Luxury is a subjective word. To some it means opulence, sumptuous surroundings and lavish spending while to others it can refer to an experience, like a candlelit bubble bath after a busy working day or a day at the spa. To Dr Rachel Gainsbrugh, travellers seeking a modern luxury experience are looking for something very different.
A few weeks ago, Vintory founder Brooke Pfautz had an idea. Why not ask some of the leading property managers to reflect on their Top 10 Mistakes?
The resulting list of over 500 contributions is a fabulous learning resource in itself as it’s like sitting down with 50+ managers and picking their brains on what they would do differently if they had the time over again.
Neely Khan shares her thoughts on the continued importance of storytelling in our short-term rental industry, and how storytelling can help hosts and managers stand out from competitors to create memorable guest experiences.
With 90 properties under management and living in the same building as most of them, Daniela Derin can lay claim to being the prime architect of her guests short-term rental experience and an expert of book direct marketing.
Being passionate about where he lives and what the area offers to guests was just one of the values Caleb Hannon brought to Stay Lake Norman and a reason he bought into the company when the sole owner decided to take a step back.
The company specializes in luxury accommodation in a specific area and targets the affluent market. This means that all properties have to meet and exceed a high set of standards and criteria, and can often require the company to step in from the purchase point, with an interior designer and a hefty budget. It also means they are highly selective about the properties that are accepted into the rental management program.
Engagement isn’t something that is much talked about by those who live eat and breathe Airbnb. There may be an exchange of messages on the platform, but there’s no real opportunity to show off local knowledge and destination authority. And that is what anyone exploring direct booking options needs to be doing.
Jill Highsmith McGee is a digital marketing specialist for ICND and she shares why booking direct has so many benefits both for owners and guests.
Robert Geller is the founder of Fabstayz, the niche listing site for the LGBTQ+ community that promotes inclusive hospitality, and joins Heather to share tips on how to foster a welcoming space and remove barriers to safety and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community.
ChatGPT hit the public domain in December and more people are discovering uses for artificial intelligence and machine learning within the vacation rental business. From local research to blog posts, keyword analysis for SEO, listings, and automated emails, to writing code for Chatbots, the possibilities are numerous.
Data can be a dry topic, but when the information provider can tell a good story and inspire curiosity, it comes alive. Evan Dolgow, Head of Predictive Hospitality at Aidaptive (formerly Jarvis ML) did just that at the Book Direct Show in Miami in October, and joins us in this episode of the podcasts.
