“We know we can’t be there to get guests what they need, so we’re constantly thinking—what do they need? What will they think they need, and how can we have it there before they know they need it?” In this episode of Booked Solid, Moira Sedgwick shares how years of working with luxury hotel chains and the James Beard Awards shaped her approach to short-term rentals. You’ll discover why thinking like a boutique hotel operator—not just a host—can transform your guest experience and market positioning. Moira walks through her framework for designing spaces that feel like a “wealthy auntie’s home,” how to audit your property through a hospitality lens, and why the details guests notice most are often the ones you overlook. Whether you’re launching your first property or scaling a portfolio, this conversation reveals what it takes to stand out in saturated markets. Summary and Highlights 🏨 Meet Moira Sedgwick Moira Sedgwick is the founder of A Chalet Collective, a boutique hospitality firm that designs and hosts short- and mid-term rentals, and Moca Interiors, the design studio behind each property’s distinctive look and feel. She’s been hosting since 2013 and brings a lifetime of hospitality expertise, including her role leading operations for the James Beard Awards. Moira owns and manages her own properties while partnering with homeowners and investors to create high-performing rentals that feel less like listings and more like curated stays. Her training at the Culinary Institute of America and years working with luxury hospitality brands inform her meticulous approach to design, service, and guest experience. Guided by values of artful design, warmth, and thoughtful curation, Moira delivers spaces that inspire guests and generate strong returns for owners. 🎯 Key Takeaways Design isn’t decoration—it’s strategy. Moira approaches every project by asking clients which hotel brand they want to emulate. This helps set expectations around quality, budget, and guest avatar before a single piece of furniture is selected. Hospitality happens in the details. Without staff on-site, short-term rentals must anticipate needs through design. Extra pillows in different firmness levels, outlets by the bedside, fully stocked kitchens—these small touches communicate care and elevate reviews. You’re competing with hotels, not just other rentals. Guests compare your property to branded hotels with massive marketing budgets and trained staff. Moira’s solution? Deliver hotel-level standards through thoughtful systems, quarterly property audits, and a relentless focus on the guest journey. Market positioning starts with self-awareness. Before worrying about amenities or aesthetics, ask yourself: what hotel chain are you? A Motel 6 or a Ritz-Carlton? Your answer shapes everything from sheet quality to the type of guest you attract. Quality compounds over time. Investing in organic cotton sheets and cast iron cookware isn’t just about luxury—it’s about longevity, guest satisfaction, and building a reputation that drives repeat bookings. Moira calls it “wealthy auntie energy,” and it works. 🛏️ From James Beard to Boutique Rentals: Moira’s Hospitality Philosophy Moira didn’t stumble into hosting. As a kid, she played pretend bed-and-breakfast, crafting imaginary breakfasts for guests. Years later, she stayed at a Portland B&B with self-check-in—no host on-site, but impeccable hospitality. When Airbnb launched, she recognized the opportunity immediately. Her career foundation came from the Culinary Institute of America, where she learned that hosting people—whether at a table, in a hotel, or at a rental—can genuinely impact lives. She worked in kitchens, consulted with luxury hospitality brands, and directed the James Beard Awards. Those experiences taught her how to layer service, storytelling, and attention to detail into every guest interaction. Today, that philosophy shapes how she approaches direct booking strategies. Moira sees each space as a lifestyle experience, not just a place to sleep. Guests should feel like they’re staying with a wealthy relative who has exquisite taste, not renting a commoditized listing. Everything from the coffee station—complete with pour-over instructions via QR code—to the pillow options reflects this mindset. She emphasizes that short-term rental operators face a unique challenge. Hotels have staff to adapt service in real time. STR hosts don’t. So the property itself must communicate hospitality through design, amenities, and thoughtful systems. As Moira puts it, “We can’t be there to change out your pillows, so we better have soft and firm options already available.” 🏡 The “Wealthy Auntie” Framework: Designing for Warmth and Aspiration One of Moira’s most memorable metaphors is designing properties to feel like a “wealthy auntie’s home.” It’s not about opulence for its own sake. It’s about warmth, quality, and the small indulgences that make a stay feel special. Think antique rugs that have stories. Le Creuset pans that have weight and history. Organic cotton sheets that feel luxurious. Scented soaps (or unscented, for guests with sensitivities). These aren’t just design choices—they’re signals that someone cared enough to think through every detail. When Moira consults with new clients, she often encounters resistance. Why spend extra on high-quality items when guests might not notice? Her answer is simple: they will notice. Maybe not consciously, but the cumulative effect of quality decisions shapes how guests feel about their stay. That feeling shows up in reviews, repeat bookings, and word-of-mouth referrals. She shared a story about staying at a beautiful waterfront property that looked stunning in photos but failed in execution. No wine openers. Poorly stocked kitchen. Basics missing. The property was coasting on location alone, and Moira’s group felt let down. That’s the opposite of her philosophy. Whether a guest cooks every meal or never touches the kitchen, the tools should be there—and they should be good. For hosts serious about building their direct booking websites, Moira’s approach offers a blueprint. Start by identifying your guest avatar. Are you attracting Motel 6 guests or Ritz-Carlton guests? Your answer dictates everything from your marketing to your amenity choices. Then audit your property through that lens. Does every touchpoint align with the experience you’re promising? 🔍 Walking Through the Guest Journey: Why Property Audits Matter Moira and her team conduct quarterly audits of every property they manage. Not just cleanliness checks—full guest experience

“Now operators are no longer just spending 3% of their business for lead gen from Airbnb. They’re now spending 15.5%.” Airbnb’s latest fee structure changes everything—but are you ready to take control? Orlie Benjamin, founder of Lasoh and former marketing leader, breaks down why now is the moment for vacation rental operators to build their own direct booking infrastructure. In this episode, you’ll discover why owning your guest relationships is no longer optional, how to think about your marketing budget differently, and the critical first steps to reducing platform dependence. Whether you’re just starting your direct booking journey or ready to scale your existing strategy, this conversation reveals the marketing mindset shift that separates operators who survive from those who thrive. Summary and Highlights Guest Bio 🎯 Orlie Benjamin is the founder and CEO of Lasoh, a marketing SaaS platform built specifically for vacation rental operators. Before launching Lasoh, Orlie spent her career leading customer-centric innovation at Fortune 500 companies including American Airlines (where she managed the Priceline channel and revenue optimization), Victoria’s Secret (omnichannel marketing strategy), and NetJets (designing digital experiences for high-net-worth clients). She’s also an active vacation rental operator, running The Acres in Hocking Hills, Ohio. This unique combination of enterprise marketing