Vacation Rental Scale-Up
Vacation Rental Scale-Up is a podcast for vacation rental managers and short-term rental operators. Hosted by Thibault Masson, it provides strategies for working with major platforms such as Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking. Episodes cover market data and trends from the US and Europe. The show also explores vacation rental technology, including AI and revenue management software. It features tutorials, expert interviews, and some humor.
Episodios
How AI Helps Rental Managers Find, Pitch and Keep More Owners
Owner acquisition used to be a one-to-many business: one message, one landing page, one pitch, sent to everybody on your list. Brooke Pfautz argues that constraint is gone, and that the managers who adjust fastest will sign owners the slow way never could.Brooke built Vantage Resort Realty in Ocean City, Maryland from nothing to 500 properties in five years, sold it in 2013, and now runs Vintory,
Europe's New Rule: The Cure Can't Be Bigger Than the Disease
Two European decisions landed roughly 48 hours apart, and on the surface they have nothing to do with each other. Google removed the vacation rentals section from Search across the European Economic Area — the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein — as its own chosen remedy to a Digital Markets Act decision. Then the European Commission proposed the Affordable Housing Act, which would require
Airbnb is Investing $250 Million in Building Homes and Ranking Cities
For a decade, cities have blamed short-term rentals for taking homes off the market. Airbnb has played defence the whole time. On 14 September, it changed tack and put $250 million into building housing instead.The timing is worth noting. Five days earlier, the European Commission proposed the Affordable Housing Act, which would let cities under housing stress restrict commercial short-term rental
Airbnb Cuts Host Fees to 6% But How Direct Is the Booking?
Airbnb is offering select hosts a new “Direct Booking Link” with a much lower 6% or 10% host fee. The question is: if Airbnb still processes the booking and controls the guest relationship, how “direct” is it? 🤔In this episode, Uvika Wahi breaks down what Airbnb is testing and why the distinction matters for short-term rental operators. We cover:How Airbnb’s 6% and 10% fees work 🔗 Direct booking
Why Wall Street is Betting Big on Airbnb’s 15.5% Host Fee Mode
When Airbnb shifted operators to a single 15.5% host fee, many short-term rental managers assumed a simple price markup would keep their revenue neutral. However, financial analysts at Bernstein and Airbnb leadership view this structural shift as a primary catalyst for business acceleration and recent stock gains.In this episode, we break down the three distinct mechanisms Wall Street is banking o
Why shoulder season needs a full team reset, not just a price cut
Shoulder season isn't summer on a dimmer switch. It's a reset, and this episode treats it that way. Jay Whiteley, who runs revenue, marketing, and distribution for ViewStay by Casago's roughly 4,500 properties, joins RSU by PriceLabs editor Uvika Wahi and host Kyle Driskell, Manager, RM Partnerships, to break down what changes when peak season ends: who's actually traveling now, wh
The Airbnb Experience deal with Tripadvisor Viator explained in Screenshots
I booked a trip to a small village in Alsace, and once I was in, I started paying attention to what Airbnb was actually selling me. The homepage had a car rental discount and a luggage storage deal waiting before I'd even packed. My trip page, the first thing I opened after booking, knew my address, my dates, and how many of us were coming, and started selling from there. But when I got to Air
Airbnb's Best Quarter in Years. Hosts Paid For Part of It.
