For some people, setting their clocks back an hour, the changing colors of leaves, and the first frost are sure signs that it’s getting to be the end of the year. But for those of us in the vacation rental industry, it’s Airbnb’s Winter Release and the first hint at 2025’s travel trends.
We’ll be looking at both of these updates in this month’s lowdown, as well as other news from Airbnb and Expedia, an innovative new use of AI, and the most recent legislation. We also get the pleasure of seeing how the short-term rental industry is giving back with no less than three instances of industry players doing good.
Curious? Let’s dive in.
In Airbnb news
2024 Winter Release
Airbnb’s 2024 Winter Release is packed with updates for hosts and travelers alike, the most important of which is their new Co-Host Network.
We reported back in August that Airbnb seemed to have plans of this sort, and now it’s official: The company is introducing a Co-Host Network to make it easier for hosts to find the support they need. According to Airbnb, 40% of surveyed hosts say they would host more if they had more help. Now, Airbnb hosts can find that help from more than 10,000 co-hosts across 10 countries, getting assistance with everything from listing setup to booking management and guest communications.
The Winter Release also includes 20+ other updates for hosts, including:
- Price tips: Check suggested rates based on comparable rentals in your area, and then apply them with just a tap.
- Quick replies: Quickly send welcome notes, check-in information, directions, and more with customizable templates.
- Earnings dashboard: View your earnings, filter income by type, and check when payments are coming with custom reports.
Also in the Winter Release: winter travel trends and over 50 key upgrades for guests. Head over to Airbnb’s site for all the details!
Housing for those impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton…
As it’s done in the past with previous disasters, Airbnb.org offered free temporary housing to those impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton earlier this month. The company partnered with local nonprofits and 211 contact centers in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia to connect those in need with a place to stay.
This housing is completely free for guests, funded by Airbnb.org and the generosity of Airbnb hosts. If you’re interested in offering free or discounted stays to those impacted by future disasters, know that Airbnb waves all service fees for hosts and provides both damage protection and liability insurance with AirCover for each booking.
…and for survivors of domestic abuse
Airbnb has also launched a pilot to offer emergency housing to domestic abuse survivors in England, in partnership with the domestic abuse prevention charity Women’s Aid. Just like with the hurricanes, Airbnb listings will be used as temporary accommodations for survivors free of charge when other refuge isn’t available.
The goal of the pilot is to support local survivors in leaving unsafe home environments, and it will prioritize both anonymity and safety.
In Expedia news
2025 travel trends revealed
What can you expect from travelers in 2025? Thanks to Expedia’s Unpack ’25: The Trends in Travel report, you don’t need to wait to find out.
According to Expedia, these are the biggest trends we can expect in the coming year:
- Detour destinations: Travelers are “detouring” to lesser-known destinations, either as an add-on to their trip or as their main destination. One example is Reims, France, which is a detour from Paris.
- Goods getaways: Why order online when you can go directly to the source? In 2025, travelers (and especially Gen Z travelers) are literally going the distance to find souvenirs they can’t get anywhere else.
- All-inclusive stays: Gen Z will also favor all-inclusive stays in the coming year, as much to reduce stress as to embrace the feeling of luxury.
- Hotel restaurants: When it comes to booking hotels, travelers are looking at…their restaurants? That’s right—having tables reserved for guests and the ability to order room service from famous restaurants is influencing travelers’ choices.
- JOMO: In contrast to FOMO (fear of missing out), JOMO is the joy of missing out. Travelers are embracing JOMO by booking beach and mountain destinations known for leisure and relaxation, allowing them to reduce stress and anxiety, reconnect with loved ones, and improve their overall mental health and well-being.
- Natural phenomena: 2024’s solar eclipses have set off a new craze for seeing natural phenomena, and travelers are now going out of their way to witness natural wonders such as the Northern Lights, volcanoes, geysers, and hot springs.
- Set-jetting: Travelers are expected to continue finding travel inspiration on the big screen in 2025, with shows like “The Real Housewives of Dubai” influencing destinations.
- One-click trips: Social media shopping has become the new normal on TikTok and Instagram, but travel reservations are often too complex or time-consuming for these platforms. So, Expedia has launched “Travel Shops” to make it easier for travelers to book influencer-curated trips.
Expedia has also shared the top destinations for each of these trends, so head over to their report to see all the spots and check if you’ve made the list.
New loyalty partnership with Microsoft Bing
Like Airbnb, Expedia has been busy this month. In addition to launching its 2025 travel trends, the company has announced a new partnership with Microsoft Bing.
Thanks to this new partnership, travelers booking eligible accommodations on Bing will now earn both Microsoft Rewards and rewards through Expedia Group’s brands, including its U.S. and U.K. travel rewards program One Key.
This comes just a month after Expedia Group launched One Key in the U.K. and two months after it launched its partnership with airline JetBlue.
AI-powered…marijuana detection?
That’s right, you read correctly: The privacy-safe property operations platform Minut has launched an AI-powered smoke detection feature that identifies both marijuana and tobacco.
By monitoring smoke alongside noise, humidity, and temperature, Minut sends instant notifications when issues arise, allowing for prompt intervention and customized reporting to track incidents over time. This not only helps mitigate fire risks and property damage, but also prevents neighbor complaints and complicated situations.
Interested? While the feature isn’t available quite yet, you can join the waitlist to be among the first to try it out.
New nonprofit promotes responsible tourism
We all know responsible tourism is important, but determining what impact we can have and where to start can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, this is exactly the problem that the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT global), a recently launched nonprofit, proposes to address.
The nonprofit plans to promote responsible tourism through education, training, and advocacy, including online courses and resources for tourism professionals. Their goal is to help professionals understand and implement sustainable practices that benefit communities and destinations.
Professional certificate programs on responsible tourism and addressing over-tourism are set to launch in early 2025, and you can enroll now on their site.
Your monthly rules and regulations roundup
Although it’s been a quiet month for legislation closer to home, that hasn’t been the case across the globe:
- Thanks to Mexico City’s new restrictions, designed to balance competition between short-term rentals and hotels, accommodations cannot be rented out on a short-term basis through digital platforms for more than half the year.
- The Portuguese government has introduced a new law that will revoke some of the restrictions the previous Socialist government implemented. As of November 1, this law will undo mandatory short-term rental license renewals, restrictions on registrations, and the automatic expiry of inactive licenses and give decision-making power on licenses and registrations back to the municipal courts.
- In Spain, the Supreme Court has upheld homeowners associations’ right to ban short-term rentals. Additionally, the government has passed a law that will implement a single national register for short-term rentals to address illegal renting and over-tourism.
As always, each location has a different approach to regulating short-term rentals—and only time will tell which are the most successful.
Lodgify releases its winter report
On our end, we’ve published our winter 2024 report, full of surprising data on when is the best time to book winter vacations.
If you thought booking earlier is always better, you’re in for a surprise: Analyzing over 72,300 U.S. bookings from 2021-2023 has revealed that reservations made 0-7 days before arrival tend to have the lowest prices. Take a look at the numbers for Thanksgiving:
Check out our report to see the numbers for Christmas and New Year’s Eve and get other key metrics.
Until next time!
That’s enough news for now—we’ll leave you to the trick-or-treating, costume parties, or however else you plan on spending this Halloween. Wishing you a fun (and not too scary) night and month ahead!