expertise and hands-on STR experience positions her to see gaps in the industry that others miss—and build solutions that actually work for operators at every stage. Why This Episode Matters 💡 The vacation rental landscape shifted dramatically in late 2024 when Airbnb restructured its fee model, moving from a 3% host fee to a consolidated 15.5% operator fee. This isn’t just a pricing change—it’s a fundamental shift in the economics of relying on OTAs for distribution. Orlie walks through what this means for your bottom line and why the $20,000 you might be paying annually in commissions could become your marketing budget instead. But this conversation goes deeper than just reacting to Airbnb’s changes. Orlie shares the marketing playbook she refined at companies where customer lifetime value and repeat purchase rates are foundational metrics—concepts that most STR operators don’t even track. She explains why fewer than 20% of operators monitor repeat booking rates, and why that single metric might be the most important indicator of business health. If you’ve ever felt like you’re cobbling together marketing tools that don’t quite fit your workflow, or wondered why the STR industry doesn’t have the kind of purpose-built marketing infrastructure that ecommerce platforms offer, this episode gives you both the context and the clarity you need. Key Takeaways From the Conversation 🔑 —- The Economics Have Changed Airbnb’s fee consolidation transforms a 3% cost of doing business into a 15.5% margin hit. For a single property generating $100,000 annually, that’s the difference between paying $3,000 and $15,500. Orlie puts it plainly: “That can turn a whole business upside down depending on what sort of margins things are running with.” Marketing Budget vs. Commission Fees Instead of viewing that 15.5% as a fixed cost, Orlie suggests reframing it as your available marketing budget. In her own direct booking business, she spends significantly less than that percentage driving traffic to her properties—and owns the customer relationship in the process. This mental shift changes everything about how you evaluate direct booking investments. The LTV Blind Spot In retail and ecommerce, customer lifetime value is fundamental. Yet most vacation rental operators calculate value based on a single stay. Orlie explains: “The number of customers you have multiplied by the number of visits they have multiplied by the average spend per basket—those three things multiplied by each other equals value of a customer.” When you start tracking repeat booking rates and guest spend across multiple stays, your entire revenue strategy shifts. The Ownership Imperative OTAs deliberately disintermediate the host-guest relationship. They mask contact information, control communication channels, and own the data. Meanwhile, when you capture guest information from the entire travel party (not just the booker), you create opportunities to improve the stay, sell additional services, and build relationships that generate repeat bookings without additional acquisition costs. Purpose-Built Tools Matter Generic CRMs are designed for salesforce workflows, not nurture marketing. Email platforms like MailChimp weren’t built with vacation rental use cases in mind. Orlie’s background in enterprise marketing showed her what’s possible when technology is purpose-built for an industry—and she’s building Lasoh to fill that gap for STR operators. The Marketing Stack You’re Missing 🛠️ One of the most striking revelations in this conversation is how operators are trying to force-fit technology from other industries into vacation rental workflows. Orlie has seen operators using Airtable as a makeshift CRM, running into limits with Zapier integrations, or spending heavily on consultants to hand-code campaigns because the software doesn’t anticipate their needs. She draws a comparison to buying a Ferrari with a stick shift but not knowing how to drive stick. The system is only as valuable as your ability to use it. This is why she’s focused on building Lasoh as a platform, not a consulting agency—the goal is to create technology that either empowers operators directly or makes consultants dramatically more effective with their clients. The conversation around SaaS versus services is particularly relevant for operators trying to decide whether to build their own direct booking infrastructure or outsource it. Orlie makes a compelling case that software scales, services don’t—and that the right platform creates compound value over time. When Strategy Meets Execution ⚡ Orlie’s tactical advice is grounded in clarity: “Be really clear on your strategy.” If you’re going all-in on Airbnb, make sure the math works with the new fee structure. But if you’re committed to diversifying distribution and going direct, you need to know exactly what your next step is. For some operators, that’s launching a direct booking website. For others, it’s selecting a PMS. Some need to start capturing guest contact information. Others are ready to activate that data through email campaigns and relationship marketing. The key is not trying to do everything at once. Identify where you

“The goal is to automate the annoying so you can focus on the amazing.” In this episode, Gil sits down with Sean McGregor, founder of NoCodeSTR.com, to explore how vacation rental hosts can reclaim their time without sacrificing guest experience. Sean has hosted over 5,000 groups on Airbnb while maintaining a 4.98★ rating since 2018—all while traveling through 40+ countries with his family. What’s his secret? A powerful combination of no-code automation tools and AI that handle the repetitive tasks most hosts dread. From guest communication to review management, Sean shares exactly how he maintains a 100% five-star rating even during a 3.5-week road trip through the Balkans. If you’ve ever felt chained to your phone answering the same guest questions or wondered how to scale without burning out, this conversation will show you a better way. Sean breaks down the tools, mindset, and systems that let hosts run professional operations from anywhere in the world. Summary and Highlights 🎯 About Sean McGregor Sean McGregor is the founder of NoCodeSTR.com, where he teaches vacation rental hosts how to automate the tedious parts of their business using no-code tools like Zapier, Airtable, and AI. Since 2018, he’s maintained a remarkable 4.98★ rating on Airbnb while hosting more than 5,000 groups—proving that automation and exceptional guest experience aren’t mutually exclusive. What sets Sean apart is his 5★ Guarantee: he doesn’t take commission if a guest leaves anything less than a five-star review. This bold promise reflects his confidence in the systems he’s built, which handle everything from pre-arrival communications to post-checkout follow-ups. Sean’s approach isn’t theoretical. He’s built his business while working remotely from over 40 countries with his family, demonstrating that proper automation creates true location independence. His free 5-day course at NoCodeSTR.com has helped hundreds of hosts discover what’s possible when they stop doing everything manually. 