Airbnb just reported 3.6 billion dollars in revenue, nights booked up 10%, and raised guidance for the rest of the year. On paper, one of its best quarters ever.Look closer, and a good chunk of that growth traces back to changes property managers have spent the year worried about, from the new single fee to Reserve Now Pay Later's rising share of bookings. In this episode, we walk through what
4 Easy AI Workflows for More Time, Visibility, and Impact
Guests have stopped opening fifty tabs. They open one AI prompt — family of four, two kids under ten, beach, four days, this budget — and book from the shortlist that comes back. So when that shortlist gets assembled, is your business even readable?📺 Watch the screen demos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVWQb2x6zHw📖 Step-by-step recap and handouts: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/ai-workflows-for-
How to Turn AI Search Visibility Into Actual Short-term Rental Bookings
How do you make sure that when ChatGPT recommends your short-term rental, the guest actually clicks "book"? 🤔While everyone is racing to get surfaced by AI search tools, a mere citation on Claude or Perplexity does not move money. A human still has to click through, weigh your trust signals, and decide to pay. How do you make sure your AI visibility actually turns into paying guests? 💸📖
I Plugged My Pricing Tool Directly Into Claude, Here's What Happened
Most revenue tools still make you log in, click through, and cross-reference before you get an answer. This episode tests what happens when you skip all of that — wiring a live pricing engine straight into an AI assistant and asking it questions in plain English instead.I connected PriceLabs to Claude using its new MCP (Model Context Protocol) connector and put it through real tasks: diagnosing a
What Every Vacation Rental Host Can Learn From Vrbo's Latest Campaign
Vrbo's newest ads, Magician and No Chef, are the ones getting all the buzz right now. Big spend, big view counts, the full spotlight moment. 🎬So why bring up a much quieter content campaign running in the background at the same time?Because with major booking platforms, it's rarely the loudest release that teaches you the most. This time, the real playbook is buried in a low-key campaign c
What Airbnb Truly Earns on Every Reservation You Fulfill
Airbnb just promised Wall Street it would extract more money from every single booking this year. Yet, your platform fees aren’t going up, and your payouts remain untouched. So, where is that massive revenue growth coming from? 🛑💳While operators have been pressured to simplify pricing and fold cleaning fees into their nightly rates to show guests "one honest number," Airbnb has quietly r
The 5 Levels of AI Automation for Property Managers
Should you build your own custom AI workflows, or wait for your software vendors to roll out their updates?In this episode, Thibault Masson sits down with Mark Simpson to break down exactly how independent operators can leverage artificial intelligence to automate their operations and scale revenue. In this episode, we cover:Level 1 (The Foundations): How to use Custom Instructions and Custom GPTs
Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo Are All Moving Toward Pay-to-Play. Here's the Full Picture.
The rules of organic search visibility are undergoing a major shift. For years, professional operators have structured their businesses around strict performance metrics to secure Vrbo’s Premier Host badge and its promised visibility boost. 🛑📉But what happens when platforms introduce paid shortcuts?In this episode, we break down Expedia Group's new sponsored listings feature on Vrbo, shifting
The 2 Hidden Risks of Airbnb’s New Cancellation Add-On
Airbnb’s new "risk-free" cancellation policy might guarantee your payout, but it could be silently draining your operational budget. 🛑💸In this episode of the RSU Podcast, Thibault Masson (Founder of RSU by PriceLabs) breaks down Airbnb's newly rolled out "Extended Cancellation Option"—a feature that allows guests to cancel up to 24 hours before check-in. While Airbnb absorb
Airbnb Just Hired booking.com’s Top Hotel Executive. Here's What That Means for Your Listings.
Airbnb just made two major corporate moves that signal an aggressive expansion beyond traditional short-term rentals: they poached Booking.com’s top hotel executive and invested $58 million to build a real-life social network. 🛑📉In this episode of the RSU Podcast, Uvika Wahi (Short-Term Rental Industry Analyst and Editor at RSU by PriceLabs) unpacks these parallel strategies and what they mean for
Are These 3 Hidden Revenue Leaks Costing Your Short-Term Rental Portfolio?
Your dynamic pricing strategy might be flawless—but bad listing photos, inflexible cleaning fees, and over-promised owner estimates are silently destroying your short-term rental revenue. 🛑💸 In this episode of RSU by PriceLabs, Thibault Masson sits down with Bryant Loy (Director of Revenue Management at Brett/Robinson) and Becca Madigan (Manager of U.S. Solutions at PriceLabs) to uncover the hidd
How Airbnb’s New AI Algorithm Decides Who Gets Booked
Airbnb's 2026 Summer Release just rewrote the rules of how guests discover, evaluate, and book your property. 🛑📉With this update, Airbnb hasn't just rolled out new features—the platform has fundamentally inserted an AI layer into every single monetizable decision point of the guest journey. From discovery to booking, AI is now sitting between your property and your prospective guest.In thi
Airbnb May Soon Guarantee the Lowest Price, But Only on Hotels
If Airbnb guarantees the lowest price on hotels, how will your short-term rentals compete? 🛑📉On May 20th, Brian Chesky is dropping the Summer 2026 Release, and the platform's priorities are shifting. To hedge against strict city regulations, Airbnb is aggressively pushing boutique hotel supply—and they might back it up with a low-price guarantee that puts standard STR listings at a massive dis
Will Europe's Fuel Crisis Send a Wave of Guests to Your Holiday Let?
