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.

Travellers know what they want: all we have to do is listen to them
From Our Partners / Online
Travellers know what they want: all we have to do is listen to them
By Jon Collins - Travel Forward | October 1, 2018
When we talk about travelling customers as entities rather than people, we lose touch with one fundamental element. Read More
Startup Stage Pitched
Interview / Startups
Startup Stage: Pitched wants to be the Airbnb of camping
By Mitra Sorrells | October 1, 2018
Ontario-based Pitched is modeled after Airbnb – allowing Canadian property owners to rent their land to travelers looking for unique, affordable places to set up their tents.   Read More
Airbnb says nothing "off-limits" with Experiences
News / Online
Airbnb says nothing "off-limits" with Experiences
By Kevin May | September 28, 2018
Airbnb would consider expanding its currently hyper-focused take on tours and activities in order to grow its market. Read More
AccorHotels leads €5M investment in Travelsify AI analytics platform
News / Technology
AccorHotels leads €5M investment in Travelsify AI analytics platform
By Mitra Sorrells | September 27, 2018
AccorHotels has led a €5 million round in Travelsify, a content analytics platform that uses artificial intelligence to help brands differentiate and monetize their products.   Read More
homeshare-hotels-learnings
News / Distribution
Why hotels should take cues from home-sharing, stop "obsession with direct booking"
By Linda Fox | September 25, 2018
Though traditional hotel operators have been beleaguered by the march of brands such as Airbnb, they have taken steps to embrace the trend in recent years. A good example is the Marriott... Read More
Are mainstream tour and activity operators welcome on Airbnb?
From Our Partners / Distribution
Are mainstream tour and activity operators welcome on Airbnb?
By Alex Kremer - Arival | September 14, 2018
Airbnb shook the travel world when it launched Experiences in the fall of 2016. Read More
Airbnb for Work expands, looks beyond core business travel market
News / Online
Airbnb for Work expands, looks beyond core business travel market
By Jill Menze | September 5, 2018
Airbnb, in its tenacious quest to engage with one billion guests by 2028, is ramping up its efforts to court the professional community by expanding its Airbnb for Work offerings. Read More
In the green room at Phocuswright with... Maud Bailly
Interview / Technology
In the green room at Phocuswright with... Maud Bailly
By PhocusWire | September 3, 2018
Joining AccorHotels in 2017 as chief digital officer, overseeing distribution, sales, data and information systems - Bailly presents a keynote at the Phocuswright Conference 2018. Read More
RedAwning targets multi-unit rental sector with Leavetown acquisition
News / Distribution
RedAwning targets multi-unit rental sector with Leavetown acquisition
By Kevin May | August 30, 2018
Vacation rental network RedAwning has made it second acquisition of 2018 - this time buying fellow service Leavetown Vacations and its Jetstream distribution platform. Read More
Is there enough room for another one-stop shop like Airbnb?
News / Online
Is there enough room for another one-stop shop like Airbnb?
By Kevin May | August 29, 2018
It's worth remembering that Airbnb was the feisty little upstart of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry not too long ago - before it became a power player. Read More
google-search-travel-hotel-ads
News / Online
Subtle change to users, big impact on brands - Google search and hotels
By Pablo Delgado - Mirai | August 27, 2018
The real estate on Google's search engine results pages has changed dramatically over the course of the last decade.   Read More
Luxury counts as Sonder gets $85 million deal
News / Online
Luxury counts as Sonder gets $85 million deal
By Kevin May | August 27, 2018
High-end rental network platform Sonder has raised a Series C round of investment to the tune of $85 million. Read More
Startup Stage PopulStay 2
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: PopulStay uses blockchain for rental bookings, management and security
By Mitra Sorrells | August 27, 2018
PopulStay is a booking and property management platform for vacation rentals that uses blockchain to create a direct connection between hosts and guests and to lower transaction costs.   Read More
Evolve scores big with $80M investment to grow rental tech services
News / Distribution
Evolve scores big with $80M investment to grow rental tech services
By Kevin May | August 24, 2018
Big investment is heading in the direction of Evolve Vacation Rental Network following a $80 million injection this week. Read More
Revenue and loyalty for vacation rentals in the age of Amazon and Google
Opinion / Online
Revenue and loyalty for vacation rentals in the age of Amazon and Google
By Mike Putman - Custom Travel Solutions | August 23, 2018
The accommodations market has expanded over the past decade, in part due to the growing vacation rental sector. However, nobody quite knows how vacation rentals will fit into the larger travel ecosystem... Read More
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