EDITOR'S COMMENT
• Happy New Year to all our readers in this first STRz e-newsletter of 2025! 2024 was a year when overtourism coverage led to a strengthening of short-term rental regulations around the world, AI took off in driving consumer loyalty and curating guest searches, and companies such as Guesty, Lighthouse and Hostaway defied a challenging fundraising environment - as you can read in our annual Wrapped piece. But what does 2025 have in store?
The news since our last e-newsletter suggests that more gargantuan deals are in the offing this year, both in terms of investment and mergers and acquisitions [M&A]. Property management franchise company Casago is acquiring a larger competitor in Vacasa for $128.6 million, Marriott International has bought experiential travel brands Postcard Cabins and Trailborn, and Latin American OTA Despegar is being bought out by global technology firm Prosus, as consolidation at the top end of the market accelerates.
Elsewhere, we can expect regulation talk to ramp up further in 2025, with more in-demand markets imposing bans on new STR licences or on the sector entirely, and the role of lobbying associations will be even more vital. Brands will also continue to experiment with AI innovation but regulation of its uses and reach is also anticipated in the next 12 months.
In terms of events, our annual Shortyz Awards return on 1 April for a sixth edition and the entry period is now open. This year, we're back with two new awards - Best interior design and our first Guest experience award - so enter now at this link and check out this page with all of the category information, eligibility and criteria. Keep up to date too with our Recharge [27-28 Jan], Urban Living Festival and STRz Summit news in 2025.
My colleague and head of growth for STRz, Sam Cooper, is attending next week's IMN Short Term Rental Winter Forum in Miami [15-16 Jan] - visit this link to get your tickets too and connect with Sam in person.
We'll be back with our first STRz webinar of the year on Tuesday 28 January, discussing 'HOW to identify the right partners and integrations for your business'. Sign up for that session now and check out our full upcoming schedule at this link.
And in case you missed them, check out our 2025 trends webinar here and our extended STRz predictions article at this link.
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