A new report from vacation rental management platform Hospitable found that 96.8% of short-term rental (STR) hosts believe tech is “critical to their success.”
In February, Hospitable surveyed 566 STR hosts across different management types, including self-managers, co-hosts and property managers.
Data revealed that over 90% use property management software (PMS) for their operations, while 70% use dynamic pricing tools. Other important tools included smart locks, general accounting tools and guest verification, among others. Artificial intelligence is also on the rise.
“While only a small percentage of hosts use third-party AI tools to manage their STRs, Hospitable has seen a big increase in hosts using built-in AI to streamline operations,” the report reads.
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Phocuswright recently published similar findings based on surveys it conducted, noting that hosts “employ a range of technological tools outside of their listing sites” and plan to add more in the coming months.
Hospitable also found STR hosts are shifting towards direct bookings to improve profitability—and while the majority still list on Airbnb (98.8%) and Vrbo (79%), the third most popular channel was hosts’ own direct booking sites (51.3%).
This move not only helps with cost savings but also gives hosts more independence with their brand, pricing and guest relationships.
The results further revealed that STR hosts are seeking more control and saying no to traditional property management companies (PMCs): 79.9% of self-managers and co-hosts don’t plan to hire a PMC this year and 13.5% have previously worked with one but don’t anymore.
Still, 65.4% of survey respondents noticed an uptick in competition—and while roughly half said they don’t believe large PMCs affect their booking ability, there’s still a need to stand out.
To do so, STR hosts are personalizing their approach, with 74.8% of surveyed hosts citing this strategy as their biggest competitive edge. Over 50% of hosts doubled down and said that PMCs can’t match the level of guest engagement they can on their own.
“The findings from this report highlight a new level of confidence among independent hosts,” said Pierre-Camille Hamana, CEO of Hospitable.
“They’re not looking for someone to take over, they’re looking for tools and strategies that strengthen what they already do well. Hosts know that personalization, direct guest contact and control over their business are what make them competitive, and they’re leaning into this more than ever before.”