✈️ Jet Fuel Crisis, 20,000 Cancelled Flights, and a Domestic Travel Boom — Which Side of the Line Is Your Portfolio On?Jet fuel prices have doubled and airlines are cutting 20,000 summer flights. ⛽📉 Guests still want to travel — they're just driving instead. But this isn't a COVID staycation repeat, and the windfall isn't guaranteed for everyone. 🚗In this episode, we break down:🔍 Why t
Airbnb Summer Release 2026: 7 Predictions for Hosts and Property Managers
Airbnb’s Summer Release 2026 is almost here. What could Airbnb announce — and what should hosts and property managers be watching?In this episode, Thibault Masson, industry analyst, founder of RSU by PriceLabs, and Head of Product Marketing at PriceLabs, shares 7 predictions for Airbnb’s upcoming release.From AI-powered search and host listing tools to guest services, marketplace integrations, loy
Airbnb's AI Strategy: What's Hidden in the April 20th Terms Update
In February 2026, Airbnb quietly updated its privacy policy. On April 20th, every host and guest will be asked to accept it — or lose access to the platform.In this episode, RSU Editor Uvika Wahi breaks down what actually changed, what it signals about Airbnb's AI ambitions ahead of its Summer 2026 product release, and what it means for professional short-term rental managers whose data sits a
Why Your Revenue Manager Can't Do It Alone Anymore
Revenue management isn't broken — the model around it is.For years, dynamic pricing was the answer. But when your owner relations team is stuck in email, your BD team is pitching with outdated numbers, and your finance team finds out about a shortfall too late — pricing alone was never going to be enough.In this episode of the Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast, industry analysy Thibault Masson
Beyond the Bed: What Airbnb's Car Service and Dinner Party Reveal About the Platform's Future
Airbnb made two announcements this week that didn't make many headlines — but together, they reveal exactly how the platform's lifestyle ambitions are materializing in practice.In this episode, Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs breaks down both moves:The Welcome Pickups partnership, which brings private airport transfers into the Airbnb app across 125+ cities in Europe, Asia, and Latin Amer
Surviving The May 2026 EU Short-Term Rental Regulation Deadline
May 20, 2026, is circled on every European property manager's calendar. It's the official deadline for EU Regulation 2024/1028—the law that forces booking platforms to verify registration numbers and share monthly activity data with local governments.But will Airbnb and Booking.com actually delete your listings overnight?In this episode, Thibault Masson breaks down the "Honest Map&quo
Vrbo’s Reliability Playbook: Building the Ultimate Airbnb Alternative
Are Airbnb and Vrbo becoming the exact same platform? If you look deeper than the recent launches, the answer is a resounding no. While Airbnb is prioritizing pure booking volume by removing checkout friction, Vrbo is building a financial fortress centered around one core concept: Reliability.In this episode, Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs breaks down Vrbo's impressive Q4 2025 financial perf
How AI Is Changing the Way Guests Plan & Book Travel
AI is becoming the new front door to travel discovery.In this episode, Thibault Masson (Founder of Rental Scale-Up / RSU by PriceLabs) is joined by David Ciccarelli (Co-Founder & CEO of Lake.com) and Uvika Wahi (RSU by PriceLabs) to explore how AI-powered search is changing the way guests find, compare, and book vacation rentals.We break down what’s actually happening across:– Google AI Mode–
Airbnb’s Pay-to-Play Visibility: The Start of a Loyalty Program?
