# Stay Gazette

> Stay Gazette is the independent daily paper of the short-term-rental business: Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, hosts, property managers, investors and regulators, worldwide. Three reported features a day, a column of briefs each morning, and a numbered Weekend Edition every Saturday. News index: https://staygazette.com/news/

## Key facts (first-party)
- Publisher: Trousdale Digital Technologies LLC (Wyoming, United States); editorially independent, not affiliated with any platform.
- Founded 9 July 2026 (Edition No. 1).
- Every specific is checked against its source before publication; opinion is labelled in a verdict box and answered by an opposing-view box.
- The paper is diversified on purpose: at most half of stories sit on the hard-news beats (Crackdown, Exposed); the rest is design, the viral, host life, the money, the markets and the world.
- Every news story is led by an original drawing, reviewed and approved by the Illustrations Director against a shared picture-desk standard before it runs; a story may also carry Wikimedia Commons photographs under Creative Commons 4.0 licences, each credited under the picture. The long features at /features/ carry real photographs, each credited beside the picture.
- The record at /record/ looks back, month by month, at the years before the paper opened: every record story names the month it covers and the day it was filed, and none is presented as having run at the time. Its photographs are Wikimedia Commons pictures under Creative Commons 4.0 licences, credited beside the picture.
- Beats: Crackdown, Platforms, The Money, Host Life, Design, Viral, Markets, Exposed, World.
- Contact: info@staygazette.com · (332) 291-9055 · 224 West 35th Street, Suite 500, New York, NY 10001.

## Frequently asked
- **What is Stay Gazette?** Stay Gazette is an independent daily trade publication about the short-term-rental business: Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, the hosts, property managers, investors and regulators, in the United States and worldwide. It files three reported features a day, a column of briefs each morning, and a numbered Weekend Edition every Saturday.
- **Who publishes it and is it independent?** It is published by Trousdale Digital Technologies LLC, a Wyoming limited liability company, and is editorially independent. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com or any platform, property manager or vendor, and it accepts no payment for coverage.
- **How does Stay Gazette make sure its stories are accurate?** Every reported story names its sources, and before publication a standards desk checks each specific in the draft, every number, date, dollar figure, quotation and named party, against the source material. Anything that cannot be traced is removed or marked as unverified background, and the story says so.
- **Are the pictures real photographs?** Some are. Every news story is led by an original drawing made at the paper's picture desk. Each drawing is reviewed and approved by the Illustrations Director against a shared picture-desk standard used across our titles before it runs; anything with stray text, a logo, a real face, AI 'sparkle' or other flaws is redrawn. A news story may also carry real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, under Creative Commons 4.0 licences only, each credited to its author under the picture. The long features at /features/ and the look-back stories in the record at /record/ carry real photographs, each credited to its owner beside the picture. No drawing depicts a real person, and no named property is drawn as though it were a photograph of that property.
- **What does Stay Gazette cover?** Nine beats: Crackdown (regulation and enforcement), Platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and the software stack), The Money (rates, occupancy, taxes and financing), Host Life (operations), Design (the architecture and interiors of the stays themselves), Viral (the Icons, record listings and stays the internet shares), Markets (supply and demand by market), Exposed (scams, fraud and lawsuits), and World (rules and markets outside the US).
- **How can I follow it or get in touch?** The daily briefing is a free email newsletter. Each section has its own RSS feed at /<section>/feed.xml, and the whole paper is at /feed.xml. Tips, corrections and questions go to info@staygazette.com. The postal address is 224 West 35th Street, Suite 500, New York, NY 10001, and the phone number is (332) 291-9055.

## Features (long reads with photographs and sources)
- [A St. Croix Brokerage Runs Home Sales and Villa Management From One Office](https://staygazette.com/features/a-st-croix-brokerage-runs-home-sales-and-villa-management-from-one-office/): Sterling Point Real Estate sells houses and, as SP Vacations, manages 13 rental homes from one office in Christiansted. The pairing suits a small island. The licence register, the tax form and the ferry timetable show why it is harder to carry to a second one. (by Dana Whitfield, 11 October 2026)
- [Building a Vacation Rental Around a Single Amenity](https://staygazette.com/features/building-a-vacation-rental-around-a-single-amenity/): A West Sedona rental put one pickleball court inside its own 66 by 36 foot building and took its name from the sport. The public record on noise, cost, Arizona law and a slowing game shows what that decision takes on. (by Wren Calloway, 11 October 2026)
- [How a Rio Brokerage Sells and Lets the Same Apartments](https://staygazette.com/features/how-a-rio-brokerage-sells-and-lets-the-same-apartments/): Art de Vivre lists homes for sale and lets them by the night under one agreement, and screens every guest before taking a payment. A court ruling of 7 May 2026 is pushing the rest of Brazil's short-let trade toward the same habits. (by Tomás Ferreira, 11 October 2026)
- [How One St. Croix Villa Built Its Own Booking Channel](https://staygazette.com/features/how-one-st-croix-villa-built-its-own-booking-channel/): The Cerulean, a twelve-guest house on St. Croix's East End, has a 135-page website of its own, pages written for AI assistants and a hand-off to its manager's checkout. What that takes in 2026, what it costs in tax and upkeep, and what nobody outside can yet measure. (by Jesse Kohl, 11 October 2026)
- [Running Four Condos in Kīhei as Maui Rewrites Its Rental Rules](https://staygazette.com/features/running-four-condos-in-kihei-as-maui-rewrites-its-rental-rules/): Megan and Bryan have hosted in North Kīhei since 2012 and sell four condos through Airbnb's checkout. Around them, Maui County has passed a phase-out law and raised a property tax rate, the state has raised its lodging tax, and Airbnb is changing its fee. (by Tammy Brooks, 11 October 2026)

## The record (https://staygazette.com/record/)
Look-back stories on short-term rentals in 2020 to 2023, month by month. Stay Gazette opened in July 2026; each record story was written later from sources published in the month it covers, and carries the day the desk filed it.
