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.

Why the belle has no clothes at the rental marketplace ball
News / Online
Why the belle has no clothes at the rental marketplace ball
By Viewpoints | August 16, 2011
Airbnb and the fast-growing number of rental marketplaces seem like the belles of the ball among travel-related web sites this year. Read More
Airbnb tries to get house back in order, guarantee scheme now effective
News / Online
Airbnb tries to get house back in order, guarantee scheme now effective
By Kevin May | August 15, 2011
It took a bucket load of bad publicity and at least one trashed property, but Airbnb has finally launched its owner insurance scheme. Read More
Is there anyone out there who really loves the customer?
News / Online
Is there anyone out there who really loves the customer?
By Timothy O'Neil-Dunne | August 15, 2011
Recently I have become quite focused on the issues of customer trust - primarily I am saddened by the trend to take advantage of the consumer. Read More
Flat-Club targets trust factor in buzz around short-term lettings
News / Online
Flat-Club targets trust factor in buzz around short-term lettings
By Daniele Beccari | August 15, 2011
TLabs Showcase on travel startups featuring UK-based Flat-Club, an online marketplace for short term lettings between friends and members of organisations and clubs. Read More
Airbnb reverts to membership marketing, but some questions over method
News / Online
Airbnb reverts to membership marketing, but some questions over method
By Kevin May | August 9, 2011
Such is the buzz and controversy surrounding Airbnb at the moment that it only has scratch its backside and people are looking to either praise or criticise it. Read More
TLabs Reprise - Globetrooper 12 months on
News / Online
TLabs Reprise - Globetrooper 12 months on
By Kevin May | August 8, 2011
Globetrooper is an Australia-based social trip planning service, which first featured on Tnooz in April 2010. So what happened in the intervening 12 months? Read More
Priceline to continue testing and expanding local deals
News / Online
Priceline to continue testing and expanding local deals
By Dennis Schaal | August 4, 2011
Priceline's hotel and car rental business grew substantially in the second quarter, and the company also is pondering local deals as a new revenue stream. Read More
Reality bites - Airbnb told to register as seller of travel
News / Online
Reality bites - Airbnb told to register as seller of travel
By Dennis Schaal | August 4, 2011
Is Airbnb merely a "neutral venue" enabling users to arrange stays with one another? Read More
Ten critical questions for person-to-person business models in travel
News / Online
Ten critical questions for person-to-person business models in travel
By Alex Bainbridge | August 1, 2011
Extraordinary amount of intense debate recently regarding issues around person-2-person (P2P) business models for tours and accommodation. Read More
How a UK startup fixed the Airbnb calendar availability problem without being asked
News / Online
How a UK startup fixed the Airbnb calendar availability problem without being asked
By Alex Bainbridge | July 29, 2011
One common theme when technical discussions turn to Person-to-Person (P2P) marketplaces is the concept of availability control. Read More
Airbnb captures $112M funding round, wants global domination
News / Online
Airbnb captures $112M funding round, wants global domination
By Kevin May | July 24, 2011
Almost two months after rumours first surfaced of a mammoth funding round, Airbnb has finally completed its Series B injection of $112 million in capital. Read More
Attention all startups: disrupting the travel industry is extremely hard
News / Online
Attention all startups: disrupting the travel industry is extremely hard
By Alex Bainbridge | July 18, 2011
We talk endlessly about travel startups at Tnooz. Indeed, no publication has covered more travel startups, with over 200 new business profiles published on Tnooz TLabs. Read More
Skyra wants to take on the big boys of rentals with freemium model
News / Online
Skyra wants to take on the big boys of rentals with freemium model
By Kevin May | July 5, 2011
TLabs Showcase on travel startups featuring US-based travel property exchange service Skyra. Read More
China search giant Baidu takes travel seriously with $306M punt on Qunar
News / Online
China search giant Baidu takes travel seriously with $306M punt on Qunar
By Kevin May | July 3, 2011
While some industry folk in the western hemisphere gasp at levels of money being thrown into the likes of Wimdu and Airbnb, over in China there are even bigger sums in play. Read More
HomeAway executes IPO and iStopOver finds room to acquire Vacapedia
News / Online
HomeAway executes IPO and iStopOver finds room to acquire Vacapedia
By Dennis Schaal | June 29, 2011
A few hours after HomeAway priced its IPO and became a public company, there's more activity today in the vacation-rental and rent-a-room market: iStopOver acquired Vacapedia. Read More
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