🔑 Key Highlights: Building a Five-Star Business on Autopilot The “Automate the Annoying” Philosophy Sean’s entire approach centers on one principle: identify the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that drain your energy and automate them. For most hosts, this means the same guest questions, check-in instructions, and review requests that repeat with every booking. “The goal is to automate the annoying so you can focus on the amazing,” Sean explains. This isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about redirecting your limited time toward high-impact activities like improving your property, building relationships with direct booking guests, or actually enjoying the lifestyle that drew you to hosting in the first place. The mindset shift happens when hosts realize that guests don’t care how they get information—they just want it quickly and accurately. Whether an answer comes from you personally or a well-designed automation makes no difference to guest satisfaction. No-Code Tools That Cost Nothing Per Listing One of the biggest misconceptions Sean addresses is that powerful automation requires expensive software or technical expertise. The tools he relies on—Zapier, Airtable, and Make—can be implemented at zero cost per listing for most hosts. These platforms connect your existing systems (PMS, email, calendar) and create workflows that run automatically. For example, when a new booking comes in, an automation can instantly send personalized welcome messages, add the guest to your communication sequence, and update your team’s task list—all without you lifting a finger. Sean emphasizes that the learning curve isn’t as steep as most hosts imagine. “If you can set up an Airbnb listing, you can build these automations,” he notes. The key is starting with one annoying task and building from there, rather than trying to automate everything at once. For hosts focused on growing their direct booking channel, these same no-code tools integrate beautifully with website forms and inquiry systems, creating a seamless guest experience from first contact through checkout. AI as Your 24/7 Guest Experience Manager The real game-changer in Sean’s systems is how he’s integrated AI—not as a replacement for genuine hospitality, but as an enhancement. His AI-powered tools handle routine questions, provide instant responses outside business hours, and even anticipate guest needs based on patterns in previous conversations. During his recent Balkans road trip, Sean’s automations and AI systems maintained a 100% five-star rating without any human intervention. Guests received immediate answers to questions about WiFi passwords, local recommendations, or check-in procedures—all delivered in a natural, helpful tone that reflected his brand. “The technology has reached a point where guests genuinely can’t tell they’re interacting with automation,” Sean shares. But he’s quick to clarify that AI works best when it’s trained on your voice, your property’s unique features, and your approach to hospitality. This is particularly powerful for hosts managing multiple properties or building a portfolio. Instead of multiplying your workload as you scale, properly implemented AI and automation mean your systems scale without requiring proportional increases in your time. The Five-Star Guarantee: Confidence Through Systems Perhaps the most striking aspect of Sean’s business model is his willingness to offer a 5★ Guarantee—he only collects commission when guests leave five-star reviews. This isn’t just a marketing gimmick; it’s a direct result of the confidence he has in his automated systems. “When you’ve systematized every touchpoint in the guest journey, you know exactly what experience they’re getting,” Sean explains. His automations ensure consistent communication timing, complete pre-arrival information, and timely follow-up after checkout—all the factors that influence whether a guest leaves a glowing review. This approach also creates a virtuous cycle: because Sean’s systems are designed to generate five-star experiences, he attracts clients who are serious about quality and willing to invest in proper automation. The guarantee becomes a filter that aligns everyone’s incentives toward excellence. For hosts considering professional website implementations or upgrading their booking systems, this principle applies equally: when your infrastructure is solid, you can make bold promises about the experience you deliver. Location Independence Without Compromise Sean’s lifestyle proves that automation isn’t just about saving time—it’s about creating genuine freedom. He’s worked from 40+ countries with his family while maintaining his 4.98★ rating, demonstrating that the right systems let you run a professional operation

“As long as you’re providing value, hopefully your marketing will be mostly perceived generously and people will want to receive it.” What if the key to competing with major OTAs wasn’t just about building a better website—but capturing data from every single guest who stays at your property? Arthur Colker, Founder & CEO of StayFi, discovered this truth while helping a New Orleans property manager escape 99% OTA dependency. In this episode, he shares how a WiFi-based data capture solution evolved into a full guest marketing platform powering direct bookings across vacation rentals, boutique hotels, and hospitality brands. Arthur reveals why guest data ownership is the biggest missed opportunity in short-term rentals, how diversifying channels matters more than eliminating OTAs entirely, and the groundbreaking StayFinder meta-search tool launching soon that will let travelers compare direct booking prices against major platforms. Whether you’re managing 2 properties or 200, Arthur’s insights on guest data strategy and the evolving hospitality tech landscape will reshape how you think about building an independent brand. Summary and Highlights 🎯 Meet Arthur Colker Arthur Colker is the Founder and CEO of StayFi, a guest marketing platform that started as a WiFi data collection tool and evolved into a comprehensive solution for vacation rentals, boutique hotels, and independent hospitality brands. Since 2018, Arthur has been helping property managers capture guest data and build independent booking channels that reduce reliance on major OTAs. Before StayFi, Arthur worked as a marketing consultant across various industries. His entry into short-term rentals happened almost accidentally when he took on a vacation rental operator as a client and discovered they had zero guest data despite managing 200 properties. That gap became the genesis of StayFi—a platform now used by thousands of operators who understand that guest data ownership is the foundation of a resilient, profitable hospitality business. Arthur is passionate about helping independent operators compete with major platforms, not by undercutting them, but by building their own brands and creating direct relationships with guests. His latest project, StayFinder, aims to make direct booking discovery as easy as booking through an OTA—while delivering real savings to travelers. 💡 Key Takeaways ✅ Guest data is the most overlooked asset in short-term rentals — Most operators collect names and emails only from bookers, missing everyone else in the reservation✅ Direct booking isn’t about replacing OTAs — It’s about channel diversification and building a resilient business that isn’t dependent on one platform✅ Marketing works when it delivers value — Position direct booking as a “secret” that saves guests money, not just a way to avoid fees✅ Your property needs to rank on Google — If someone searches your listing name and can’t find your direct site on page one, you’re losing bookings✅ Unique property names matter for SEO — Generic names like “Cozy Creek Cabin” make it nearly impossible to rank and be discovered✅ Founders need conviction, not just optimism — Arthur calls it “delusional self-belief,” but you also need to listen when customers tell you what’s not working🏠 How StayFi Started: Solving One Client’s Problem Arthur didn’t set out to build a hospitality tech company. He was doing marketing consulting for various businesses when he landed a short-term rental operator called Heirloom, managing around 200 properties across New Orleans, Boston, and Scottsdale. Their goal was simple: build a brand identity and figure out how to get guests to book directly. The challenge? They were 99% dependent on Airbnb for bookings and had zero guest data. No names, no emails, no phone numbers. Arthur realized that acquiring new guests is expensive and trust-dependent. The easiest path to direct bookings would be marketing to people who already stayed and loved the properties. But how do you market to ghosts? He looked for existing solutions—captive portal systems used in cafes, airports, and hotels. Nothing worked well for single-family vacation rentals. So he built a custom solution using white-labeled hardware and a basic splash page that collected marketing consent when guests logged into WiFi. V1 of StayFi was scrappy. No customer portal. No self-service. Arthur manually configured everything for each client. But it worked. And when he looked around the industry, he realized the problem was universal. That’s how StayFi was born. 