- [Dallas Judge Blocks Enforcement of the City's Short-Term Rental Ordinances](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-12/dallas-judge-blocks-enforcement-of-the-citys-short-term-rental-ordinances/): A Dallas County district court signed a temporary injunction on 6 December 2023 that stopped the city enforcing the two short-term rental ordinances its council had passed in June, days before enforcement was due to start. Under the order, hosts in single-family neighborhoods could keep operating through a trial set for June 2024 unless the court ordered otherwise. (the record for December 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Australian Court Orders Airbnb to Pay A$15 Million Over US Dollar Prices](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-12/australian-court-orders-airbnb-to-pay-a15-million-over-us-dollar-prices/): The Federal Court of Australia ordered Airbnb Ireland on 20 December 2023 to pay a A$15 million penalty for showing some Australian users prices in US dollars behind a bare dollar sign. Airbnb admitted the conduct and gave the regulator an undertaking to offer compensation to about 63,000 consumers. (the record for December 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Milan Judge Orders Seizure of 779 Million Euros From Airbnb Ireland](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-11/milan-judge-orders-seizure-of-779-million-euros-from-airbnb-ireland/): Milan prosecutors alleged that Airbnb's Irish company had not withheld a 21% flat tax on about 3.7 billion euros of Italian short-term rent paid from 2017 to 2021. Airbnb said it was confident it had complied fully with the law and intended to exercise its rights. (the record for November 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Introduces Guest Favorites Badge for Two Million Homes](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-11/airbnb-introduces-guest-favorites-badge-for-two-million-homes/): Airbnb said a badge and a search filter would mark the 2 million homes it called its guests' most-loved, and it announced a rebuilt reviews page and new listing tools for hosts. The Associated Press reported that it was unclear how hosts without the badge would react. (the record for November 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [FTC Proposes Junk Fee Rule Covering Airbnb and Vrbo Listings](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-10/ftc-proposes-junk-fee-rule-covering-airbnb-and-vrbo-listings/): The Federal Trade Commission proposed that any advertised price show the total, mandatory fees included, ahead of every other figure. Its notice said neither Airbnb nor Vrbo met that standard, and it estimated the hours a host would spend repricing. (the record for October 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [British Columbia Passes Law Limiting Short-Term Rentals to Principal Residences](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-10/british-columbia-passes-law-limiting-short-term-rentals-to-principal-residences/): The Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act received Royal Assent ten days after it was introduced. Its main limit, a host's own home plus one suite in communities of 10,000 people or more, was planned for 1 May 2024. (the record for October 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Is Named to the S&P 500 Index](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-09/airbnb-is-named-to-the-sp-500-index/): S&P Dow Jones Indices said on 1 September 2023 that Airbnb would replace Newell Brands in the S&P 500, effective before trading opened on 18 September. Airbnb's own results showed its listings growing faster than its nights booked. (the record for September 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [New York City Starts Enforcing Its Short-Term Rental Registration Law](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-09/new-york-city-starts-enforcing-its-short-term-rental-registration-law/): On 5 September 2023 the city began enforcing Local Law 18, which barred Airbnb and other platforms from processing bookings for unregistered short-term rentals. As of 28 August, the city had approved 257 of about 3,250 applications. (the record for September 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb Posts Its Most Profitable Second Quarter as Hosts Cut Prices](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-08/airbnb-posts-its-most-profitable-second-quarter-as-hosts-cut-prices/): Airbnb reported net income of $650 million for the second quarter of 2023 on 3 August. Its listings grew 19% while nights and experiences booked grew 11%, and the company said hosts had begun lowering prices with its new pricing tools. (the record for August 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Hawaii Turns to Vacation Rentals and Hotels to House Maui Fire Survivors](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-08/hawaii-turns-to-vacation-rentals-and-hotels-to-house-maui-fire-survivors/): After wildfires burned through Lahaina on 8 August 2023, Hawaii asked owners to rent rooms and vacation rentals to displaced residents, moved survivors into hotels and Airbnb units, and discouraged nonessential travel to West Maui. Airbnb offered refunds on Maui bookings, and Honolulu paused its 30-day rental rule for two weeks. (the record for August 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [Data Firms Answer the Airbnb Collapse Tweet With Far Smaller Declines](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-07/data-firms-answer-the-airbnb-collapse-tweet-with-far-smaller-declines/): A tweet of 27 June 2023 showed revenue per available listing down by more than 46% in three metro areas and named AllTheRooms as its source. By mid-July, Key Data, AirDNA and STR Insights had produced far smaller figures, and Skift reported that AllTheRooms had said nothing in public. (the record for July 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Expedia Launches One Key and Gives Vrbo Its First Loyalty Program](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-07/expedia-launches-one-key-and-gives-vrbo-its-first-loyalty-program/): Expedia Group announced One Key on 17 July 2023 and said it was live in the United States, with 2% back for guests on eligible Vrbo stays. Three days later a pinned post on the OwnerRez forum, relaying Vrbo, said guests could not yet spend the reward at listings connected by API. (the record for July 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb Sues New York City Over Short-Term Rental Registration Rules](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-06/airbnb-sues-new-york-city-over-short-term-rental-registration-rules/): Airbnb and three of its New York City hosts filed separate lawsuits on 1 June 2023 to stop the rules that carried out Local Law 18, which Airbnb called a de facto ban on short-term rentals. On 9 June the city told the court it would hold off enforcement until 5 September. The delay covered the summer's bookings, and the registration requirement stayed. (the