EDITOR'S COMMENT
• Our webinar tomorrow on 'Breaking down barriers in the STR sector' could not be more appropriately timed. February marks Black History Month in the USA and LGBT+ History Month in the UK, so the insights of our expert panellists who have encountered barriers in their careers and on their travels will be highly valuable to this discussion.
Robert Geller [FabStayz], Lorraine Woodward [Becoming rentABLE] and Michelle Williams [Atlantic Vacation Homes] will join us to address specific barriers that hosts and guests face, such as racial, LGBTQ+ and religious discrimination, and a lack of accessibility for travellers with disabilities [e.g. mobility, vision, hearing, cognitive, individuals on the autism spectrum], the challenges and opportunities ahead, and advice for being as inclusive as possible.
While the short-term rental sector has largely grown up outside of the mainstream, it has created opportunities for new hosts to welcome guests to their properties and alternative booking platforms to emerge that cater to the whole spectrum of traveller demographics. Despite this, LGBTQ+ couples are still being denied bookings due to their sexual orientation, and short-term rental listings still lack essential features, facilities and amenities that could make properties more inclusive and accessible to all travellers, regardless of disabilities.
We will also be exploring how the major OTAs are working to fight discrimination and build inclusion on their platforms, from Airbnb launching its Project Lighthouse initiative in partnership with Color of Change to Expedia Group's enhanced social impact and sustainability strategy to provide inclusive pathways to underserved travellers.
Sign up for tomorrow's no-cost session [4pm GMT] here.
• Entries are pouring in from around the world for the 2023 Shortyz Awards and you now have one month left to submit your no-cost entries by Monday 6 March. Find the key information below:
- Category information can be found here
- Have a look at our 'out of this world' venue here
- Watch this short video for our top tips on how to submit a successful Shortyz entry
- Enter via our dedicated awards platform
- Hear from last year's winners, including HomeToGo and Breezeway
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• Please click here if you have a story you want us to tell the industry, or would like to be considered for a feature, podcast or webinar.
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