Booking platforms continue to evolve, from algorithm updates and stricter cancellation policies to shifting payout terms. While these changes offer scale and access, they can also limit the autonomy of short-term rental (STR) operators who rely heavily on OTAs for bookings.
In response, more property managers and hosts are reassessing how they balance platform dependency with direct channels, and events like the Direct Booking Success Summit 2025 are becoming a key space for learning, connection, and strategy.
Now in its 5th year, the Summit returns from November 4–6, 2025, as a free, online event built for STR professionals looking to improve their direct booking performance. The event brings together 30+ speakers covering a wide range of topics, from brand building and marketing to automation and tech, with content that spans both foundational and advanced strategies.
Who Will Benefit Most from Attending:
- Independent hosts looking to reduce reliance on OTAs without sacrificing occupancy
- Property managers seeking scalable, brand-led strategies that support growth
- Marketing and operations leads focused on sustainable revenue and guest experience
- Anyone in the STR space who wants to understand better what a healthy OTA-direct mix looks like today
Whether you’re refining an existing strategy or just starting to experiment with direct bookings, the summit can offer frameworks, case studies, and conversations designed to help you move forward, not just get inspired.
RSU by PriceLabs Is Back at DBS Summit 2025!
The Rental Scale-Up team is back for another round, after joining as speakers and partners in 2023 and 2024, the DBS Summit is now part of our yearly rhythm.
Thibault Masson, Founder of Rental Scale-Up and Head of Product Marketing at PriceLabs, returns to the virtual stage with a session focused on how length-of-stay rules can fill gaps, reduce burnout, and drive revenue.
Meet Jenn Boyles: The Force Behind the Direct Booking Success Summit
A former Airbnb Superhost turned marketing strategist, Jenn Boyles, built her own direct booking brands across the UK and Europe, and saw firsthand the power of owning guest relationships and revenue.
In 2021, she launched the Direct Booking Success Summit to make direct booking education accessible, actionable, and free from gatekeeping. What began as a passion project has grown into one of the largest global online events helping STR pros thrive without relying on OTAs.
Now based in Vancouver, Jenn leads Direct Booking Success, hosts the weekly DBS Podcast, and created Book Direct Pro, a marketing platform built specifically for vacation rental businesses.
Meet the Thought Leaders Headlining DBS Summit 2025
This year’s summit brings together a powerhouse lineup of industry leaders, each tackling a unique piece of the direct booking puzzle. Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store:
| Craig Webb | Outrank the OTAs With Search Terms That Actually Convert | Learn SEO strategies tailored for vacation rentals, not generic hotel tactics. |
| Brianne Hamilton | How to Make Reels That Get Views, Likes, and Bookings | Finally crack the code on Instagram reels that convert into real bookings. |
| Jennifer Barbee | Stop Competing on Price and Start Creating a Destination Brand | Elevate your brand beyond price wars and generic listings. |
| Heather Dunwoody | Outsmart the OTAs and Make AI Your Unfair Advantage | Use AI without losing your human touch, or your sanity. |
| Sarah Stahl | The Micro-Influencer Blueprint Behind 93% Direct Bookings | See how a boutique resort achieved almost full OTA independence. |
And that’s just a glimpse! With 25+ more speakers and sessions covering advanced insights, beginner-friendly takeaways, and everything in between. Check out the full lineup here.
Why This Summit Matters for Professional Property Managers
As the short-term rental industry matures, property managers are being asked to do more with less: less visibility on platforms, tighter margins, more regulatory scrutiny, and changing guest expectations. Events like the Direct Booking Success Summit offer a moment to step back and examine what’s working in this shifting landscape, from people navigating the same challenges.
For professional managers, the summit can open the door to broader questions shaping the STR space:
- How are operators adapting to reduced platform visibility or sudden policy changes?
- What does sustainable growth look like without overreliance on a single channel?
- How are teams building operational systems that support direct booking goals?
- What’s the role of brand-building, tech adoption, and guest communication in this?
These are industry-wide questions that don’t always have clear answers. The value of the summit is in surfacing what others are trying, from solo hosts to scaled operators, and offering a mix of tested tactics and frameworks.
It also fits into a larger industry trend: professionalization. As more managers look to diversify revenue, improve operational resilience, and invest in long-term guest relationships, events like this help ground those goals in a practical, real-world context.
Extend the Learning Beyond the Live Summit
The Direct Booking Success Summit 2025 will feature 40+ sessions over three days (November 4–6), each packed with actionable insights. But with so much ground being covered, it may be difficult to catch every presentation live, especially if you’re balancing operations at the same time.
That’s where the All-Access Pass adds value. It gives attendees flexibility to revisit sessions on their own schedule, absorb material at a manageable pace, and return to key insights when implementing new strategies.
Included with the All-Access Pass:
- On-demand access to all 47 session recordings
- Private podcast feed for listening on the go
- A curated bundle of speaker-contributed resources, including discounts, templates, tools, and exclusive training content, collectively valued at over $4,000 USD
The pass is available for $199 USD, and is an optional upgrade for those who want to go deeper post-event.
Ready to Join? Here’s How to Register
To reserve your spot, just head over to the registration page and sign up for the waitlist. You’ll get all the event updates, speaker announcements, and access details delivered straight to your inbox as they drop.
We’ll be there, virtually, of course. So grab your coffee, your notepad, and let’s make direct bookings work better for all of us. See you at the DBS Summit 2025!
Snigdha Parghan is a Content Marketer at RSU by PriceLabs, where she creates articles, manages daily social media, and repurposes news and analysis into podcasts and video content for short-term rental professionals. With a focus on technology, operations, and marketing, Snigdha helps property managers stay informed and adapt to industry shifts.
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