Airbnb Co-host Network (a threat?)/ 2025 Travel Trends / Guest Referral Networks

Hello LinkedIn friend,

Join me this Tuesday for a great webinar on why and how to grow your inventory in 2025.

With 2025 set to bring challenges like market oversupply, tighter regulations, and fluctuating bookings, expanding your inventory can seem risky. But adding more properties may be one of the only ways to grow your revenues in 2025.

In this free session, we’ll show you how to:

• Identify Smart Growth Areas: Expand strategically in new property types or locations to maintain steady demand.
• Manage Market Volatility: Tips to grow your portfolio confidently, even when bookings are uncertain.
• Stand Out for Owners and Investors: Understand what appeals to them most to secure growth opportunities.
• Brooke Pfautz (Vintory / Comparent): A respected expert in vacation rental scaling, Brooke has founded and grown multiple property management businesses. Known for his insights on homeowner acquisition, marketing, and tech-driven revenue optimization, Brooke will share actionable strategies for expanding your portfolio while staying competitive in challenging markets.
• Mahwussh Alam (One Perfect Stay): An experienced property manager, Mahwussh oversees diverse vacation rental portfolios and has firsthand knowledge of the challenges property managers face. Her expertise in operational efficiency and guest experience will offer practical advice on managing and growing portfolios with flexibility and resilience Best regards,

Thibault Masson

Founder, Rental Scale-Up

Grow your network, add me on?LinkedIn

Videos Of the Week

Airbnb’s Co-Host Network: Threat or Opportunity for Property Managers? A 15-minute Deep Dive

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Top Podcast Episode

Stay Informed on the Go! Tune into industry trends with podcasts—quick, easy, and essential!

• Airbnb Winter 2024 Release, Co-Host Network, and New Host Tools

Tune in wherever you prefer! You can also catch the Vacation Rental Scale-Up podcast and subscribe on these platforms:

• Spotify ,
• Apple Podcasts ,
• Youtube Music

Top Articles Of the Week

Is Airbnb’s Co-Host Network a Threat or an Opportunity for Property Managers?

Property managers pay attention: Airbnb’s Co-Host Network positions smaller players with a solid 4.86 guest rating, surpassing the 4.62 average for larger property managers.

Homeowners may be tempted to switch for a lower commission, seeing these “local” co-hosts as a better deal.

But here’s the real story—many co-hosts are property managers handling dozens of listings, rebranded under Airbnb’s friendly label.

Why Should You Care?

1. Visibility: Airbnb’s algorithm favors co-hosts with high ratings, active profiles, and local presence.
2. Competition: Small operators may drive margins down, but there’s room for you to stand out by keeping reviews high and services broad.
3. New Leads: Joining the network can open a channel for clients seeking expert property management.

Bottom Line: Airbnb may promote small hosts, but you’re still in the game. Play to your strengths—high guest ratings, reliability, and a wide range of services—to attract clients through Airbnb’s system, not around it.

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2025 Travel Trends (Expedia + Booking.com): Actionable Insights for Vacation Rental Managers

This article from Snigdha at Rental Scale-Up breaks down the latest 2025 travel trends from Booking.com and Expedia, with key takeaways for property managers.

• Booking.com and Expedia have shared their 2025 travel predictions, revealing significant shifts in ?behaviour.?
• Adaptability and responsiveness to traveler needs will be essential in 2025 for property managers.
• Wellness and mental health are top priorities, AI-powered trip planning is on the rise, and travelers seek unique, eco-friendly destinations among many other trends that is shaping 2025.

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The Rise of Guest Referral Networks in Short-Term Rentals

This article, from Uvika Wahi at Rental Scale-Up, explains what a guest referral network is and how it helps property managers monetize, expand, and avoid missing bookings.

• Guest referral networks are platforms that allow property managers to collaborate by referring guests to other trusted managers when their own properties are unavailable.?
• Guest referral platforms like Have You Got allow managers to reach niche markets, such as accessible travel, that are often overlooked. This opens the door to entirely new guest segments that would otherwise be missed.
• Guest Referrals allows managers to keep guests within their ecosystem, monetize referrals.

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Airbnb’s Focus on Japan, Bob W’s European Expansion, Minut’s AI Weed Detection

Snigdha has pulled together three key stories from the week and shared her insights on each.

• Airbnb is eyeing to strengthen its foothold in Japan and diversify beyond core markets like the U.S. and Europe. Its new video campaign targets Japan’s domestic travelers by focusing on local Japanese experiences. ?South Korea is next in line!
• Bob W is leveraging demand for aparthotels with flexible stay options and has appointed Hervé Deligny as CFO to lead its European expansion. ?
• Minut, a property monitoring platform, now offers an AI device that detects both cigarette and marijuana smoke. When smoke is detected, property managers get notified and can take prompt action.

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That’s a wrap for now! ???? ????

I hope I’ve given you a solid rundown of the latest in the short-term rental industry and set you up with some great insights.

Stay tuned and subscribe for the next update, I promise to keep bringing you my unique insights into our industry.

Best regards,

Thibault