Snigdha Parghan
Pittsburgh Moves Toward Licensing, Cape Town Tightens Enforcement, and Kentucky Bill Seeks to Override Local Rules
TL;DR- Pittsburgh is moving toward licensing, zoning approval, and unit caps; Cape Town is increasing enforcement on commercial-scale operators; and Kentucky may override local STR restrictions entirely.
Ireland Restricts Rentals in Towns Over 20,000, Saratoga Imposes Full Ban, and Bandon Freezes New Applications
TL;DR- Ireland will now restrict STRs in towns with over 20,000 residents, giving existing operators two years to comply, while introducing planning oversight. In the U.S., Saratoga is enacting a total ban, adding fines, and hiring a monitoring firm to scan platforms. Meanwhile, Bandon, Oregon has paused new permits for 120 days while it evaluates local housing impact.
Spain to Remove 86,000 Listings, Airbnb Reveals Early FIFA World Cup Trends, and Key Data parters with BookingsCloud
TL;DR- Spain is stepping up enforcement on short-term rentals, ordering 86,000 listings to be taken down for non-compliance with its STR registry. Meanwhile, Airbnb has shared early FIFA World Cup 2026 trends—families, groups, and international travelers are leading demand. Cities are seeing extended trip interest. Key Data and BookingsCloud have partnered to help property managers turn real-time market data into automated direct booking ad campaigns.
Must-Attend Short-Term Rental Conferences and Events in 2026
TL;DR- This global guide to Short-Term Rental Conferences in 2026 highlights where top industry players are meeting, from VRMA and SCALE to the Short Stay Summit, across the U.S., Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and online. A must-reference for property managers and hosts planning to attend industry events to stay informed, connect, and learn what’s working.
How to Optimize Your Airbnb Listing to Get More Bookings
TL;DR- Most Airbnb listings don’t underperform because of price, they underperform because of poor listing quality. A PriceLabs study of 10,000+ listings found 88% had issues hurting visibility or conversion. In a recent workshop, Thibault Masson showed how Airbnb now uses AI and quality signals like clarity, consistency, and photos to rank listings. These issues compound quietly at scale. PriceLabs' new Listing Optimizer helps property managers detect and fix them before revenue takes a hit.
Booking.com Bets on Astrology, Greece Tightens Rules, and Hawaii Signals Risk to 10,000 Vacation Rentals
TL;DR- Booking.com taps astrologer Esperanza Gracia to match 2026 travel with zodiac signs, embracing identity-led travel. Meanwhile, Greece is enforcing stricter STR rules, removing properties from the registry in designated zones after ownership change. In Hawaii, the Governor proposed converting at least 10,000 STRs to long-term housing, though no statewide policy exists yet.
Airbnb Partners With CookUnity, Viral Listings Highlight Demand Trends, San Diego Proposes UPTO $12,000+Tax
TL;DR- Airbnb has partnered with chef-led meal delivery service CookUnity to offer chef-prepared, ready-to-heat meals via Airbnb Services, expanding beyond accommodations. However, the service excludes hosts from participation or revenue. Meanwhile, Airbnb’s most viral listings of 2025 show that social media-friendly, nature-immersed, and visually unique stays drive demand. In regulatory news, San Diego is considering an $8K–$12K annual tax on STRs and second homes, signaling stricter pressure on corporate-owned and full-home vacation rentals. Property managers must now adapt to a landscape where platform moves, aesthetics, and regulation all reshape margins and strategy.
Why Listing Quality Breaks at Scale And How to Stop It from Draining Revenue
📌TL;DR- Most underperforming listings aren’t priced wrong, they’re simply not getting found, clicked, or trusted. PriceLabs’ analysis of 10,000+ listings found that 88% had content quality issues reducing visibility and conversion. Their Listing Optimizer helps professional managers diagnose and fix those problems across large portfolios. It’s not about rewriting text, it’s about aligning guest expectations with what’s shown, said, and delivered.
Spain Penalizes Airbnb Over Non-Compliance, Milan To Ban Key Boxes from 2026, Forge Tests AI Assistant
📌TL;DR- Spain has issued a €56M fine against Airbnb for non-compliant listings, signaling tougher enforcement under its new national STR registry. Milan will ban self-check-in key boxes on public property from 2026, adding another layer of local regulation in Italy. Meanwhile, Forge Holiday Group is testing an AI-powered concierge, highlighting how platforms are shifting toward conversational, data-driven travel search.
Planning for 2026? What 2025 Market Data Is Telling Large Property Managers
📌TL;DR- The 2025 data shows that demand is arriving later, revenue is increasingly concentrated around major events, and large property managers are operating under a very different performance model than the broader market. Booking windows have shortened, making pricing discipline and patience more important than ever, while early data for 2026 events like the Winter Olympics, and FIFA World Cup already shows demand building much earlier than last year. At the same time, professionally managed portfolios are trading occupancy for higher Average Daily Rates (ADR) and stronger Revenue per Available Rental (RevPAR), and listing quality has emerged as a measurable revenue driver.