Is Airbnb quietly testing its own loyalty program?Some hosts are now seeing an offer:Provide a 20% discount, and Airbnb will boost your visibility and promote your listing to “top rated guests.”But here’s what makes this different.“Top rated guests” aren’t defined by how much they spend — they’re defined by behavior. Guests with 4.8+ ratings and multiple completed stays.In this episode, we unpack:
10 Takeaways from Airbnb’s Q4 2025 That Could Impact Your Revenue
In this episode, we break down the 10 biggest takeaways from Airbnb's Q4 2025 earnings call and what they really mean for professional short-term rental managers.From the likely end of the 3% split fee model… to rising cancellation rates under “Book Now, Pay Later”…to 500,000+ low-quality listings being removed…to Guest Favorites now driving nearly half of all bookings…Airbnb is clearly optimi
How to Break the 200-Unit Bottleneck: Lessons from GuestReady’s Spain Deal
Many property managers don’t fail — they stall.And for a lot of STR operators, that stall happens around 100–200 units.In this episode, we go inside GuestReady’s latest acquisition in Spain, its 12th to date, to unpack why that bottleneck exists — and how M&A is increasingly being used as a growth engine, not an exit.🎙️ Lorenzo Ritella, Country Manager for Spain at GuestReady, joins RSU to bre
How to Get More Bookings on Airbnb by Optimizing Listing Quality, Not Cutting Prices
In this episode, we break down how Airbnb actually rewards quality listings — and why many professional operators lose bookings even in strong markets.Thibault Masson dives into PriceLabs’ new Listing Optimizer, explaining how data + AI can uncover hidden issues in titles, photos, amenities, descriptions, and review sentiment — the stuff Airbnb’s algorithm really cares about.If you manage multiple
Before You Drop Prices: How Listing Quality is Costing You Airbnb Revenue
Register for fee workshop: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1317691874899/WN_T9XsB0s0TUSk2tQA4c50wwIf your Airbnb bookings are slowing down, your first instinct is probably to drop prices.But what if pricing isn’t the real problem at all? 👀Airbnb has been clear: listing quality now directly impacts visibility, trust, and conversion.Yet most teams still treat pricing and listing quality as
The Death of Search: Does Google UCP Make Booking Platforms Redundant?
Is the "click-through" era of travel over? For twenty years, platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com have been the indispensable gatekeepers of the industry. But with the launch of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), Google is attempting to collapse the entire booking journey into the AI layer.What You’ll LearnIn this episode, Uvika Wahi breaks down why the traditional "search and
2026 Vacation Rental Trends: How Travel Is Becoming More Selective
Vacation Rental Trends 2026 didn’t start in 2026.In this episode, Uvika Wahi of RSU by PriceLabs breaks down the most important vacation rental and trends shaping 2026, using guidance from what happened in 2025.In this episode, we cover:Why luxury positioning is accelerating, and why more brands are chasing itHow Asia’s growing travel demand is reshaping global travel flowsWhy sports and live even
The 2025 Short-Term Rental Year in Review (Top Stories That Matters for 2026)
Across articles, podcasts, webinars, and industry conversations throughout the year, the same topics kept resurfacing. And when that happens, it usually means something structural is changing.In this episode, we step back to connect the dots and break down the big themes that repeated all year — and why they matter as we head into 2026.We cover:• How regulation is structurally reshaping supply in
World Cup 2026: How Demand Is Showing Up Early Across Host Cities
World Cup 2026 demand is already showing up in the data ⚽📈 — but not evenly.Some host cities are seeing early booking spikes, others are moving slowly, and regulation + supply constraints are shaping outcomes just as much as football. In this episode, we break down what’s actually happening across key World Cup markets — and what STR managers should watch (and adjust) now.Listen via Apple Podcasts
Before You Finalize 2026 Plans: The Pricing, Demand & Supply Clues You Shouldn’t Ignore
If your 2026 planning is already underway, this episode gives you a final data check before you lock in your strategy.In the final RevLabs × Rental Scale-Up webinar of the year, Thibault Masson (Founder, Rental Scale-Up) sits down with Richie Khandelwal (Co-Founder, PriceLabs) to break down what the data is actually showing across the US, UK, France, Spain, and Italy — and what large property mana
How Smart Operators Pivot: Mid-Term Stays, New Markets & What Works
In today’s episode, we dig into a question more and more property managers are asking: Do you pivot to mid-term rentals—or expand into new markets?Regulations are tightening, demand is shifting, and guest expectations keep rising. To help break it down, we look at how Your Airhost grew in one of the toughest markets in the UK by mixing short-term, mid-term, and corporate stays, and why this flexib
Lake.com’s AI Strategy: Making Waterfront Rentals Easier to Find
AI is rewriting how guests discover short-term rentals — and Lake.com is building for that future. In this episode, we sit down with David Ciccarelli, Co-Founder & CEO of Lake.com, to explore how a niche OTA for lakefront stays is betting big on:✨ AI-driven discovery✨ Structured content built for LLMs✨ Conversational search and trip planning✨ A demand profile perfectly suited for professional
