sitelinks for Airbnb and Yelp queries in the US
News / Online
Understanding search: Google gives localized sitelinks for Airbnb and Yelp queries in the US
By Viewpoints | August 27, 2013
If you search on "Airbnb" or "Yelp" on Google.com in the US, you'll see sitelinks relevant to your local area. This seems unique to listings site in travel, and it doesn't seem that useful. Read More
Caught red-handed: Airbnb, TripVillas, and the curious case of a rogue spammer
News / Online
Caught red-handed: Airbnb, TripVillas, and the curious case of a rogue spammer
By Sean O'Neil | July 30, 2013
A legitimate promo code to encourage homeowners to list their properties on Airbnb "escaped into the wild," -- where one individual used it to spam owners of vacation homes who had listed on... Read More
More on that sharing economy in travel debate, over on Huffington Post [VIDEO]
News / Online
More on that sharing economy in travel debate, over on Huffington Post [VIDEO]
By Kevin May | July 30, 2013
It must be the week for conversations tackling the rise of and issues surrounding the so-called sharing economy. Read More
Airbnb and the tale of two cities
News / Online
Airbnb and the tale of two cities
By Linda Fox | June 12, 2013
Last week an interesting piece popped up on Airbnb's blog entitled Why we're helping Nigel in New York. Read More
Flatora shuts up shop, executive reflects on what went wrong
News / Online
Flatora shuts up shop, executive reflects on what went wrong
By Linda Fox | June 7, 2013
Flatora, a Russia-based marketplace for short-term holiday rentals, is calling it a day, posting a work suspended notice on its website. Read More
Trip4real aims to connect Spanish locals with travellers
News / Online
Trip4real aims to connect Spanish locals with travellers
By Karthick Prabu | June 3, 2013
Trip4real, Spain-based peer to peer platform aims to connect locals with travellers to offer unique and authentic experience. Read More
How startup investment works (or not)
News / Online
How startup investment works (or not)
By PhocusWire | May 22, 2013
Some startups will get about $15,000 from family and friends, maybe $200,000 from an angel investor three months later, and about $2 million from a VC perhaps six months later. Read More
Triip wants to bridge local people and travelers to create rich experience
News / Online
Triip wants to bridge local people and travelers to create rich experience
By Karthick Prabu | May 8, 2013
Travel is supposedly all about memories and the experience people have in-resort. But nowadays travellers are armed with more information beforehand than ever before. Read More
TripAdvisor bolsters vacation rental focus as another acquisition adds Niumba to portfolio
News / Online
TripAdvisor bolsters vacation rental focus as another acquisition adds Niumba to portfolio
By Kevin May | May 7, 2013
Another week, another acquisition for TripAdvisor - this time snapping up Spain-based vacation rental service Niumba in another undisclosed deal. Read More
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