2026 Travel Trends: Intentional, Emotional, Experience-Led
📌TL;DR- In 2026, travel is becoming more emotional, intentional, and experience-driven. Airbnb highlights a rise in solo travel, viral TikTok itineraries, and bookings tied to big events like the Olympics. Expedia sees surging interest in fantasy-inspired trips, skincare retreats, and set-jetting led by Gen Z and Millennials. Booking.com reports growing demand for nature escapes, spiritual travel, and health-focused accommodations. Across the board, travelers are choosing how they want to feel, not just where to go, making emotional resonance and storytelling key for short-term rental success.
How Multi-Model Flexibility Can Help Property Managers Reduce the Impact of Regulations
📌TL;DR- Faced with London’s strict 90-day rental rule, Your AirHost scaled to 250 properties by building a flexible management model combining short-, mid-, and long-term stays. CEO Stefan Hoffelner explains how geographic diversification, guest segmentation, and owner-friendly agreements allowed them to grow sustainably while staying compliant. For property managers in regulated markets, this is a real-world playbook for adaptability, not just growth.
Maui Inches Toward Rental Ban, Bali Targets Unlicensed Villas, and PriceLabs gets Recognition
📌TL;DR- Maui’s Bill 9 advances again, potentially eliminating up to 6,000-7,000 short-term rentals by 2026 if final rezoning passes. Bali proposes strict licensing for villas, threatening thousands of unpermitted STRs. Meanwhile, PriceLabs’s Listing Optimizer tool wins industry recognition for helping property managers identify and fix low-converting listings at scale.
Learning Revenue management Is No Longer Optional for Property Managers, Here’s Why
📌TL;DR- Property managers can now access the “Fundamentals of Revenue Management” course by PriceLabs Academy, a free, self-paced, tool-agnostic training. It simplifies pricing, pacing, and profitability concepts, helping managers make smarter revenue decisions. Graduates earn a certificate, gaining clarity and credibility in a fast-maturing industry.
Budapest’s 6th District to Ban Rentals, Evolve Snaps Up 1,000 Former Vacasa Homes, and Airbnb-Friendly Apartments Cross 1,300 Buildings
📌TL;DR- Budapest’s 6th District will ban short-term rentals from 2026, raising concerns for property managers in heritage zones. Evolve has acquired 1,000 homes from the former Guestworks portfolio, inherited by Casago after its Vacasa acquisition. Meanwhile, Airbnb’s Friendly Apartments program hits 1,300 buildings, giving renters legal pathways to host, and offering managers a new semi-professional client base.
What Airbnb’s 2025 Updates Really Signal for 2026 (and How Managers Should Prepare)
📌TL;DR- 2026 on Airbnb will bring more cancellations, tighter ranking rules, expanding hotels and services, and far more AI deciding visibility. For property managers, the winning strategy is simple: stronger operations, clearer listings, and optimisation for conversion signals.
Maui U-Turns on Ban, Boom Launches AI Ops Agent, Airbnb Sees Italy Surge & Seniors Flocking South
Maui is pulling back from its full short-term rental ban, proposing to preserve 4,519 legacy STR units through new hotel zoning, while Boom has launched “BAM,” an AI-powered ops agent designed to automate STR management workflows post a $12.7M funding round. Meanwhile, Airbnb’s early winter 2025–26 trends (based solely on platform data) show Italy booming ahead of the Olympics, US families booking longer rural stays, and retirees heading to Florida.
Hostaway Hits $1B Valuation, Dallas Pushes Rental Ban Ahead of FIFA, San Diego Mulls $5K/Bedroom Tax
📌TL;DR- Hostaway just became the first PMS to hit unicorn status with a $1B valuation, setting a new bar for vacation rental software. Meanwhile, Dallas is pushing to enforce its STR ban ahead of the FIFA World Cup, despite legal roadblocks and rising guest demand. In San Diego, a proposed tax of $5K per bedroom on STRs and second homes could squeeze smaller operators.
Learn How to Reduce Reliance on Platforms at the Direct Booking Success Summit 2025
📌TL;DR- The Direct Booking Success Summit 2025 is a free, online event taking place November 4–6, designed to help short-term rental professionals reduce their reliance on OTAs and strengthen their direct booking strategies. Now in its 5th year, the summit features 30+ expert speakers covering topics like SEO, branding, social media, automation, and guest experience, offering actionable insights for everyone from solo hosts to large-scale property managers.
How the Franchise Model Helped a Vacation Rental Manager Deliver Better Hospitality
📌TL;DR- Michael LeClerc, a former Michelin-starred chef and now the founder of SkyRun Vacation Rentals in Park City, Utah shares how embracing a hybrid franchise model helped him scale his short-term rental business without losing sight of hospitality. In an interview with Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs, Michael reflects on managing over 100 properties in a competitive ski market by blending high-touch guest service, operational simplicity, and local responsiveness.