Build Your 2026 Airbnb Strategy Using 2025’s Biggest Signals
Airbnb’s 2025 updates weren’t random; they were signals.Signals about how the platform will operate in 2026… and what professional hosts will need to do to stay visible, profitable, and prepared. 💡In this episode, Thibault Masson and Uvika Wahi from Rental Scale-Up by PriceLabs break down the full picture:– the new cancellation rules– payout term changes– the shift to host-only fees– the return of
Hotels on Airbnb Are Here: What This Means for Short-Term Rental Managers
Airbnb just made one of its biggest strategic moves of the year: hotels are now officially part of the platform. In this episode, we break down how hotels are showing up on Airbnb, what the new guest journey looks like, and how these listings compete with home-based short-term rentals.RSU by Pricelabs' Uvika Wahi walks us through the live interface, compare Airbnb’s approach with Booking.com,
Where Guests Are Really Booking in 2025: Smarter Alternatives to Airbnb and Vrbo
In this hour-long episode, we explore where guests are really booking in 2025, and how professional short-term rental managers can build a smarter channel mix beyond Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo.Hosted by Thibault Masson, this conversation features:Alex Alioto, Co-Founder & Head of Growth at Whimstay, the leading marketplace for last-minute vacation rental deals across North America.Enrique P
How Expedia is Using AI to Turn Instagram Inspiration into Bookable Trips
In this episode of the Vacation Rental Scale-Up Podcast, we explore Expedia’s new AI Trip Matching feature, a tool that lets travelers send a Reel to Expedia’s Instagram and instantly receive:💬 Personalized itineraries🏨 Real-time hotel listings with prices & reviews📍 Hidden gem suggestionsIt’s not full booking (yet), but it’s a powerful bridge between inspiration and action — where travel disc
How Google’s New AI Mode Can Reshape Guest Discovery and Trip Planning
Google just launched its new AI Mode, and it could completely change how travelers discover, plan, and book trips , all without ever leaving Google. 🌍💡In this episode, Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs breaks down what Google’s AI Mode means for short-term rental managers, how it merges search and trip planning, and what you can do to stay visible as guest discovery shifts inside AI ecosystems.🔍 In
How a Hybrid Franchise Model Helped a Property Manager Focus on Hospitality
In this episode, Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs sits down with Michael LeClerc, Founder of SkyRun Vacation Rentals, Park City, Utah, to explore how the hybrid franchise model helped him scale his short-term rental business while staying true to what matters most: great guest experiences. Michael shares how his background as a professional chef shaped his approach to guest service, how he turned
AI Trip Planning on WhatsApp? Here’s What It Means for Property Managers
Yes, WhatsApp can actually plan your next dream vacation!In this episode, I test GuideGeek (by @Matador Network) inside WhatsApp, from destination ideas to stays— and see how it handles Airbnb listings, hotels, pricing, availability, and bookings.Here’s what I found:✅ Great for inspiration & itineraries (fast, conversational, and context-aware)⚠️ Static nightly prices that don’t match real ava
Perplexity Travel for Vacation Rentals: How AI Is Powering Trip Search
Travel discovery is changing, fast. AI is starting the trip conversation, shaping what travelers see first, and even guiding them on where to stay.In this video, we explore Perplexity’s new Travel Hub, an AI-powered platform designed to take guests from inspiration all the way to booking, without ever leaving the app. Here’s what we’ll uncover: • How AI changes the way people find destinations and
How Property Managers Can Adapt to Airbnb’s Host-Only Fee Without Losing Margins
Airbnb is rolling out a global host-only fee model for all PMS-connected listings. It affects pricing strategies and margins for property managers everywhere. 💰In this expert-led session, you’ll hear from Theoharis Mihailidis (VillaRentals.gr), who has been managing 160+ listings under the host-only model in Greece for years; John An (@TechTape), who has been running the numbers for operators to u
Vrbo Listings to Gain Wider Visibility With Expedia’s Global Network
@vrbo is about to get a LOT bigger. 🚀Expedia just announced that Vrbo listings will no longer be limited to Vrbo.com or the app. Instead, they’ll show up everywhere, from Expedia.com and airline sites like @Delta and Alaska, to apps like Revolut, and even through 160,000+ travel agents worldwide.In this video, we break down what this expansion means for hosts and property managers: • Wider re
Airbnb Host Fee Change: Keep Your Earnings Intact with the right markup
Airbnb’s latest update is shaking things up for hosts and property managers: the Airbnb Host Fee Change. PMS-connected hosts are moving to a 15.5% host-only fee, and the math on how to set your markup has caused plenty of confusion.In this episode, we clear things up once and for all. You’ll learn why the correct PMS markup isn’t 15.5% but 18.34%, how to recalculate your nightly rates and cleaning
What the Data Says (and What the Experts Do) to Keep Occupancy Strong in Shoulder Season
