Hospitable Partners Up with Extenteam to Provide Remote Guest Services Support

Key Takeaways for Vacation Rental Managers:

• Hospitable, a platform using AI to automate guest communications, is partnering with Extenteam, a company providing Staffing-as-a-Service.
• This partnership integrates Extenteam’s remote guest service support into Hospitable’s platform, meaning you can get help with reservations, check-ins/outs, and general guest support 24/7.
• This partnership is a great example of how you could expand your business without having to hire full-time staff.
• Extenteam’s approach to staffing, where you subscribe to a pool of global talent rather than hiring locally, is innovative and may help you overcome staffing challenges.

About the Companies:

• Hospitable uses AI to automate the process of hosting guests, such as handling messages and tasks.
• Extenteam’s approach is based on a subscription to a shared-service, which aims to extend your local team with talent from around the world.

Uvika’s View:

• Despite initial concerns from Hospitable’s CEO about remote work, the company is now embracing it, showing the need to adapt to changing conditions in the vacation rental industry.
• This could indicate a strategic shift, recognizing the need to be flexible and adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of the vacation rental industry.
• The value of this partnership lies in the potential for vacation rental managers to scale their operations without hiring full-time employees and by leveraging technology and remote work.

Related read: Solutions for Top 5 Staffing Challenges Impacting The Short-Term Rental Industry

AltoVita Broadens Its Accommodation Network to 7 Million Units

Key Takeaways for Vacation Rental Managers:

• AltoVita, a corporate lodging platform, has grown its accommodation options from 1 million to 7 million units. 
• It has been able to expand its network through partnerships, notably with service apartment provider YAYS. These collaborations ensure a wider range of offerings for its customers under one roof.
• A new filter system checks property amenities and descriptions to provide a safer experience for customers.
• An approval flow feature has been added, allowing employees to book accommodations that must be approved by their travel management companies.
• AltoVita claims to offer negotiated rates with hospitality partners which could lead to customer savings, but the extent of these savings remains unclear.
• This growth reflects a trend in the short-and-mid-term rental market towards tech-driven solutions to improve user experience and attract more customers.

About the Company

• AltoVita is an international corporate lodging platform, providing diverse accommodation options for businesses.

Uvika’s View

• AltoVita’s move is an interesting development in the corporate accommodation market, aiming to meet evolving needs through innovation and scalability.
• It’s yet to be seen how this will impact AltoVita’s standing in the industry and whether it will set a new standard for corporate lodging services.

HomeToGo and SQUAKE Collaborate to Empower Travelers with Carbon Offset Options

Key Takeaways for Vacation Rental Managers:

• HomeToGo, a vacation rental marketplace, has partnered with ClimateTech solution provider, SQUAKE. This partnership allows vacation rental managers to offer carbon offsetting options to their customers.
• As part of the booking process, customers can now see the calculated carbon emissions of their stay and choose to offset them.
• SQUAKE’s technology calculates carbon emissions in real time for various activities, including accommodations, adhering to national and international standards for carbon accounting.
• The funds collected from this initiative will go towards the 14Trees project, which builds affordable housing in Malawi using 3D printing technology.
• This partnership reflects industry trends towards sustainability and responsible travel in the vacation rental market.

About the Companies

• HomeToGo is a leading vacation rental marketplace, connecting travelers with a wide array of accommodations worldwide. The company is committed to enhancing user experience and promoting responsible travel.
• SQUAKE is a ClimateTech solution provider. It offers an API plugin that calculates real-time carbon emissions for various activities, including accommodations. SQUAKE’s technology adheres to national and international standards for carbon accounting and facilitates carbon reduction or compensation.

Uvika’s View

• The HomeToGo and SQUAKE partnership represents a positive step towards more sustainable travel, though it’s just one piece of the larger sustainability puzzle.
• True sustainability in the travel industry requires systemic changes beyond individual initiatives.
• However, collaborations like these can help drive momentum and set new standards for the industry.

Related reads:

• Soaring energy costs push vacation rental owners and property managers to act on sustainability
• EnviroRental: A sustainability resource designed with short-term rental businesses in mind
• Short-Term Rental Operators Leverage Sustainability Badges to Maximize Clicks and Bookings

Lodgify Announces Integration with Google for Vacation Rentals

Key Takeaways for Vacation Rental Managers:

• Lodgify, a vacation rental software provider, has partnered with Google to list properties on Google’s platforms. This gives vacation rental managers a new avenue to reach potential guests.
• Lodgify users can now sync their property data on Google Maps and Search, including the vacation rentals tab on google.com/travel.
• When guests search for accommodations on Google, properties managed by Lodgify customers will appear on the map, featuring the business name and logo of the property manager and directing users to their website for bookings.

About the Company

• Lodgify is a vacation rental software provider that offers independent hosts and property managers tools to manage and grow their business.
• The company’s services include website building, reservation system, channel manager, and other operational solutions.

Uvika’s View

• This integration reflects a shift in the vacation rental industry towards direct connections between property managers and guests, potentially bypassing OTAs.
• It also further underscores Google Travel’s ongoing efforts to expand its services for the vacation rental industry and could potentially challenge the dominance of online travel agencies (OTAs), as Google does not charge a fee for bookings sourced through its search engine. 

Related read: Parts one, two, and three of our guide to listing on Google Vacation Rentals