Alternative Accommodation

PhocusWire's in-depth coverage of the alternative accommodation sector, featuring news, analysis, interviews, research and more on home-sharing, short-term rentals, timeshare, homestays and other property types.

Opinion / Distribution

Has Airbnb booked its place at the top of the accommodation hierarchy?

By Lucia Juliano - Harris Interactive | August 14, 2018

Airbnb celebrates its 10th birthday this year - a decade after its founders first rented out an air mattress in their living room to help pay the rent. Read More

Interview / Startups

STARTUP STAGE: Vacaryx ticks high-touch and blockchain boxes for rental platform

By Mitra Sorrells | August 14, 2018

Vacaryx is a vacation rental platform that aims to add transparency to the booking process by facilitating communication between hosts and guests. Read More

News / Online

Booking Holdings closely monitoring paid channels as it builds direct strategy

By Linda Fox | August 9, 2018

Following the release of its Q2 financials, Booking Holdings says it's continuing its strategy of building its direct business as well as a wider travel offering. Read More

News / Online

TripAdvisor’s non-hotel revenue slows but remains bright spot in Q2 earnings

By Mitra Sorrells | August 1, 2018

TripAdvisor reports non-hotel segment revenue grew 22% year-over-year – from $98 million to $120 million - a sizable increase but a deceleration from the first quarter when it posted gains of 36% over... Read More

Opinion / Distribution

Evolution warning: Are hotel owners in danger of becoming the new taxi drivers?

By Peter O’Connor - Essec Business School | August 1, 2018

Just as the taxi industry responded to new competition by trying to manipulate governments in their favor, hotel chains are ganging up on travel industry innovators such as Airbnb and online travel... Read More

From Our Partners / Technology

Technology and travel are driving forward together

By Richard Gayle - Travel Forward | July 31, 2018

There is a compelling argument that the travel industry invented ecommerce. Read More

News / Startups

Guesty eases funding process for vacation rental clients

By Mitra Sorrells | July 31, 2018

Property management companies that use Guesty can now apply for financing directly in the software platform. Read More

News / Distribution

AccorHotels abandons Air France-KLM deal, earlier buys kick in

By Linda Fox | July 26, 2018

AccorHotels backs away from plan to acquire a minority stake in Air-France KLM. Read More

Interview / Technology

Q&A: Nordic Choice Hotels on how innovation drives the customer experience

By Nordic Choice Hotels & ALICE | July 24, 2018

ALICE co-founder and president Alex Shashou sat down with Nordic Choice head of business Christian Lunden to discuss innovation at Nordic Choice properties and how the influence of other industries... Read More

News / Online

Chinese home rental platform Tujia adds SiteMinder property management for hosts

By Mitra Sorrells | July 24, 2018

Tujia, a vacation rental platform backed by Ctrip, has partnered with SiteMinder to offer its overseas accommodation providers an all-in-one management system. Read More

News / Online

Secret Escapes unlocks new investment round of £52M

By Kevin May | July 19, 2018

Secret Escapes has landed another funding round - the second time in the space of eight months that its secured a $50 million investment. Read More

News / Technology

Booking.com tests marketplace offering third party technology

By Linda Fox | July 19, 2018

Booking Holdings is piloting a service that offers access to third party technology platforms for its hotel customers. Read More

News / Distribution

Airbnb told to get in line with European consumer law

By Linda Fox | July 17, 2018

Airbnb has been told by the European Commission to clean up its pricing as well as commercial terms. Read More

News / Online

Who won the FIFA World Cup? Private Accommodation FC

By Kevin May | July 16, 2018

France secured their second FIFA World Cup in two decades last weekend - but victory also came to the private accommodation sector during the tournament. Read More