Hostaway Brings in New CRO, HomeToGo Targets BookTok, PriceLabs’ New Report Builder

Snigdha

Hostaway Brings in New CRO, HomeToGo’s BookClub Collab for Experiential Stays, PriceLabs’ New Report Builder

What is ‘Hostaway’s Post Recent C-suite Appointments’?

  • Hostaway, a leading global vacation rental property management software company, has just announced Cassie Fields as their new Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).
  • This high-profile appointment comes on the heels of the company’s $175 million funding round in 2023.
  • Fields brings over a decade of experience in scaling SaaS businesses, previously driving impressive growth at companies like AutoLeap and FieldEdge.
  • Cassie Fields is stepping in to supercharge Hostaway’s journey toward achieving over $100 million in revenue and potentially reaching unicorn status. 
  • Her role will involve building scalable sales and marketing strategies, identifying new revenue opportunities, and optimizing existing channels.
  • With her leadership, Hostaway aims to expand its reach in the short-term rental software market, becoming an even bigger player in this space.

About Hostaway:

  • ​​Hostaway is an all-in-one platform that simplifies some of the most important tasks in running a short-term rental management business.
  • The platform enables managers to market their properties, manage bookings, communicate with guests, and even keep track of their finances all in one place.
  • Hostaway has also previously secured the triple recognition of becoming an Airbnb Preferred, Vrbo Preferred, and Booking Premier partner.

Snigdha’s View:

  • Hostaway’s appointment of Cassie Fields is driven by a desire to accelerate growth and expand its market share. 
  • Hostaway wants to cement its status as a leader in vacation rental software and their pattern of hiring leaders is clear.
  • It began with appointing Ashley Milton as CFO, with Hostaway noting her role in driving their ‘growth phase.
  • Shortly after, they brought on Ken Weary as COO, openly stating that his M&A expertise would be vital as they explore takeover targets. 
  • Now, adding a CRO to the mix reinforces that Hostaway is assembling an experienced leadership team to execute an acquisition-driven growth strategy.
  • Her track record of scaling SaaS companies aligns with Hostaway’s growth trajectory, making this hire a logical next step. 
  • For Hostaway, this means there’s a strong chance they’re going to see some rapid expansion, not just in their revenue but in the range of services they can offer and the markets they can enter.
  • For property managers, this is big news. Hostaway’s growth means more features, more support, and likely more innovation to help you manage your properties more efficiently. 
  • Since the funding, Hostaway has made steady progress with 249 product updates, 60 new hires, the integration of 35 new partners into their marketplace, and the addition of Google Vacation Rentals as a new listing channel.

HomeToGo’s Book Club Retreat: How Property Managers Can Tap into Experiential Trends

  • HomeToGo, the vacation rental marketplace, has partnered with Club Crackers and #1 New York Times bestselling author Lucy Score to create a one-of-a-kind Book CLUB House experience in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
  • This themed vacation rental, inspired by Lucy Score’s Riley Thorn romantic mystery series, offers book clubs the ultimate literary weekend getaway. 
  • Book club members can indulge in a Lucy Score-written itinerary, packed with “spooky season” activities like tarot card readings, winery excursions, and scenic hikes. 
  • To top it all off, Lucy Score herself will virtually drop in on one lucky club to chat about her series.
  • Three-weekend stays are up for grabs, with winners chosen based on their entries about their book club characters. 
  • The house is free to book exclusively through HomeToGo.
  • This collaboration showcases the growing trend of creating immersive, themed rental experiences. 

About HomeToGo:

  • HomeToGo is a vacation rental marketplace that offers millions of accommodations from thousands of partners worldwide. 
  • The company runs 25 local apps & websites across Europe and North America.
  • On the business side, HomeToGo offers HomeToGo_PRO, catering to professionals in the vacation rental market by delivering software and services designed to streamline the management and booking process.

About Club Crackers: 

Club Crackers are a popular brand of light, flaky crackers known for their buttery taste and versatility. Manufactured by Kellogg’s, Club Crackers are marketed as an indulgent yet simple snack option. 

Snigdha’s View:

  • This partnership demonstrates how cross-industry collaborations can turn vacation rental into a themed experience, offering unique stays for niche groups like book clubs.
  • Property managers should take note of the growing demand for unique, experience-driven stays
  • Property managers can boost visibility and attract more bookings by creating Instagram-worthy setups or partnering with local businesses, food brands, or influencers that align with their rental’s theme.
  • Encourage guests to share their experiences on social media by providing props, photo spots, or hashtags. This helps create organic buzz around your property.
  • This approach also taps into organic social media marketing, attracting younger renters who love shareable, new experiences.
  • This project highlights the power of tapping into viral trends like #BookTok. 
  • #BookTok is a TikTok subcommunity where younger users share book reviews and recommendations, often making books go viral. 
  • Property managers can similarly leverage viral trends to engage younger audiences and drive bookings through social media.
  • Airbnb has also been actively promoting unique stays, like houses inspired by popular TV shows, films, and more in their Icons, and Experiences categories. 
  • This is a reminder to property managers that travelers today are seeking more than just accommodation, they want a story, a theme, and an experience to share with their communities.
  • HomeToGo has done this before. In early 2024, they partnered with Eggo to create the “Eggo House of Pancakes,” a pancake-themed vacation rental, celebrating National Pancake Day.

PriceLabs’ New Report Builder Tool Set to Simplify Revenue Analysis for Property Managers

  • PriceLabs has launched Report Builder, designed to be the most advanced revenue management reporting tool for vacation rental property managers. 
  • It allows vacation rental property managers to create detailed, customized reports efficiently. 
  • It’s available as part of PriceLabs’ Portfolio Analytics suite and is free to use.
  • The Report Builder is set to gather all your essential data, reservations, calendar insights, and market trends, in one place. 
  • It allows users to create, customize, and save reports that are automatically updated, providing a comprehensive view of their portfolio’s performance.
  • The tool offers pre-made templates for commonly used reports, allowing quick access to essential data points like occupancy, revenue, and pricing trends. 
  • You can also customize your reports, from choosing headers and applying filters to suit your needs.
  • Reports refresh automatically, ensuring you always have access to the latest information and can be downloaded in Excel format for further editing or sharing. 

About PriceLabs:

  • PriceLabs is a dynamic pricing and revenue management platform tailored for vacation rental property managers and hosts. It offers a suite of tools, including Dynamic Pricing, Market Dashboard, Portfolio Analytics, Revenue Estimator Pro, and the newly launched Report Builder. 
  • These tools help property managers optimize pricing strategies, improve profitability, and make data-driven decisions, making PriceLabs a valuable asset in the vacation rental industry as it is Used by over 450,000 properties worldwide.

Snigdha’s View

  • Property managers often struggle with time-consuming, manual data collection from multiple sources, which can lead to inefficiencies and missed insights. 
  • Report Builder aims to solve this by consolidating all necessary data into one platform, offering automated updates, and allowing property managers to focus on analyzing data rather than spending hours gathering it.
  • Many property managers are looking for ways to make their operations more efficient, and tools like PriceLabs Templates offer pre-made reports to help monitor revenue opportunities, track top performers, and understand occupancy trends, all without the hassle of manual data entry.
  • It allows them to spot revenue opportunities more effectively, and make quick adjustments to their strategies based on real-time data insights. 
  • You can link your property management system, import your booking data, and start using Report Builder without needing to subscribe to PriceLabs’ dynamic pricing product. It’s free, just like their Portfolio Analytics tool.
  • PriceLabs’ Report Builder tries to address the growing demand for more sophisticated, data-driven management tools in the vacation rental industry.