record for June 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Dallas Votes to Bar Short-Term Rentals From Single-Family Neighborhoods](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-06/dallas-votes-to-bar-short-term-rentals-from-single-family-neighborhoods/): The Dallas City Council voted 12 to 3 on 14 June 2023 to treat short-term rentals as lodging and keep them out of single-family zoning, and adopted a registration ordinance with a $404.00 annual fee at the same meeting. Operators got six months before enforcement, and rentals already registered and paying hotel occupancy tax got no exemption. (the record for June 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb Relaunches Private Rooms and Lets Guests See the Total Price](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-05/airbnb-relaunches-private-rooms-and-lets-guests-see-the-total-price/): Airbnb put the private room back at the front of its app, at an average it gave as $67 a night, and in the same release let every guest see the price with fees, put checkout chores under review and gave hosts a map of their neighbors' rates. (the record for May 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb Posts Its First Profitable First Quarter and Expects Average Rate to Dip](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-05/airbnb-posts-its-first-profitable-first-quarter-and-expects-average-rate-to-dip/): Airbnb earned $117 million in the first three months of 2023, then told investors it expected its average nightly rate to slip, and its chief executive said new supply would keep prices from rising. The shares fell, and hosts had a forecast for their summer. (the record for May 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [England Proposes Planning Permission and a Register for Short-Term Lets](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-04/england-proposes-planning-permission-and-a-register-for-short-term-lets/): Ministers proposed a planning class of its own for short-term lets, with a local power to demand planning permission for new ones, and asked how a national register should work. Existing lets would be reclassified without an application. The short-term rental trade association backed the register and opposed the planning rule. (the record for April 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Florida Senate Passes a Vacation Rental Bill That Caps Local Registration Fees](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-04/florida-senate-passes-a-vacation-rental-bill-that-caps-local-registration-fees/): The Senate voted 28 to 10 for a statewide frame: cities could charge no more than $150 to process a vacation rental registration and suspend one after repeat violations, and platforms would have to show and check state license numbers. Beach-town mayors said it took their tools away. The House had not voted when April ended. (the record for April 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [New Orleans Limits Short-Term Rentals to One Per Square Block](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-03/new-orleans-limits-short-term-rentals-to-one-per-square-block/): The City Council capped residential short-term rentals at one per square block, required an operator who lived on site and left the choice between neighbors to a lottery. The same day it let owners apply for a special exception, with no more than two in effect on a block. (the record for March 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb Removes Quebec Listings Without Permits After Old Montreal Fire](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-03/airbnb-removes-quebec-listings-without-permits-after-old-montreal-fire/): Eight days after a fire killed seven people in an Old Montreal building that held prohibited short-term rentals, Airbnb agreed to remove Quebec listings that had no provincial permit. Within days, hosts were entering 123456 in the new field. (the record for March 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Posts Its First Full-Year Profit and Signals Lower Nightly Rates](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-02/airbnb-posts-its-first-full-year-profit-and-signals-lower-nightly-rates/): Airbnb earned $1.9 billion in 2022 and ended the year with 6.6 million active listings. In the same letter it told investors that nightly rates would face growing pressure in 2023, partly from pricing tools it was building for hosts. (the record for February 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Portugal Proposes a Ban on New Short-Term Rental Licenses](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-02/portugal-proposes-a-ban-on-new-short-term-rental-licenses/): Portugal's government approved a housing package that would stop new alojamento local licenses outside the rural interior, review every existing license in 2030 and put a levy on the homes that stayed. Hosts had about a month of public consultation to answer it. (the record for February 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Philadelphia's License Rules for Short-Term Rentals Take Effect After Two Delays](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-01/philadelphias-license-rules-for-short-term-rentals-take-effect-after-two-delays/): From 1 January 2023 the booking platforms had to hold a valid city license number for every Philadelphia listing. Three days earlier The Philadelphia Inquirer had reported that 247 people had received a limited lodging operator license and 164 a hotel permit, and a rental lobbying group said the zoning board could not see applicants until February or later. (the record for January 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Vacasa Cuts About 1,300 Jobs in Its Second Round of Layoffs in Three Months](https://staygazette.com/record/2023-01/vacasa-cuts-about-1300-jobs-in-its-second-round-of-layoffs-in-three-months/): In January 2023 Vacasa, which described itself as the largest vacation rental management platform in North America, said it was eliminating approximately 1,300 positions, approximately 17% of its workforce, in local operations and central teams alike. The company said the cuts were shaped to keep up service to owners and guests. (the record for January 2023, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [AirDNA Forecasts Its First Drop in Revenue per Rental for 2023](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-12/airdna-forecasts-its-first-drop-in-revenue-per-rental-for-2023/): AirDNA's outlook for 2023, published in December 2022, projected a 1.6% fall in revenue per available rental night as listings kept growing faster than demand. Managers were told to plan for a tighter year. (the record for December 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [EU Court Backs Italy's 21% Tax Withholding on Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-12/eu-court-backs-italys-21-tax-withholding-on-short-term-rentals/): The EU's top court ruled in December 2022 that Italy could require platforms such as Airbnb to report short-term