The summer rush is over, and the 2025 shoulder season slowdown is here. Guests are booking later, staying fewer nights, and cutting budgets more than ever. For property managers, this means emptier calendars and tighter revenue.In this webinar replay, our expert panel shares practical pricing, marketing, and data-driven strategies to help you beat the shoulder season dip and keep occupancy steady:
Airbnb Host-Only Fee at 15.5%: What It Means for Property Managers
Airbnb has officially ended the split fee model, moving to a new 15.5% host-only fee in the U.S. This change means property managers and hosts will see new payout rules that directly affect earnings.In this podcast, we break down: • What “split fee” was and why Airbnb ended it • How the 15.5% host-only fee works • What property managers need to know about payout changes • Why this shift matters fo
Vrbo’s 2025 Pivot Toward Last Minute Deals and Flexible Trips
Vrbo is shifting gears in 2025. With U.S. travel growth slowing and guests watching every dollar, Vrbo is responding fast, launching aggressive promotions, shortening stays, and expanding trip types to stay competitive.In this video, Uvika Wahi from RSU by PriceLabs breaks down Vrbo’s full Q2 2025 performance and what it means for professional property managers. You’ll learn: • How Vrbo’s new Prom
Why Airbnb Is Courting Inns, B&Bs, and Boutique Hotels Again
Airbnb is shifting gears — and fast. In its latest strategy update, CEO Brian Chesky confirmed that the platform is going aggressively after B&Bs, boutique inns, and small hotels. But what does that really mean for hosts and vacation rental managers?In this video, we break down: • Why Airbnb is pushing around B&Bs, inns, and small hotels right now • The 3 big reasons behind this supply shi
PriceLabs Now Officially Recognized as a Booking.com Connectivity Partner
With this new direct integration, you can now connect your Booking.com listings to PriceLabs without needing a PMS. Dynamic pricing comes to Booking.com. That means you can:✅ Sync rates, minimum stays, and pricing rules in real time✅ Apply consistent revenue strategies across OTAs✅ Skip manual updates and messy spreadsheets✅ Start optimizing your Booking.com listings in minutes Connectivity Partne
New Airbnb Rules in 2025 and How to Prepare as a Property Manager
Airbnb is rewriting the rules in 2025, and that means big changes for how you operate.You’re losing control over the things that matter most: 💸 payouts, ❌ cancellations, 💬 guest communication, and 💼 upsells.In this webinar replay, we break down what’s changing in Airbnb’s 2025 policies, and how short-term rental pros are adapting in real time. Whether you’re a host, co-host, or property manager, t
New Airbnb Ads Are Unlocking a Host Supply No Other Platform Is Even Trying to Reach
🎯 Airbnb just flipped the script on host recruitment.In its newest set of commercials, Airbnb isn’t just advertising, it’s strategically crafting a brand-new kind of host:🏡 The homeowner who never thought of hosting… until now🎪 The local who only wants to rent during a festival weekend🧹 The host who wants someone else to do all the workThese ads aren’t targeting Superhosts. They’re unlocking casua
France May Axe Major Booking Weekends and What It Means for Property Managers
France is planning to cut two of its most important public holidays: Easter Monday and May 8th (Victory Day), and that could spell trouble for short-term rental managers.In this episode, Thibault Masson explores how these proposed holiday cuts could impact: 🏡 Occupancy rates in key markets like Alsace and the French Riviera •💶 Spring season revenues that rely on long weekends •📊 Productivity vs. p
Why Vrbo’s BabyQuip Partnership Has Hosts Pushing Back
Vrbo has quietly launched a new partnership with BabyQuip, allowing guests to rent baby essentials like cribs, strollers, and high chairs delivered straight to their vacation rental 🏠.Convenient for families? Absolutely.But here’s what’s frustrating hosts 👇This new feature skips host involvement entirely, no heads-up, no approval, and no share of the revenue 💸For many professional managers, it rai
Airbnb Ends Strict Cancellation & Changes Payout Rules: What Property Managers Need to Know
Airbnb is making major changes to how vacation rental property managers get paid and how cancellations work.Starting October 1, 2025, new listings won’t be allowed to use the Strict cancellation policy, and even existing listings could be automatically switched to a more flexible option, unless you act fast.In this video, Thibault Masson breaks down what vacation rental property managers need to k
Easy Steps to Win Against Short-term Rentals Regulations
From Lisbon to London to Missouri, short-term rental leaders are fighting restrictive policies—and winning. In this in-depth webinar, you’ll hear from real hosts and property managers reshaping regulations through smart advocacy, local alliances, and powerful storytelling.🎙️ Hosted by Thibault Masson (Rental Scale-Up & PriceLabs), this session brings together top voices in STR advocacy: • 🇵🇹 F
Airbnb Reframes Overtourism—And Puts Hotels on the Defensive
Airbnb is flipping the script. Once blamed for overtourism, housing shortages, and neighborhood disruption, the company is now launching economic impact reports, lobbying efforts, and even a Super PAC to shift the narrative—and the regulatory heat—onto hotels and mass tourism engines like airlines and cruise lines.But what does this political pivot mean for you—the professional property manager?In
Who is Airbnb trying to stop in the NYC mayoral race with a $5 million spend?
