Round 1

For those of you who attended the VRMA conference in San Diego  ….that was Round 1.   I remember vividly standing out in front of the conference room as owners and managers walked out in dead silence….they look stunned “did he really say that ?”.   Prior to that conference ...in the same month Homeaway made the commitment to travelers that they will not be charged a fee.   As we ...

It’s not just another stay….

By now you have read the great news of Choice Hotels getting into the industry. It provides another proof point on the evolution of the industry and why more than ever it is important to position your brand in the marketplace.  You have made investments in your website, content and property data ...share those assets wisely.

My hotel background taught me the benefits of ...

As someone who has experienced both sides of these unique markets segments, I find that understanding the similarities is helpful in growing and maintaining a vibrant vacation rental business.  For all the talk of how different vacation rentals are to hotels, it might be constructive to understand and learn from the similarities. I will break it down into two main pillars:

Physical Assets (Hard Goods) : Be it hotels or vacation ...

The vacation rental industry is facing many challenges during these dynamic times.  

Recent examples:

• TripAdivsor Revolt https://www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=8360994
• Airbnb Superhost Viral Post   https://medium.com/airbnb-superhosting/airbnb-why-did-you-terminate-my-account-an-open-letter-to-airbnb-9631213f8a1b
• Homeaway, Accept BIN or else https://www.linkedin.com/grp/post/69889-6034036231631888387#commentID_6036541838389698560http://skift.com/2014/12/11/homeaway-has-new-plan-to-force-vacation-rental-owners-to-accept-online-bookings/

This on top of regulatory issues that are not being addressed form the basis of the fragmentation ...

“What do you like most about the conference? “ The answer to this question at the VRMA Conference in New Orleans was unanimous, “networking”.   The thirst for knowledge was undeniable.  The exchange of information was a proof point that the participants are getting wiser and gaining a better understanding of the changes in our industry.   It is as if every attendee understood that they were a part of special community.

Why ...