📈 The Evolution: From WiFi to Full Guest Marketing Platform The early years were a grind. Through 2019, StayFi was still a part-time project. Then Arthur went full-time—right as the hardware partner got acquired and pricing became unfeasible. He had to rebuild the tech stack while simultaneously dealing with COVID shutting down his 10-15 paying customers overnight. But instead of folding, Arthur used the downtime to build StayFi’s first self-service portal and flash page builder. By the time short-term rentals roared back in 2021, the platform was ready to scale. Timing couldn’t have been better—hosts were angry at Airbnb for how they were treated during the pandemic, and the industry was hungry for tools that reduced OTA dependence. Fast forward to today, and StayFi has evolved far beyond WiFi data collection. The platform now includes: 🔹 Homepage Tool — A link-tree-style page for guests that consolidates all the resources they need during their stay🔹 Email Marketing Software — Purpose-built for vacation rentals, not generic tools like MailChimp🔹 PMS Integrations — Pulling data from property management systems to create a unified guest database🔹 Upsell Amplification — Helping operators present offers like early checkout, mid-stay cleans, and local experiences to all guests, not just bookers The guiding principle? Collect guest data from every touchpoint, then help operators monetize that data—whether through rebookings, upsells, or entirely new revenue streams. For property managers who also run real estate businesses, tour companies, or retail shops, StayFi has become a powerful cross-marketing engine. Guests who stay in vacation rentals are often the same people who later buy properties in that market. The data becomes invaluable. 🔍 StayFinder: The Next Frontier in Direct Booking Discovery Arthur’s newest project, StayFinder, tackles a different problem: guest discovery. Most direct booking tools focus on converting existing traffic

Technology is transforming short-term rentals—but are we losing the heart of hospitality in the process? In this episode, Jessica Gillingham, CEO of Abode Worldwide and author of “Tech-Enabled Hospitality,” challenges the notion that automation and personalization can’t coexist. As a strategic advisor to transformative technology companies across the global hospitality sector and host of the Pillow Talk Sessions podcast, Jessica brings a unique perspective on building category leaders. From revealing why 90% of hosts only use 30-40% of their PMS capabilities to explaining how Netflix-style personalization could revolutionize guest experiences, Jessica shares insights from interviewing over 30 industry leaders. Whether you’re managing one property or a hundred, you’ll discover why the future of hospitality isn’t about choosing between technology and human connection—it’s about using one to amplify the other. Summary and Highlights 👤 Meet Jessica Jessica Gillingham is the CEO of Abode Worldwide, a strategic public relations agency specializing in elevating the profile of transformative technology solutions across the global hospitality, lodging, and living sectors. Abode sits at the heart of the developing intersection between work, life, and play in real estate and hospitality, partnering with brands playing a lead role in this transformation. A regular industry speaker, author, and adviser, Jessica is also the host of the Pillow Talk Sessions podcast and author of “Tech-Enabled Hospitality” (Kogan Page, August 2024). Drawing on interviews with over 30 industry leaders, her book examines how technology is transforming every aspect of hospitality operations and the guest experience. She’s also the creator of the Abode Worldwide Short-Term Rental Index, now in its third edition, which catalogs over 200 tech companies and trends shaping the STR industry. 🎯 Why This Episode Matters Most property managers are sitting on goldmines of untapped potential. Jessica reveals a startling reality: operators typically use only 30-40% of their existing technology’s capabilities. This isn’t just about underutilization—it’s about missing the fundamental shift happening in hospitality. While other industries, such as e-commerce, have seamlessly integrated digital experiences into every touchpoint, vacation rentals remain “clunky” and fragmented. This episode cuts through the noise of endless tech solutions to address the real question: How do you leverage technology without sacrificing the warmth and personalization that defines true hospitality? Jessica’s perspective, informed by years working with both hotel and vacation rental technology companies, offers a rare bird’s-eye view of where the industry is heading and what operators need to do now to stay competitive. 💡 The Mindset Shift: Investment vs. Cost One of the most powerful insights Jessica shares is the divide she observed while researching her book: successful operators view their tech stack as an investment that enhances their business, while struggling operators view it as a necessary expense. This mindset difference determines everything—from which tools you adopt to how you implement them. Operators who treat technology as an investment actively seek to understand its full capabilities, integrate systems to create seamless experiences, and continuously optimize their digital guest journey. Those who see it as a cost often implement the bare minimum, leaving powerful features dormant. The gap isn’t just philosophical. As Jessica points out, guests now expect the same frictionless digital experiences they get from booking doctor appointments, ordering food, or shopping online. Everything in our lives has been digitalized—except, often, the hospitality booking journey. <a href=”https://craftedstays.co/blog/”>Property managers who fail to bridge this gap</a> risk being left behind as the industry consolidates and guest expectations continue rising. 🔍 The Education Gap: Why Hosts Aren’t Using Their Tools Jessica identifies a critical problem plaguing the industry: operators often lack awareness of their own knowledge gaps. Most hosts and property managers can’t identify where automation could help them because they haven’t clearly defined their operational gaps. Even more challenging, they don’t fully understand what their existing software can do. This creates a vicious cycle. Without understanding your problems, you can’t evaluate solutions effectively. Without understanding your solutions, you can’t leverage them to solve problems. Jessica compares this to any software we use—”We’re on Riverside right now,” she tells Gil, “I bet you don’t use the whole caboodle of what Riverside can do for you.” The solution? Strategic education. Before adding another tool to your stack, invest time in understanding what you already have. Map your operational pain points. Then systematically explore whether your current PMS, guest communication platform, or pricing tool already addresses those challenges. As Jessica emphasizes throughout the conversation, <a href=”https://craftedstays.co/blog/”>the most successful direct booking strategies</a> start with understanding your foundation before building upward. 