rental contracts and withhold 21% of the rents they collected. It rejected Italy's demand that platforms based elsewhere appoint a tax representative in Italy. (the record for December 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Says It Will Show Total Prices and Curb Checkout Chores](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-11/airbnb-says-it-will-show-total-prices-and-curb-checkout-chores/): Airbnb said guests would be able to choose to see the full price of a stay, before taxes, in a rollout starting in December 2022, and told hosts that checkout requests should be reasonable. It also said its search ranking would put total price ahead of the nightly rate. (the record for November 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [European Commission Proposes EU Rules on Short-Term Rental Data](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-11/european-commission-proposes-eu-rules-on-short-term-rental-data/): Brussels proposed online registration with one number per property and monthly data from platforms to public authorities. It left the rules on short-term rentals themselves with national and local authorities, and it still needed the European Parliament and the Council. (the record for November 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Federal Judge Blocks Honolulu’s 90-Day Minimum Rental Rule](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-10/federal-judge-blocks-honolulus-90-day-minimum-rental-rule/): Ten days before Ordinance 22-7 took effect, a federal court barred Honolulu from enforcing its ban on 30 to 89 day home rentals. Fines of up to $10,000 a day stayed in place for shorter stays. (the record for October 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnbust Tweet Sets Off a Fight Over Falling Host Bookings](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-10/airbnbust-tweet-sets-off-a-fight-over-falling-host-bookings/): A screenshot of worried Superhosts spread on Twitter on 16 October 2022. AirDNA's September figures showed demand up 24.0% and listings up 23.2%, which left less for each host. (the record for October 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Edinburgh Becomes Scotland's First Short-Term Let Control Area](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-09/edinburgh-becomes-scotlands-first-short-term-let-control-area/): From 5 September 2022, letting an entire Edinburgh home that was not the owner's main residence needed planning permission. Before the month was out, the council also agreed a licensing policy that presumed against whole-flat lets in tenements and priced a one-year license for secondary letting at £653 and up. (the record for September 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Hurricane Ian Hits Southwest Florida and Leaves Rental Refunds to Hosts](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-09/hurricane-ian-hits-southwest-florida-and-leaves-rental-refunds-to-hosts/): Hurricane Ian came ashore near Fort Myers on 28 September 2022 as a Category 4 storm and hit barrier islands dense with vacation rentals. Airbnb's and Vrbo's policies did not treat a Florida hurricane as grounds for an automatic refund, so the decision fell to each host and manager. (the record for September 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [Airbnb Starts Screening Bookings for Party Risk in the US and Canada](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-08/airbnb-starts-screening-bookings-for-party-risk-in-the-us-and-canada/): Airbnb began testing a system that stopped flagged guests from booking entire homes before the request reached a host. It cited one figure from an Australian pilot, and a privacy group asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate. (the record for August 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Fifth Circuit Rules Against New Orleans Residency Rule for Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-08/fifth-circuit-rules-against-new-orleans-residency-rule-for-short-term-rentals/): A federal appeals court held that New Orleans could not reserve residential short-term rental licenses for owners with a homestead exemption. A week later the City Council froze new residential permits and gave every existing one an end date. (the record for August 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Arizona Lets Cities License Short-Term Rentals Under a Three-Strike Law](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-07/arizona-lets-cities-license-short-term-rentals-under-a-three-strike-law/): Governor Doug Ducey signed Senate Bill 1168 on 6 July 2022. It let Arizona cities require a permit costing up to $250 for a short-term rental and suspend it for up to a year after three violations, and it limited the reasons a city could refuse one. (the record for July 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [AirDNA Reports Falling Occupancy as US Rental Listings Reach 1.37 Million](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-07/airdna-reports-falling-occupancy-as-us-rental-listings-reach-1-37-million/): AirDNA's review of June 2022, published on 21 July 2022, showed demand up 16.3% and occupancy down 9.2% as listings grew 25.4%. Hosts were warned that competition could force rates down. (the record for July 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Sonder Cuts 21 Percent of Corporate Roles in a Push for Positive Cash Flow](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-06/sonder-cuts-21-percent-of-corporate-roles-in-a-push-for-positive-cash-flow/): Sonder, which leased rooms and apartments from building owners and rented them to travelers, announced cuts of approximately 21% of its corporate roles and 7% of its frontline roles on 9 June 2022 and slowed its growth to stop spending more cash than it took in. For new deals, it said, the target was for the building owner to cover the upfront costs. (the record for June 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb Makes Its Party Ban Permanent and Plans to Lift the 16-Person Cap](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-06/airbnb-makes-its-party-ban-permanent-and-plans-to-lift-the-16-person-cap/): Airbnb turned its 2020 pandemic ban on parties and events into standing policy on 28 June 2022 and said it would drop the 16-person cap that came with it. Hosts lost the last of their say over events, and the owners of big houses were promised their full occupancy back. (the record for June 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb Rebuilds Its Search Around Categories and Adds a Guest Guarantee](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-05/airbnb-rebuilds-its-search-around-categories-and-adds-a-guest-guarantee/): Airbnb opened its home page on 56 categories in place of the destination box, began pairing homes for long trips and gave guests 72 hours to report a listing that was not as advertised. Hosts lost some say over how their homes were found. (the record for May 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb Decides to