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.

From Our Partners / Technology

Agentic commerce in travel: Preparing for the industry’s next big shift

By Michelle Bruno | April 14, 2026

The report provides a look at how agentic AI is reshaping travel commerce and what travel merchants must do to prepare for the next phase of AI-driven discovery, booking and payment. Read More

From Our Partners / Technology

Report: How AI and automation are revolutionizing the short-term rental industry

By Sarah McCay Tams | April 9, 2026

Explore how AI and automation are helping short-term rental operators improve efficiency, strengthen distribution and manage tax and regulatory complexi Read More

News / Technology

Mirai rebuilds booking engine for conversational, agent-driven travel

By Cathy Walsh | April 8, 2026

The platform reflects a shift toward AI-ready infrastructure as travel systems adapt to conversational booking and AI interactions. Read More

News / Distribution

Lake.com introduces subscription model for hosts, property managers

By Cathy Walsh | April 6, 2026

Membership option offers a commission-free alternative as operators seek more control over distribution and guest relationships. Read More

Interview / Technology

Startup Stage: Travelese brings identity-based matching to travel discovery

By Cathy Walsh | April 6, 2026

The company uses a proprietary matching architecture to power travel discovery instead of relying on traditional keyword search. Read More

News / Online

Airbnb adds car transfers to Services

By Linda Fox | March 31, 2026

The service is available in more than 125 cities across Asia, Europe and Latin America and enables guests to pre-book a car in the Airbnb app. Read More

News / Online

Luxury vacation rental group Eterniti raises €30 million

By Morgan Hines | March 27, 2026

The new capital brings the company’s total funding to €50 million. Read More

News / Online

Spain to enforce €64 million Airbnb fine

By Morgan Hines | March 27, 2026

Spain has rejected Airbnb's appeal to its fine for advertising unlicensed short-term rentals. Read More

News / Technology

What does ‘AI-native’ really mean in travel?

By Morgan Hines | March 18, 2026

Travel companies are shifting to an "AI-native" model—what that means for legacy brands and startups varies. Read More

News / Technology

PhocusWire's travel tech news briefs: Airbnb, RateGain, Lighthouse and more...

By PhocusWire | March 13, 2026

Keep up with all the latest people, partner and product news from around the global travel industry. Read More

News / Online

Airbnb CSO on hotels, AI, nature travel and what's next for the industry

By Abby Crotty | March 13, 2026

Nathan Blecharczyk, Airbnb co-founder and chief strategy officer, sat down with Phocuswright's Mitra Sorrells at ITB Berlin to discuss the next era of travel. Read More