Short-term Rental News Digest – February 2022

February is the month of love and in this month’s digest, we are sharing some news that you will love. Not only have leading countries relaxed their testing requirements, but studies reveal that travelers are feeling a lot more confident about their travel plans for 2022. 

To help you get ready for the influx of guests, we have also included some new resources that you can check out. If you are more of a visual learner, you can register for a new season of webinars. If you are more of a reader, we also include a new book about direct bookings that you can add to your reading list. Happy hosting and learning!

iGMS Integrates With Beyond

At the end of last month, iGMS announced its integration with Beyond (formerly called Beyond Pricing). Now hosts and property managers will be able to increase their revenue with the help of data that they can trust. To take advantage of this integration and start implementing dynamic pricing, you will need to have working accounts with Beyond as well as iGMS. 

Top 25 Best US Cities to Invest In Revealed

AirDNA has revealed the top places to invest in vacation rentals in the United States in its annual report. The goal of this report is to offer investors a framework for identifying investment opportunities. 

More than 260 markets in the US were considered. AirDNA used its proprietary AirDNA investor score to reveal the high-performing markets by taking into account three core pillars: revenue growth over the past year, rental demand, and yield. 

The top 10 places in 2022 are as follows:

1. Maui, Hawaii
2. Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
3. Chattanooga, Tennessee
4. Gulfport, Mississippi
5. Slidell, Louisiana
6. Crystal River, Florida
7. Charleston, South Carolina
8. Joshua Tree, California
9. Galena, Illinois
10. Buffalo, New York

New Book for Hospitality Owners

There is a new book, The Book Direct Playbook, for hospitality owners who want to get more direct bookings. The book is written by Mark Simpson who is no stranger to the industry. He is the founder of Boostly, an online hospitality training platform. Also, in 2020, he won the Shortyz Awards for the best use of social media. 

The seven-chapter book shares advice and marketing (including social media) strategies. Hosts will, for example, learn how to cut commission costs and attract the ideal guest. What’s more, a free online course is also included in every book purchase. 

The book is available on Audible, Amazon, and Kindle at £12.99 for the paperback edition and £7.99 for the digital version/audiobook. 

RockSTRz Webinars Return for a New Season

The RockSTRz webinars’ fifth series kicked off on 22 February with a look at the new era of luxury. Other topics that will be covered in this new season include flexible living, brand loyalty, traditional leisure businesses, and pain points that property managers face. 

Flywire Shares Findings on Luxury Travelers

Staying on the topic of luxury travel, Flywire, a global payments enablement software company, has shared what luxury travelers think about travel recovery. The study, The Luxe Life: Luxury Travel’s Role in the Industry’s Recovery, surveyed over 640 US adults. 

Its findings included that luxury travelers are relying on travel agents to help them with their travel decisions. Travel agents also need to help them with health and safety and cancellation policies. With regards to the pandemic, the findings reveal that individuals are more confident about travel thanks to the vaccination rates and the reopening of borders. 

UK Relaxes Testing Requirements

The United Kingdom has relaxed some of its rules for vaccinated travelers wanting to enter its borders. Now, fully vaccinated arrivals no longer have to complete a COVID-19 test. That said, they will still need to complete a passenger locator form. This will confirm their travel history, vaccination status, and contact information. 

Also, only travelers who test positive for the virus will be required to self-isolate. 

Sajid Javid, the health and social care secretary commented, “As we learn to live with COVID-19, we are taking a balanced approach to opening up international travel and removing all tests for people who have played their part and have been vaccinated.”

Majority of UK Travelers Confident About Holiday Plans

Staying on UK soil, a Vrbo report has revealed that the vast majority of UK travelers (80%) feel confident that they will be able to enjoy an international holiday in 2022. Nearly half of the families that completed this survey indicated that their main family holiday should be spent at the beach. 

According to Vrbo, the top 10 international destinations among British travelers for this year’s summer are:

1. Balearic Islands, Spain
2. Faro district, Portugal
3. Málaga province, Spain
4. Alicante province, Spain
5. Ionian Islands, Greece
6. Cyprus
7. Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain
8. South Aegean, Greece
9. Dordogne, France
10. Kissimmee, USA

Vrbo Shares Spring Break Spots

According to Vrbo’s 2022 Trend Report, vacation homes in the top destinations for spring break have been booked earlier than normal. That said, there are still vacation homes available. According to the vacation rental platform, the following destinations still have availability in March:

• Big Bear Lake, California
• Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
• Savannah and Tybee Island, Georgia
• Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
• Poconos Mountains, Pennsylvania