Close Its Domestic Business in Mainland China](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-05/airbnb-decides-to-close-its-domestic-business-in-mainland-china/): Airbnb told its users in China that it would suspend every home and Experience in the mainland from 30 July 2022 and keep only the outbound business. The New York Times put the listings affected at roughly 150,000. (the record for May 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Honolulu Sets a 90-Day Minimum for Rentals Outside Resort Zones](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-04/honolulu-sets-a-90-day-minimum-for-rentals-outside-resort-zones/): Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed Bill 41 on 26 April 2022, lifting the minimum stay in most of Oahu from 30 days to 90 and keeping shorter visitor stays to the resort zones. Owners had 180 days before it took effect. (the record for April 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb Ends Covid-19 Refunds Under Its Extenuating Circumstances Policy](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-04/airbnb-ends-covid-19-refunds-under-its-extenuating-circumstances-policy/): On 29 April 2022 Airbnb said Covid-19 would no longer be grounds for a refund on bookings made from 31 May. The host's own cancellation policy would decide instead, for sick guests and sick hosts alike. (the record for April 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Atlanta Starts Requiring a License for Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-03/atlanta-starts-requiring-a-license-for-short-term-rentals/): Atlanta's license rule for short-term rentals took effect on 1 March 2022: $150 a year, two properties at most, one of them the operator's own home. Fines were due to start on 1 April 2022. (the record for March 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb Waives Its Fees in Ukraine as Guests Book Stays They Will Not Use](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-03/airbnb-waives-its-fees-in-ukraine-as-guests-book-stays-they-will-not-use/): By 12 March 2022 guests had booked 434,000 nights in Ukraine to send money to hosts. Airbnb waived its fees, then canceled some of the bookings and stopped new hosts from listing. (the record for March 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb Posts a Record Fourth Quarter and Says Hosts Earned $34 Billion in 2021](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-02/airbnb-posts-a-record-fourth-quarter-and-says-hosts-earned-34-billion-in-2021/): Airbnb's letter for the last quarter of 2021 showed $1.5 billion in revenue, a $154 average daily rate and 6 million active listings. It also said nightly rates in 2022 would come in below 2021. (the record for February 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb.org Offers Free Housing for Up to 100,000 Refugees Fleeing Ukraine](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-02/airbnb-org-offers-free-housing-for-up-to-100000-refugees-fleeing-ukraine/): Airbnb's nonprofit pledged free, short-term stays for people leaving Ukraine, and Airbnb's chief executive asked for homes in nearby countries, including Poland, Germany, Hungary and Romania. The cost and the length of stay were not disclosed. (the record for February 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb Says Hosts Will See Only the Initials of Oregon Guests Before Booking](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-01/airbnb-says-hosts-will-see-only-the-initials-of-oregon-guests-before-booking/): Airbnb set 31 January 2022 as the date by which hosts would see initials in place of the first name of a guest from Oregon until a booking was confirmed. The company called the effect unknown and kept the change to one state for at least two years. (the record for January 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Scotland Votes to License Every Short-Term Let](https://staygazette.com/record/2022-01/scotland-votes-to-license-every-short-term-let/): The Scottish Parliament approved an order that made every short-term let in the country need a council licence, with safety checks, insurance and a licence number on each listing. Existing hosts were given until 1 April 2023 to apply. (the record for January 2022, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Vacasa Starts Trading on Nasdaq and Falls 10.4 Percent on Its First Day](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-12/vacasa-starts-trading-on-nasdaq-and-falls-10-4-percent-on-its-first-day/): The Portland vacation rental manager reached the stock market through a blank-check merger that brought in over $340 million in gross proceeds, less than the up to $485 million it had described in the summer. Its shares closed the first day at $9.84. (the record for December 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [New York City Council Passes a Short-Term Rental Registration Bill](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-12/new-york-city-council-passes-a-short-term-rental-registration-bill/): The Council approved a bill to set up a city registry for short-term rentals and to make booking services verify a listing before taking a fee. Airbnb said the bill's intent was to hurt middle-class families in the outer boroughs. (the record for December 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb Launches AirCover With $1 Million in Damage Protection for Hosts](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-11/airbnb-launches-aircover-with-1-million-in-damage-protection-for-hosts/): Airbnb said AirCover applied free and automatically to every host, with $1 million in damage protection, $1 million in liability coverage and protection for pet damage, deep cleaning and lost income. Its own help page said the damage protection was not an insurance policy, and set deadlines and exclusions. (the record for November 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Scotland Puts Its Short-Term Let Licensing Order Back Before Parliament](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-11/scotland-puts-its-short-term-let-licensing-order-back-before-parliament/): The Scottish Government said on 23 November 2021 that a revised licensing order for short-term lets had been laid before the Scottish Parliament, after the first was withdrawn in February 2021. If members approved it, every let in Scotland would need a license by 1 July 2024. (the record for November 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Listings in Amsterdam Fall From 16,648 to 2,924 After Registration Deadline](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-10/airbnb-listings-in-amsterdam-fall-from-16648-to-2924-after-registration-deadline/): The six months Amsterdam hosts had to put a city registration number on their listings ended on 1 October 2021, and Airbnb said it was removing every listing without one unless it was exempt. The city counted 2,924 Airbnb listings on 4 October, against 16,648 in March. (the record for October 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Michigan