🏨 The Accidental Entrepreneur Problem Jessica makes a crucial distinction that many hosts overlook: “Most hosts are accidental hosts. You don’t go to university thinking I’m going to be a professional property manager.” This creates unique challenges because running a short-term rental business requires three distinct skill sets that rarely come naturally together: Hospitality expertise – Understanding guest needs, creating memorable experiences, and maintaining service standards Business acumen – Managing finances, hiring teams, scaling operations, and strategic planning Real estate knowledge – Property selection, market analysis, and investment strategy Unlike long-term rentals or commercial real estate, which have established frameworks and educational pathways, vacation rental operators often stumble into the business without realizing they’ve started a 24/7 hospitality operation. As Jessica notes, “It’s always on. Property managers tend to be extremely hardworking, putting in a lot of hours into their businesses.” The path forward involves recognizing these gaps and actively seeking education. Whether through podcasts like Booked Solid, industry conferences, or peer mastermind groups, successful operators treat learning as a core business function rather than an occasional activity. 🤝 Technology + Hospitality: Not an Either/Or Perhaps the most important theme Jessica emphasizes is captured in a single quote from Ryan Killeen, CEO of The Annex in Toronto: “The future of hospitality is hospitality.” Despite all the discussions about AI, automation, and efficiency, the winners in this space will be those who use technology to enable hospitality, not replace it. “Hospitality doesn’t always have to be in person,” Jessica explains. “It can be delivered through digital methods. It’s

Building a high-performing short-term rental isn’t about throwing money at renovations and hoping for results. It’s about strategic design choices that create a destination guests actively seek out—not just settle for. In this episode, Mark Lumpkin breaks down his proven framework for transforming underperforming properties into revenue powerhouses. From identifying the right foundation before you buy, to niching down with precision, to leveraging photography that tells an irresistible story—Mark shares the exact steps his team at STR Cribs uses to help operators double their revenue. You’ll learn how to analyze your competition without copying them, why most properties fail to differentiate themselves, and the small intentional touches that convert browsers into bookers. Whether you’re acquiring your first property or refreshing an existing portfolio, this conversation will shift how you think about design, marketing, and guest experience. Summary and Highlights 🎯 Meet Mark Lumpkin Mark Lumpkin is the Head of Marketing and Sales at STR Cribs, a full-service design and construction company specializing in high-performing short-term rentals. With five years in the industry, Mark has helped operators across the country transform underperforming properties into top-tier revenue generators through strategic renovations, amenity planning, and niche positioning. Before joining STR Cribs, Mark was part of the founding team at Showplace, where he honed his expertise in furniture, design, and guest experience optimization. He currently owns and self-manages a Superhost property while building his own portfolio. Mark’s approach centers on one core belief: every property needs a clear answer to the question, “What makes this special?” His work has resulted in case studies where properties have doubled their annual revenue after renovation—often with payback periods of under 12 months. 💡 Why Differentiation Matters More Than Ever The short-term rental landscape has undergone a fundamental shift. Post-COVID, the market has matured beyond slapping IKEA furniture in a spare bedroom and watching bookings roll in. Competition is fiercer, guest expectations are higher, and operators who can’t articulate what makes their property special are getting left behind. Mark opened the conversation with a striking reality check: “If you can’t simply answer the question, what’s special about my property—what’s different about my property—you’re setting yourself up for failure.” This isn’t about having the most amenities or spending the most money. It’s about strategic positioning that makes your property the obvious choice for a specific type of guest. When you nail this, everything else—from occupancy rates to direct bookings—becomes exponentially easier. 🏡 The Foundation Comes First One of Mark’s most valuable insights centers on acquisition strategy. Too many operators fall in love with a property’s aesthetic without evaluating its fundamentals. Mark’s team starts consulting before clients even make an offer. The critical question isn’t just about location or the number of bedrooms. It’s about space and potential. A property on the side of a hill in Gatlinburg with only a tiny deck has almost nowhere to grow. Meanwhile, a property with acreage and flat land can add amenities such as pickleball courts, fire pits, outdoor games, and other features that genuinely increase revenue. “You’ve got that tiny little deck, and then anything else would cost you such an exorbitant amount of money to improve the real estate, it wouldn’t be worth it,” Mark explained. Starting with the right canvas means you’re not fighting uphill from day one. For operators building direct booking brands, this foundation becomes even more important. Properties with differentiation potential become shareable, Instagram-worthy destinations that guests actively seek out and return to. 📈 Case Study: Scottsdale Property Doubles Revenue Mark shared a standout success story that perfectly illustrates his framework in action. A client in Scottsdale, Arizona, owned a five-bedroom property that had been generating $100,000 to $110,000 annually for five years. Revenue was declining each year, and the property had become forgettable. The bones were solid: a large backyard, a pool, and five bedrooms. But it lacked soul. Guests weren’t booking because they were excited about the property—they were booking because it was available and cheap. STR Cribs transformed the property with a clear niche: the ultimate golf-themed bachelor pad. They permitted and converted the unused garage space into a game room with a poker table. They added a backyard golf simulator, a mini golf course, a chipping range, a hot tub, a fire pit, and a pickleball court. Inside, they redesigned the entire aesthetic to match the golf theme. The result? Annual revenue jumped to $235,000—more than doubling year-over-year. The renovation nearly paid for itself in the first 12 months. The property now attracts higher-quality guests, commands premium rates, and has built substantial equity through permitted additions. This case study reinforces a crucial principle for direct booking success: when your property becomes a destination rather than a commodity, conversion rates soar. 🎯 Finding Your Niche Without Guessing So how do you identify the right niche for your property? Mark’s process is methodical and data-driven, rather than being based on gut feelings or trends. Start with competitive analysis. Identify the five best-performing properties in your market that are comparable in size and location. Study what they offer. If all five have hot tubs, you need one. If four have barrel saunas, you probably need one too. If they’re all dog-friendly, that’s not optional—it’s table stakes. This research establishes your baseline. You’re not copying—you’re understanding what guests in your market expect from top-tier properties. Then comes the differentiation layer. “How do I go above and beyond?” Mark asked. “I’ve got the same meat and potatoes, but I’ve got a different flavor of seasoning and hot sauce on it that will maybe bring in a little bit different type of person.” Mark also cautioned against the “build it and they will come” approach. Creating a completely unique concept in an unproven market takes serious conviction and comes with risk. He’s seen it work, but recommends operators ground their strategy in proven demand first. For those pursuing direct booking strategies, this competitive intelligence serves as the foundation for your content marketing, SEO targeting, and social media positioning.