Airbnb is spending $5 million on NYC politics—without ever saying “Airbnb.”Airbnb is funding a Super Political Action Committee (SuperPAC) called Affordable New York, which has launched a $1 million digital ad campaign targeting three Democratic candidates: Zohran Mamdani, Brad Lander, and Scott Stringer—all known for their strong anti-short-term rental stances.But here’s the twist 👀: • The ads ne
Is Airbnb Following Amazon’s Playbook? Brian Chesky’s Vision Explained
Forget everything you thought you knew about Airbnb. In a brand-new interview, CEO Brian Chesky lays out a bold plan to transform Airbnb from just a travel platform into a lifestyle super app—and it’s not just talk.In this video, Thibault Masson (RSU by PriceLabs) breaks down the biggest surprises from Chesky’s conversation with The Verge’s Decoder podcast, and what they mean if you manage vacatio
What Airbnb’s New Services Mean for Vacation Rental Managers
Airbnb’s new Services feature is changing the game for short-term rental managers. In this video, we break down what Airbnb Services actually are, why Airbnb is launching them, and what it means for property managers and owners. Learn about revenue sharing, risks, control, and how to opt out if needed. We also share practical advice on how Airbnb could improve these services to work better for man
Pricing Strategies for Summer 2025 to Handle Events, Gaps and Bad Weather
Seeing bookings trickle in… but feel there’s more demand out there this summer?You’re probably missing out on revenue hiding in plain sight. 👀We hosted our recent webinar in collaboration with RevLabs by PriceLabs to help short-term rental property managers tap into the full potential of Summer 2025—by leveraging 🎪 local events, capturing ⚡️ last-minute demand, and applying 🌧️ weather-proof pricin
Breakdown of Airbnb’s 2025 Summer Update — New App, Services, Host Tools, and Experiences 2.0
👉🏻Airbnb just dropped its 2025 Summer Update — from an all-new app to high-end services, curated experiences, and smarter host tools, there’s a lot to unpack. In this video, Thibault breaks down what these updates really mean for hosts and property managers.👉 Highlights include:💡New services: Guests can now book vetted professionals (chefs, massage therapists, personal trainers) to deliver service
Vrbo’s Modest Q1 Growth, Platform Shifts, and What It Means for Property Managers
📉 Vrbo Q1 2025: Modest Growth, Softening US Demand, and a Shifting Strategy @vrbo grew modestly in Q1 2025, but what Expedia didn’t say in its earnings call may be even more important.In this deep-dive video, we unpack what the lack of data about Vrbo in Expedia's Q1 2025 earnings call actually signals, how U.S. demand softness and loyalty changes are reshaping the platform, and what short-te
What Airbnb’s Q1 2025 Results and Upcoming Changes Mean for Hosts
Airbnb just dropped its Q1 2025 results—and if you’re a professional host, this is your early warning. Major platform changes are coming, including new ways Airbnb will control the guest journey.In this video, we break down: • Why growth looks slower but isn’t weak • What’s really coming on May 13 in the Summer Release • How Airbnb is reshaping the guest journey through its app • Why hotels are qu
5 Plug-and-Play AI Templates to Save Time on Your Vacation Rental Marketing
Tired of spending hours on marketing your vacation rentals—and still not seeing results? In this full webinar replay, we show you LIVE how to use AI to create five essential marketing materials that help them attract owners, win repeat bookings, and drive direct reservations — all with less time and effort.Designed for professional vacation rental and short-term rental managers, this session break
Airbnb Off-Platform Policy (May 2025): Fee, App Restrictions, and What It Means for Managers
Airbnb’s new Off-Platform and Fee Transparency Policy goes live on May 10, 2025. But what does it actually mean for vacation rental managers, software-connected hosts, and tech providers?In this episode, I break down the policy using Airbnb’s exact wording, with a focus on:✅ What mandatory fees must now be shown upfront✅ Which third-party tools are still allowed✅ What “software-connected” hosts (u