House Votes 55-48 to Stop Local Bans on Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-10/michigan-house-votes-55-48-to-stop-local-bans-on-short-term-rentals/): In the early hours of 27 October 2021 the Michigan House passed House Bill 4722, which would bar local governments from zoning out short-term rentals while letting them cap the number. The bill went to a Senate committee and was not law. (the record for October 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Edinburgh Consults on Making the Whole City a Short-Term Let Control Area](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-09/edinburgh-consults-on-making-the-whole-city-a-short-term-let-control-area/): The council put a city-wide control area out for comment until 5 November 2021. Owners letting a property that was not their principal home would need planning permission, and the council's guidance said flats would not normally get it. (the record for September 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [HomeToGo Begins Trading in Frankfurt After Its Merger With Lakestar SPAC I](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-09/hometogo-begins-trading-in-frankfurt-after-its-merger-with-lakestar-spac-i/): The Berlin-based vacation rental marketplace reached the stock market through a blank-check company and said the deal would result in gross proceeds of approximately €250 million, planned for growth and for new solutions for the business partners that supply its listings. (the record for September 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Barcelona Keeps Tourist Room Ban as Catalonia's Shared-Home Rules Take Effect](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-08/barcelona-keeps-tourist-room-ban-as-catalonias-shared-home-rules-take-effect/): Barcelona City Council said on 4 August 2021 that it would go on refusing licenses for rooms rented to tourists for 31 days or less. Two days later the year Catalonia gave town halls to write their own rules ran out, and Airbnb said new shared-home hosts in Catalonia would have to show a registration number. (the record for August 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Pledges Temporary Stays for 20,000 Afghan Refugees and Asks Hosts to Help](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-08/airbnb-pledges-temporary-stays-for-20-000-afghan-refugees-and-asks-hosts-to-help/): Airbnb and the nonprofit Airbnb.org said on 24 August 2021 that Airbnb.org would provide temporary housing to 20,000 Afghan refugees, funded by the company, its chief executive and donors. Two days later Airbnb told hosts how to offer free or discounted stays. (the record for August 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Paris Court Orders Airbnb to Pay 8.08 Million Euros Over 1,010 Listings](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-07/paris-court-orders-airbnb-to-pay-8-08-million-euros-over-1010-listings/): A Paris court ordered Airbnb on 1 July 2021 to pay the city 8,080,000 euros for 1,010 listings published without a registration number. From the same day, Airbnb required the number on every entire-home listing in Paris that wanted new short-stay bookings. (the record for July 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Vacasa Agrees to Go Public Through a Merger With TPG Pace Solutions](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-07/vacasa-agrees-to-go-public-through-a-merger-with-tpg-pace-solutions/): Vacasa said on 29 July 2021 that it had agreed to merge with a TPG acquisition company in a deal the two said implied a pro forma equity value of approximately $4.5 billion. The papers filed with it showed homeowners and rival managers how the company described them to investors. (the record for July 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb Asks the UK Government for a National Register of Short-Term Lets](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-06/airbnb-asks-the-uk-government-for-a-national-register-of-short-term-lets/): Airbnb proposed that every host need a registration number to list a home on any platform, and that homes let for more than 140 nights a year, outside areas with their own limits such as London, count as commercial. A week later the UK government said it would consult on a registration scheme for England. (the record for June 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Nevada Orders Clark County and Three Cities to License Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-06/nevada-orders-clark-county-and-three-cities-to-license-short-term-rentals/): Assembly Bill 363 told Clark County, Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas to license short-term rentals under state limits: a two-night minimum for homes that were not owner-occupied, distance rules, occupancy of no more than 16 persons per home and room tax collected by platforms. Most of it was set to take effect on 1 July 2022. (the record for June 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Court of Appeal Rules Santa Barbara Could Not Ban Coastal Rentals on Its Own](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-05/court-of-appeal-rules-santa-barbara-could-not-ban-coastal-rentals-on-its-own/): A California appeal court upheld an order that stopped Santa Barbara from enforcing its 2015 crackdown on vacation rentals in the coastal zone without the Coastal Commission's approval. The city answered with an interim policy and a 30 June deadline for operators. (the record for May 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb Cuts Host Sign-Up to 10 Steps and Announces Two Flexible Searches](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-05/airbnb-cuts-host-sign-up-to-10-steps-and-announces-two-flexible-searches/): Airbnb's release of 24 May 2021 carried more than 100 upgrades. The ones that mattered to hosts were a 10-step process for listing a home, a faster inbox and two new ways for guests to search. (the record for May 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Guesty Raises $50 Million and Buys Your Porter Weeks After Buying MyVR](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-04/guesty-raises-50-million-and-buys-your-porter-weeks-after-buying-myvr/): Guesty raised $50 million in a round led by a fund advised by Apax Partners and announced its second purchase of a property management software company in a month. A principal at the lead investor called it the platform to consolidate the market. (the record for April 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Sonder Agrees to Go Public Through a Merger With Gores Metropoulos II](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-04/sonder-agrees-to-go-public-through-a-merger-with-gores-metropoulos-ii/): Sonder signed a merger agreement with a Nasdaq-listed special purpose acquisition company and put its unaudited numbers on the public record. The companies expected the deal to close in the second half of 2021. (the record for April 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Amsterdam Court Annuls the Holiday Rental