“The way that people choose travel, they consider bookings. It has culturally shifted from even 10 years ago, five years ago, particularly among Gen Z and millennials. They are experience first, location second.” – Annie Sloan The hospitality landscape has fundamentally changed. Today’s travelers aren’t just booking a place to stay—they’re curating entire experiences before they even choose their destination. Annie Sloan, Co-Founder and CEO of The Host Co, joins us to reveal how direct booking amenities are becoming the secret weapon for property managers who want to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. In this episode, you’ll discover why the traditional approach of competing solely on location and price is no longer sufficient, and how forward-thinking hosts are building entire brands around the experiences they can provide. From mobile tattoo artists at Coachella properties to barrel saunas delivered to remote cabins, Annie shares real examples of hosts who’ve transformed their businesses by thinking beyond accommodation. Summary and Highlights 👋 Meet Annie Sloan: From Silicon Valley to STR Innovation Annie Sloan brings a unique perspective to short-term rental innovation, combining her extensive background as a Creative Director at Facebook and Twitter with her experience as a property owner who started hosting on Craigslist in the early days. Her journey from posting properties on Craigslist to building a platform that now serves over 18,000 listings across 16 countries demonstrates the evolution possible when you deeply understand both the technical and hospitality sides of the industry. After years of solving her own hosting challenges—from midnight firewood requests in Joshua Tree to last-minute pet fee negotiations—Annie co-founded The Host Co with Michael Hubbard to automate these pain points while creating new revenue opportunities for hosts. Her Silicon Valley product experience, combined with real-world hosting frustrations, led to a platform that transforms how guests discover and book experiences during their stays. ✨ Key Takeaways: Why Amenities Are Your Direct Booking Superpower 🎯 The Experience-First Booking Revolution Annie reveals a fundamental shift in how travelers make decisions: “They are experience first, location second. They are, what are we gonna do there before they are? Where are we gonna stay there?” This represents a massive opportunity for direct booking websites that can showcase unique experiences alongside beautiful properties. 💰 The 40% Purchase Rate Discovery When The Host Co launched in seven test properties, they discovered something remarkable: 93% of guests opened their amenities store, and 40% made a purchase in the first month. This wasn’t just about convenience—guests were actively seeking ways to enhance their stays and were willing to pay premium prices for curated experiences. 🛍️ Beyond the Mini-Bar Mentality While The Host Co started with the concept of a “mini bar for short-term rentals,” Annie discovered that hosts were using the platform in unexpected ways. Rather than just selling physical products, properties began offering services like late checkout, early check-in, and local experiences—creating a new category of hospitality marketing that goes far beyond traditional accommodation. 🧠 The Psychology of Experience Marketing One of the most compelling insights from Annie involves understanding the booking psychology: “The person who books the stay generally psychologically is the person who gets more enjoyment from anticipating the trip than being on the trip.” This means your direct booking strategy should focus on feeding that anticipation through curated experiences and services. 🔧 Practical Implementation Strategies 👥 Start with Your Current Team Annie suggests leveraging existing resources creatively. Your cleaning staff, for example, might be willing to handle simple service requests like birthday cake delivery or rose petal setup for an additional fee. This approach allows you to offer enhanced experiences without building entirely new vendor relationships. 📱 Test Through Social Media First Before investing in new amenities or services, Annie recommends testing market interest through your existing social media channels. Share images of potential experiences—barrel saunas, private chefs, wellness services—and gauge audience reaction before committing resources. ⭐ Quality Control Through Curation Rather than allowing unlimited vendor access, The Host Co maintains quality by only working with services recommended by their host partners. This curator approach ensures that every amenity offered meets both host and guest expectations while maintaining brand integrity. 🏆 The Direct Booking Advantage The conversation reveals why building your own direct booking website becomes even more critical when you’re offering unique experiences. Unlike OTA platforms where amenities exist in isolation, direct booking sites allow you to create a cohesive brand story that connects your property, location, and available experiences into one compelling package. Annie explains: “Everything that you can use to grow your SEO to stand out, to improve booking consideration… if someone comes to your website, their booking consideration goes up.” This extended engagement time becomes particularly valuable when guests can explore not just your property but the entire experience ecosystem you’ve created. 📚 Annie’s Book Recommendation Annie recommends “4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals” by Oliver Burkeman. This perspective-shifting book challenges traditional productivity thinking by highlighting that if you live to 80, you have only 4,000 weeks of life. The book emphasizes doing things for enjoyment rather than just achievement—a mindset that translates beautifully to creating memorable guest experiences rather than just efficient accommodations. ⚡ Annie’s Rapid Fire Insights Mindset Advice: “Most of the time it is a boring grind and mindset wise, you need to learn to be somewhat happy despite the different circumstances… being the one who decides how you’re going to be, especially in startup world, it is such a rollercoaster.” Tactical Advice: “Get a direct booking site and start talking about it in social media. Start talking about one thing that you can add to it… just see if you get some excitement around it.” 🔗 Connect with Annie Sloan Learn more about The Host Co and follow Annie’s insights: The integration between The Host Co and CraftedStays launching this fall promises to bring these experience-first booking capabilities directly into your property management website, allowing you to seamlessly market and fulfill unique guest experiences alongside your core accommodation offering. Ready

“Stop making Airbnb more money. Do not ever send someone another Airbnb link. You are the problem. Owning your customer is the most important part of any successful business strategy.” This raw admission from Nikkei Rosenberg, owner of Staylah Rentals with over 100 properties under management, captures exactly what’s broken—and what’s possible—in our industry. While most hosts chase occupancy rates and revenue per available room, Nikkei has built her empire on something far more valuable: unshakeable brand standards that turn first-time guests into repeat customers. In this episode, Nikkei reveals how she scaled from managing individual properties to commanding a portfolio across multiple Southeast markets, all while maintaining the kind of consistency that makes guests choose her brand over browsing endless Airbnb listings. Her approach isn’t just about better hospitality—it’s about creating a direct booking engine powered by trust. Summary and Highlights 🌟 Meet Nikkei Rosenberg Nikkei Rosenberg brings nearly two decades of hospitality expertise to the short-term rental industry, starting her journey at just 17 years old in St. Augustine, Florida—long before Airbnb existed. This early foundation in direct bookings shaped her philosophy that property owners should control their guest relationships, not surrender them to platforms. After building the Southeast market for a major national management company and completing over 500 property setups, Nikkei launched Staylah Rentals with her business partner. The Florida market alone grew from zero to 60 properties in just 18 months, driven by organic referrals and a reputation for operational excellence. As both a real estate agent covering the Florida market and a property management company owner, Nikkei serves clients from initial property acquisition through daily operations. Her unique perspective spans the entire investment lifecycle, helping operators avoid common pitfalls while building sustainable rental businesses. Recently approved as a Marriott Bonvoy Homes and Villas partner across all 100 properties, Staylah Rentals represents the new generation of professional vacation rental brands that compete on standards, not just price. Connect with Nikkei: Follow her authentic journey on Instagram @investwithnikkei and learn more about Staylah Rentals at staylah.com 🎯 The Three Pillars of Brand Standards Visibility: Making Your Brand Impossible to Ignore