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 / Online

Loyalty in travel during a time of fear starts with the refund

By Matt Walker - LikeWhere | April 1, 2020

The refund process for travel brands, at a moment when the operational parts of a business are in overdrive, is going to expose the culture of many brands, in the coming days. Read More

News / Online

Airbnb apologizes to hosts, dedicates $250M to coronavirus-related cancelations

By Jill Menze | March 30, 2020

In a letter sent to hosts, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says he's “sorry” for mangling communication about refund policies. Read More

News / Online

Airbnb hosts in China are “confident” about market recovery

By Jill Menze | March 27, 2020

According to data from Airbnb, 99% of hosts in China feel positively or neutral about engaging in the short-term rental market following the COVID-19 outbreak, while 1% say they will “definitely not”... Read More

News / Distribution

WEBINAR REPLAY! Everything you need to know about the short-term rental market and tech

By PhocusWire | March 25, 2020

What does the future hold for ADR and occupancy? What can you do to stay ahead of the curve? How can you make more money? The facts and stats are numerous and revealing so don’t miss a minute of this... Read More

News / Startups

Confronted by crisis, travel startups weigh difficult - and personal - decisions

By Jill Menze | March 24, 2020

Not only are startups equipped with fewer resources, funds and time, but also, the close-knit nature of their workforces means that even one shift within the company is often felt by all. Read More

News / Online

Airbnb urges U.S. government to alter rules for hosts during coronavirus crisis

By Kevin May | March 18, 2020

In a letter to the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, as well as the Republican Party leader in the house, Kevin McCarthy, Airbnb is asking for four alterations to existing tax and... Read More

From Our Partners / Technology

Looking beyond the coronavirus chicane to accelerate growth for travel

By Apurva Chamaria - RateGain. | March 16, 2020

This is not the first time in this century that the travel and tourism industry is at the center of a crisis and has to deal with losses and have to adapt and survive. Read More

Interview / Technology

How I Got Here, episode 28 - Michael Driedger of Operto

By PhocusWire | March 12, 2020

Mozio's David Litwak and Kevin May from PhocusWire talk with Micheal Driedger, co-founder and CEO of Canada-based Operto, about bringing high-end tech to private accommodation and hotels. Read More

News / Technology

Cloudbeds brings in $82M to “triple down” on hospitality tech

By Steven Lerner | March 11, 2020

Cloudbeds plans to further invest in its hospitality management technology platform after landing an additional $82 million in funding. Read More

News / Distribution

Poor payment experience determines choice of travel provider

By Linda Fox | March 11, 2020

A study from Amadeus highlights how the payment process continues to cause friction for travelers. Read More

News / Online

Lyric lays off 25 employees, closes nearly 30% of units as part of restructuring plan

By Donna M. Airoldi - Business Travel News | March 9, 2020

Lyric, an apartment-style accommodation provider, has cut 25 people from its 150-person workforce and will close 179 of its 600 units nationwide amid a downsizing and restructuring. Read More

News / Distribution

European Commission agrees to data-sharing pact with short-term rental giants

By Linda Fox | March 6, 2020

Online accommodation platforms Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia and Tripadvisor have agreed to share short-term rental data with the European Commission. Read More