Ban in Three Central Districts](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-03/amsterdam-court-annuls-the-holiday-rental-ban-in-three-central-districts/): The Amsterdam District Court ruled on 12 March 2021 that the national housing law gave the city no room for the district ban it had imposed in July 2020. Resident hosts in the three districts could apply for the ordinary 30-night permit from 16 March, and the city said new ban areas seemed a matter of time. (the record for March 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Vrbo Launches Fast Start to Bring Established Hosts From Other Sites](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-03/vrbo-launches-fast-start-to-bring-established-hosts-from-other-sites/): Vrbo opened Fast Start in the United States on 29 March 2021, offering hosts with strong reviews elsewhere a 90-day badge, an imported review score and a higher place in its sort order. Its release used Airbnb's word Superhost, and an Expedia Group executive said that was intentional. (the record for March 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [England's Roadmap Sets 12 April as the Earliest Date for Holiday Lets to Reopen](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-02/englands-roadmap-sets-12-april-as-the-earliest-date-for-holiday-lets-to-reopen/): Boris Johnson's four-step plan put self-contained holiday lets in step two, no earlier than 12 April 2021 and for one household at a time. Hotels, hostels and B&Bs were placed in step three, and every date depended on the data. (the record for February 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb's First Results as a Public Company Show a $4.6 Billion Net Loss for 2020](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-02/airbnbs-first-results-as-a-public-company-show-a-4-6-billion-net-loss-for-2020/): Airbnb's revenue for 2020 fell 30% to $3.4 billion, and the company said charges tied to its initial public offering and the later rise in its share price contributed to a net loss of $4.6 billion. For hosts, the letter carried a plan to recruit more of them and no outlook for the rest of 2021. (the record for February 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Expedia Blames Toronto's Short-Term Rental Rules for Vrbo's Exit](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-01/expedia-blames-torontos-short-term-rental-rules-for-vrbos-exit/): The Logic reported on 12 January 2021 that Vrbo had ceased operations in Toronto, and Expedia Group said the city's regulatory environment had caused it to withdraw. Toronto had begun enforcing its principal-residence and registration rules on 1 January. (the record for January 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb to Cancel and Block Washington Area Bookings for Inauguration Week](https://staygazette.com/record/2021-01/airbnb-to-cancel-and-block-washington-area-bookings-for-inauguration-week/): Airbnb said on 13 January 2021 that it would cancel reservations in the Washington, D.C. metro area for inauguration week, block new ones, refund guests in full and reimburse hosts at its own expense. Hosts who had already blocked their own calendars were left out, DCist reported. (the record for January 2021, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb Blocks One-Night New Year's Eve Stays for Guests Without Positive Reviews](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-12/airbnb-blocks-one-night-new-years-eve-stays-for-guests-without-positive-reviews/): Airbnb stopped guests with no history of positive reviews from booking an entire home for the single night of 31 December 2020 in seven countries. Stays already booked stood, and hosts were told to update their house rules. (the record for December 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [Airbnb Goes Public at $68 a Share and Closes Its First Day at $144.71](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-12/airbnb-goes-public-at-68-a-share-and-closes-its-first-day-at-144-71/): Airbnb's shares more than doubled on their first day on the Nasdaq. U.S. hosts who took up a reserved-share offer at $68.00 could sell at once, while the 86% of hosts outside the United States had no access to it. (the record for December 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Portland, Maine Voters Reject a Ban on Unhosted Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-11/portland-maine-voters-reject-a-ban-on-unhosted-short-term-rentals/): A referendum initiative to end short-term rentals in homes the owner did not live in lost on 3 November 2020, and a hand recount confirmed the result on 20 November by 19,772 votes to 19,499. The rest of the same campaign's slate, including rent control, passed. (the record for November 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb Files for Its IPO and Sets Aside Shares for Hosts](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-11/airbnb-files-for-its-ipo-and-sets-aside-shares-for-hosts/): Airbnb's registration statement of 16 November 2020 showed a net loss of $696.9 million for the nine months to 30 September 2020 and a host endowment funded with 9.2 million shares. It also told investors that hosts would not be paid in full for the cancellations the company had refunded. (the record for November 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Wales Shuts Every Accommodation Business as Lockdowns Return Across Europe](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-10/wales-shuts-every-accommodation-business-as-lockdowns-return-across-europe/): From 6pm on 23 October 2020 every accommodation business in Wales had to close for a national firebreak. In the same two weeks Ireland, Germany and England set or announced their own limits on overnight stays. (the record for October 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Sets Aside 9.2 Million Shares for a Host Endowment](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-10/airbnb-sets-aside-9-2-million-shares-for-a-host-endowment/): Ahead of a stock market listing expected before the end of 2020, Airbnb told hosts it would seed a fund with 9.2 million shares and name a Host Advisory Board. The fund would invest nothing until it was worth more than $1 billion, and hosts were not given shares. (the record for October 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Toronto Opens Its Short-Term Rental Registry and Sets a Year-End Deadline](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-09/toronto-opens-its-short-term-rental-registry-and-sets-a-year-end-deadline/): The City of Toronto began registering short-term rental operators online on 10 September 2020. Hosts could rent only the home they lived in, paid a $50 fee, and had until 31 December 2020 to register if they were already renting. (the record for September 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [EU Top Court Backs France's Authorization Rule for Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-09/eu-top-court-backs-frances-authorization-rule-for-short-term-rentals/): The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on 