Building brand standards in short-term rentals starts with visibility—ensuring guests encounter your brand at every touchpoint. Nikkei’s approach goes far beyond basic property signage: Physical Presence: Every Staylah property features branded QR codes, house manuals, area guides, and welcome signage. Their maintenance van is wrapped, the operations manager drives a branded Tesla, and all employees wear Staylah gear when on-site. Digital Consistency: Guest communication consistently references the “Staylah care team,” ensuring the brand name appears in every interaction while staying compliant with platform restrictions. Retargeting Strategy: Year-round marketing keeps Staylah visible to past guests, building the kind of brand recall that drives repeat bookings and referrals. This level of visibility creates professionalism that guests notice. When branded maintenance staff appear during a stay, it signals that this isn’t just another rental—it’s part of a larger operation that takes itself seriously. Consistency: Creating Predictable Excellence The second pillar focuses on consistency across every brand element. For direct bookings to work, guests need confidence that choosing your brand means choosing a predictable level of service. Visual Identity: Staylah maintains strict standards for logo usage, colors, fonts, and tone across all properties and communications. This consistency helps guests immediately recognize the brand experience they’re entering. Operational Standards: Every property meets identical criteria for amenities, cleanliness, and maintenance. Guests don’t have to research individual properties—they book the Staylah experience knowing what they’ll receive. Communication Protocols: From initial inquiry through post-stay follow-up, every interaction follows established patterns that reinforce brand values and expectations. This consistency particularly matters for direct booking conversions because it eliminates the uncertainty that often drives guests back to familiar platforms. Quality: Delivering Hotel-Level Standards in Custom Homes The final pillar combines the personalized experience of vacation rentals with the reliability standards guests expect from established hotel brands. Property Selection: Staylah only manages properties that meet their strict criteria for location, condition, and owner commitment to maintenance excellence. Amenity Standards: Every detail receives attention, from sheet thread counts and mattress quality to ensuring guests understand how to operate all property features. Preventive Maintenance: Regular safety checks, deep cleaning protocols, and proactive maintenance prevent issues before they impact guest experiences. Guest Experience Design: Each property is staged and stocked to create that “wow, this is incredible” moment when guests arrive. This quality focus recently earned Staylah approval as a Marriott Bonvoy Homes and Villas partner—recognition that their standards align with international hospitality brands. 💡 Key Insights for Property Managers Start with Property Standards, Not Marketing Many operators focus on driving traffic before establishing consistent quality. Nikkei’s approach prioritizes operational excellence first: “We’ve been implementing EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and really defining KPIs, creating accountability structures, and defining roles.” This foundation work pays dividends when marketing efforts scale. Instead of managing individual property reputations, operators can promote a single brand promise across their entire portfolio. Stop Driving Traffic to OTA Links One of Nikkei’s strongest tactical recommendations: “Stop making Airbnb more money. Do not ever send someone another Airbnb link.” She even refused to share Airbnb listings with a potential client who requested them, explaining how clicks without conversions hurt algorithm performance. For operators serious about building direct booking success, this mindset shift is crucial. Every social media post, email, or conversation should direct prospects to owned channels where you can capture contact information and build relationships. Build Community Relationships for Organic Growth Nikkei’s decade in BNI networking demonstrates the power of consistent community involvement. Her philosophy of “givers gain” created the referral network that fueled Staylah’s rapid growth: “I just love being able to add value to people without putting money in someone’s pocket.” This authentic relationship-building approach works particularly well for maximizing value through networking, as it fosters trust and credibility that paid advertising cannot replicate. Building genuine community connections also supports growing direct bookings with consistency that doesn’t rely solely on platform algorithms. 📚 Nikkei’s Book

“Digital media is not going away. When business owners are shying away from doing something uncomfortable, putting their business out on social media, you have to meet the world where they’re at.” What would you do if your social media following could generate 71% direct bookings on just one property? Brittany Magsig, better known as Mountain Mama on TikTok, turned this dream into reality by authentically sharing her love for the Smoky Mountains and building genuine connections with over half a million followers. From conducting virtual therapy sessions as a school social worker to managing a thriving vacation rental through social media marketing strategies, Brittany’s journey demonstrates how authentic content creation can drive direct bookings without expensive marketing campaigns or complex systems. Summary and Highlights 💌 A Letter from Brittany Magsig Hi! We just launched Mountain Mama’s Cabins for guests to book this week. We’ve been vetting and bringing on new cabins for guests to enjoy through our platform, which now connects with my community of over 500,000 Smoky Mountain followers. When my own cabin was fully booked and filled to occupancy, I still wanted to find purpose in creating Smoky Mountain content — and that’s when Mountain Mama’s Cabins was born. Instead of going against the numbers with today’s high interest rates and saturated market prices, I started recruiting cabin owners who believed in my vision to list with me. You can find us and book at @mountainmamascabins on TikTok and Instagram, and at Mountain Mama Cabins on Facebook! 👩‍💼 Meet Brittany Magsig: From Social Work to Social Media Success Brittany Magsig brings a unique perspective to vacation rental marketing, combining her clinical background with creative storytelling. As a licensed social worker (LMSW/LCSW) who worked in schools for 10 years, she developed exceptional communication skills that now serve her content creation and guest relations. Her transformation began in 2020 when she and her husband purchased a cabin in the Smoky Mountains during COVID lockdowns. What started as a personal escape became a profitable venture that allowed her to leave her traditional career and build a business around her passion for hospitality and the mountains she loves. Today, Brittany manages her own cabin with exceptional direct booking rates while co-hosting six additional properties and helping other cabin owners increase their visibility through her Mountain Mama Cabins platform. Connect with Brittany: 🎯 The Psychology Behind Authentic Content Creation Brittany’s background in social work became her secret weapon for creating relatable content. Her clinical training taught her to read people’s perspectives and deliver difficult messages with empathy—skills that translate directly to understanding her audience’s needs and creating content that resonates. “I feel like a lot of what I do online is ministry. I want people to know they’re not alone,” Brittany explains, describing how her personal branding approach goes beyond business promotion to genuine connection. Her vulnerability breakthrough came after appearing on Dr. Phil to help her father with addiction struggles. That experience taught her that being authentically herself—flaws and all—creates stronger connections than any perfect, curated content ever could. 📱 From 58 Followers to Half a Million: The TikTok Strategy When Brittany started her TikTok account in 2021, she had just 58 followers and felt embarrassed about her slow growth. Following advice from content creation coaches, she committed to posting 3-4 times daily about the Smoky Mountains, dedicating exactly one hour after her school social work job to content creation. The platform evolution mirrors her personal growth: “TikTok was literally a perfect mix of utilizing it for my creativity, my expression, and also connecting with people. It’s the best of all worlds,” she reflects on her platform choice. Her content strategy avoids mainstream buzzwords and focuses on genuine storytelling. Rather than chasing every trend, she dedicates 10-15 minutes daily to consuming content strategically, looking for sounds and concepts that align with authentic stories she wants to tell. 