How Short-Term Rentals Are Feeling the Squeeze from Trump’s Tariffs and Inflation
In this episode, we break down early 2025 travel data to reveal how Trump's new tariffs, inflation, and shifting traveler sentiment are reshaping short-term rental demand—both in the U.S. and internationally.📉 Canadian and European travel to the U.S. is down🌍 Americans are staying closer to home💰 Guests are spending less, while hosts face rising costsWhether you manage urban rentals or drive-t
Why Joe Gebbia’s Exit from Airbnb.org Could Matter to You as a Host
What does Joe Gebbia’s resignation from Airbnb.org actually mean for vacation rental managers? In this episode, Thibault breaks down the facts—no politics, no spin. You’ll learn: • The difference between Airbnb.org and Airbnb.com • Why Joe Gebbia’s political shift sparked public backlash • How this affects Airbnb’s brand and your business as a host • What’s next for Airbnb.org—and what this says a
Airbnb and The White Lotus: How a Single Season Triggered a 500% Booking Surge
Before diving into today's content, we want to extend our heartfelt support to the people of Thailand and Myanmar, especially those affected by the recent earthquake. Our thoughts are with the communities impacted by this tragedy.The White Lotus Effect and the Airbnb Surge in ThailandHBO’s The White Lotus Season 3 was filmed in Thailand—and it didn’t just boost tourism. It sparked a 500% surge
The Latest Update on the Casago–Vacasa Merger (and Why It’s Not Final Yet)
Vacasa was once the biggest name in vacation rentals — a $4.5 billion powerhouse that raised over $830 million and acquired companies like TurnKey and Wyndham. But by 2025, its valuation had dropped by over 97%, it had laid off thousands, and the dream was slipping away.Then came Casago — a smaller, franchised operator led by former U.S. Army Ranger Steve Schwab. With just 5,000 properties, Casago
How GuestReady Scaled to 3,500+ Properties with Smarter Business Processes
Struggling to scale your short-term rental business? Your property management processes might be the problem.Many property managers hit a growth ceiling not because they lack demand, but because their teams and operations aren’t structured for scale. @GuestReady ’s CEO, Alexander Limpert, shares how he built one of the largest property management companies with over 3,500+ properties, and create
What’s Coming in Airbnb’s Summer 2025 Release? Co-Hosting, Experiences 2.0, and More
Airbnb’s Summer 2025 Release is set to launch in May and might be its biggest update yet! At Rental Scale-Up, we’ve been tracking Airbnb’s moves closely, and in this video, we break down everything we expect in Airbnb’s Summer Release 2025 and why it matters for hosts and property managers.Here’s what’s in store:👉🏼New services for travelers – think airport transfers, luggage storage, and co-workin
Booking.com’s Short-Term Rental Boom—But Hosts Face Delayed Payouts & Less Control
Booking.com just closed Q4 2024 with massive growth in short-term rentals—alternative accommodations now make up 33% of all nights booked, with 19% YoY growth. But here’s the catch: OTAs are gaining even more control over how and when hosts get paid, raising new concerns for property managers.🔑 Key insights from this podcast episode:✅ Why Booking.com is surging in short-term rentals (7.9M listings
How Property Managers in the U.S. and Europe Are Adapting to Growing Regulations and Thriving
Stricter short-term rental regulations? Here’s how real property managers in the U.S. and Europe are adapting—and thriving.📉 Zoning laws tightening.📉 Permit caps shrinking.📉 Compliance becoming a daily headache.If new short-term rental rules are making it harder to operate, you’re not alone. But successful property managers have already found ways to pivot, stay compliant, and keep their business