🏔️ Building Trust Through Transparent Business Practices Achieving 71% direct bookings didn’t happen overnight. Brittany’s success stems from treating every social media interaction as relationship building for repeat guests rather than simple marketing. Her original booking process, while time-intensive, built incredible trust: “I would even FaceTime them. Some people wanted to make sure I’m legitimate. People trusted me after showing up every day online,” Brittany explains how consistency built credibility. Now using Hospitable for streamlined operations, she maintains the personal touch while scaling efficiently. 🤖 Strategic AI Use Without Losing Authenticity Brittany uses AI tools like ChatGPT strategically for business planning and idea generation, paying $20 monthly for enhanced features. However, she draws clear boundaries around content creation. “I don’t use AI within my content because I think there is such a thing to be said about transparency, authenticity, seeing a real person to relate it to your life,” she emphasizes. Her approach to AI mirrors best practices for hosts: This balanced approach allows her to leverage efficiency tools while maintaining the authentic voice that built her following. 📈 Scaling Success: From Personal Brand to Business Platform Recognizing that other Smoky Mountain cabin owners struggled with bookings while she consistently filled her calendar, Brittany launched Mountain Mama Cabins with software developer partner Andrew. This platform allows quality cabin owners to benefit from her established audience trust and 1,000+ daily website visitors. Her expansion strategy demonstrates community-driven growth: 💡 Key Takeaways for Direct Booking Success Mindset Foundations “Being comfortable being uncomfortable” remains Brittany’s core advice. She advocates for: Content Strategy Essentials Direct Booking Fundamentals Quality product comes first—excellent guest experiences enable confident marketing. Brittany recommends: 📚 Rapid Fire Insights Recommended Reading: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* by Mark Manson “When you have that mindset of not giving a crap within reason, your problems really start to dissipate,” Brittany shares about this transformative read that helped her embrace authenticity. Essential Mindset: “Don’t betray yourself in the process of being you. Whatever that looks like in self-expression, don’t be harmful, don’t be malicious, but just being you.” Success Formula: Good product + personal

“There’s so much incremental bookings our industry could be getting if we just did a better job of managing rates throughout the season. More than anything, drive additional revenue over and above new amenities, new photos—it’s just do a better job of how you’re setting rates.” – Jamie Lane The short-term rental landscape has undergone dramatic shifts since 2020, creating both challenges and opportunities for independent hosts building direct booking businesses. From mobile bookings now representing 58% of Airbnb’s traffic to supply growth slowing to just 4% in 2025, understanding these data-driven trends isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for staying competitive. In this comprehensive discussion, we explore the critical insights every host needs to navigate today’s market, optimize their direct booking strategy, and establish sustainable revenue streams that are not entirely dependent on OTA algorithms. Summary and Highlights 🎯 Meet Jamie Lane: The Data-Driven Voice of Short-Term Rentals Jamie Lane serves as Chief Economist and SVP of Analytics at AirDNA, the industry’s leading short-term rental data intelligence platform tracking millions of properties worldwide. With over 14 years of experience in hospitality economics, Jamie brings a unique perspective as both an industry analyst and an active STR host in North Georgia’s mountain markets. His groundbreaking contributions earned him the Innovator/Disruptor award at the 2023 Shortyz Awards, while his market insights regularly appear in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Bloomberg. Beyond the data, Jamie co-hosts AirDNA’s STR Data Lab podcast and has been documenting his own hosting journey on YouTube, applying market intelligence to real-world property management decisions. Before joining AirDNA, Jamie spent a decade at CBRE, leading research and forecasting teams. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science in Business Economics from Georgia State University. 📊 The Great Channel Shift: From Direct Dominance to OTA Growth The pandemic has fundamentally altered guest booking behavior, creating lasting changes that continue to shape the industry. Prior to 2020, many large property managers generated the majority of their bookings through direct channels. Today, OTAs command increasingly larger market share—but the story has an interesting twist. While larger property managers have seen their direct booking percentages decline, smaller hosts are actually trending in the opposite direction. The proliferation of user-friendly PMS platforms, such as Guesty and Hostaway, among others, has democratized direct booking technology that was previously accessible only to enterprise-level operators. “If you think back in 2015, like I was hosting and for me to get a direct booking website, like Guesty didn’t exist, Hostway didn’t exist. Like all these large PMS companies that we sort of take advantage of now just didn’t exist,” Jamie explains. This technology gap meant most individual hosts had no practical path to direct bookings beyond building everything from scratch. 📱 Mobile-First Booking Revolution Perhaps the most striking trend shaping guest behavior is the explosive growth of mobile bookings. Airbnb disclosed that 58% of their Q1 bookings came through mobile devices—up from 54% the previous year. This isn’t just a slight preference shift; it represents a fundamental change in how travelers discover and book accommodations. For hosts building direct booking websites, this trend requires a mobile-first design approach. Sites that feel clunky on mobile devices or fail to optimize for smaller screens risk losing nearly half their potential bookings to competitors with superior mobile experiences. The demographic driving this shift skews younger, with travelers in their twenties and thirties showing a strong preference for completing entire booking flows on mobile devices. These guests don’t just browse on mobile—they research, compare, and complete transactions entirely through their phones. 🏔️ Supply Growth Slowdown: Good News for Existing Hosts After years of explosive inventory growth reaching 20-25% annually during peak pandemic periods, supply growth has dramatically decelerated to approximately 4% in 2025. This slowdown isn’t due to decreased demand—RevPAR remains at all-time highs—but rather reflects challenging investment economics. Home values have increased roughly 50% over three years, while interest rates jumped from 3% to peaks around 8.5%. Meanwhile, STR revenue has grown approximately 30% over the same period. The math simply doesn’t work for many potential investors who previously found attractive cash-on-cash returns in the 20-40% range. “Most investors now are like, the only reason why they’re able to make it make sense is because of the tax benefit. If you’re just underwriting the cash flows and what the investment’s gonna take, unless you have that tax benefit, it doesn’t make sense,” Jamie notes. For existing hosts, this supply constraint creates favorable operating conditions. Less new competition means better occupancy rates and pricing power—assuming hosts stay competitive with their data-driven STR strategies. 💰 The Revenue Management Gap: Leaving Money on the Table Despite the widespread availability of dynamic pricing tools, only about 25% of hosts actively use revenue management platforms. This creates enormous opportunities for data-driven hosts willing to optimize their pricing strategies beyond simple seasonal adjustments. Markets like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, where 85% of listings use revenue management solutions, demonstrate both the competitive advantage and necessity of sophisticated pricing. Hosts in these markets who don’t actively monitor competitor rates and adjust pricing can quickly lose bookings to more agile operators. “There are so many incremental bookings our industry could be getting if we just did a better job of managing rates throughout the season,” Jamie emphasizes. The impact exceeds that of new amenities, professional photography, or other property improvements. 🌍 Economic Headwinds and Guest Behavior Changes Several macroeconomic factors are creating booking pattern shifts that hosts need to understand: Compressed Booking Windows: Guests are waiting longer to commit to travel plans, with booking windows in mountain markets declining approximately 8% year-over-year. This reflects economic uncertainty and guests’ reluctance to commit to future spending. International Travel Trends: American travelers are increasingly choosing overseas destinations, with demand for Japan up 30% year-over-year. Meanwhile, Asian travelers to the US remain 50% below pre-pandemic levels, particularly impacting West Coast markets. Income Tier Differences: The booking slowdown primarily affects budget-tier