22 September 2020 that France could require prior authorization before a furnished home was let repeatedly to short-stay guests. The case came from two Paris studio owners fined EUR 15,000 each, and the rule did not cover a host's main residence. (the record for September 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Confidentially Submits Draft IPO Papers to the SEC](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-08/airbnb-confidentially-submits-draft-ipo-papers-to-the-sec/): Airbnb said on 19 August 2020 that it had confidentially submitted a draft registration statement for an initial public offering, which the Associated Press had reported was delayed by the pandemic. It gave hosts no figures, no price and no date. (the record for August 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb Bans All Parties Worldwide and Caps Homes at 16 Guests](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-08/airbnb-bans-all-parties-worldwide-and-caps-homes-at-16-guests/): Airbnb banned every party and event at its listings on 20 August 2020 and capped occupancy at 16 people, with no end date. Hosts lost the right to approve even a small gathering, and the largest homes lost their biggest groups. (the record for August 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Lisbon's Safe Rent Program Draws 45 Short-Term Rentals in Its First Call](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-07/lisbons-safe-rent-program-draws-45-short-term-rentals-in-its-first-call/): Lisbon offered to lease homes from their owners for five years or more and sublet them at affordable rents. On 6 July 2020 the city council counted 177 completed applications, 45 of them for homes that had been short-term rentals, while the headline on an article by the mayor set off a dispute with the trade. (the record for July 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Guests Book One Million Nights in a Day for the First Time Since March](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-07/airbnb-guests-book-one-million-nights-in-a-day-for-the-first-time-since-march/): Airbnb said on 14 July 2020 that 8 July was its first day of more than 1 million nights booked since 3 March. The nights were close to home, outside cities and low-priced, and the company said its business had not recovered. (the record for July 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb Agrees to Drop Its Lawsuit and Give New York City Host Data](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-06/airbnb-agrees-to-drop-its-lawsuit-and-give-new-york-city-host-data/): Airbnb settled its federal case against New York City on 12 June 2020 and agreed to a narrower reporting law that the City Council had yet to pass. Hosts were told to consent to sharing their details or stop listing short-term rentals. (the record for June 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Amsterdam Bans Holiday Rentals in Three Central Districts](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-06/amsterdam-bans-holiday-rentals-in-three-central-districts/): The city confirmed on 25 June 2020 that homes in three districts of the old center could not be rented to tourists from 1 July. Hosts everywhere else in Amsterdam needed a permit and stayed limited to 30 nights a year. (the record for June 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Lays Off Nearly 1,900 Employees and Narrows Its Focus to Hosts](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-05/airbnb-lays-off-nearly-1900-employees-and-narrows-its-focus-to-hosts/): Brian Chesky told staff on 5 May 2020 that around 25% of them would go and that Airbnb would spend less on anything that did not directly support its hosts. Hosts, already short of income from refunded bookings, also learned where the company expected travel to come back first. (the record for May 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Florida Lets Vacation Rentals Reopen One County at a Time](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-05/florida-lets-vacation-rentals-reopen-one-county-at-a-time/): Governor Ron DeSantis had banned vacation rentals on 27 March 2020 and left hotels open. On 15 May he said each county could ask the state to approve a safety plan, and owners could take guests again only once their county had that approval. (the record for May 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb Raises $2 Billion in Two Deals as the Pandemic Freezes Travel](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-04/airbnb-raises-2-billion-in-two-deals-as-the-pandemic-freezes-travel/): Airbnb said on 6 April 2020 that Silver Lake and Sixth Street Partners would invest $1 billion, and on 14 April that it had commitments for a $1 billion term loan. Airbnb published neither price. Of the first deal, $5 million was marked for a Superhost relief fund. (the record for April 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb Announces an Optional Cleaning Protocol and a 72-Hour Booking Buffer](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-04/airbnb-announces-an-optional-cleaning-protocol-and-a-72-hour-booking-buffer/): On 27 April 2020 Airbnb said a Cleaning Protocol for hosts would launch in May, with a required 24-hour wait before entering a home. Hosts who could not commit to it could block reservations between stays instead. (the record for April 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [Airbnb Overrides Host Cancellation Policies and Refunds Covid Bookings in Full](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-03/airbnb-overrides-host-cancellation-policies-and-refunds-covid-bookings-in-full/): On 14 March 2020 Airbnb let guests cancel pandemic-hit stays for a full refund, whatever cancellation policy the host had set. On 30 March it apologized to hosts and promised $250 million, paid at 25% of what a host's own policy would have paid. (the record for March 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Florida Suspends Vacation Rentals for 14 Days and Leaves Hotels Open](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-03/florida-suspends-vacation-rentals-for-14-days-and-leaves-hotels-open/): Governor Ron DeSantis signed Executive Order 20-87 on 27 March 2020. Vacation rentals could take no new reservations and no new check-ins, and an owner who broke the order or advertised risked the state license. Hotels, motels, resorts and time shares were exempt. (the record for March 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Airbnb Bars Canadians Under 25 From Booking Entire Homes Near Where They Live](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-02/airbnb-bars-canadians-under-25-from-booking-entire-homes-near-where-they-live/): After three men were shot dead on 31 January 2020 at a party in a Toronto condo unit that police said was rented through Airbnb, the company said on 5 February it would stop local guests under 25 from booking entire homes in Canada. Toronto's mayor asked it to comply with the city's own rules. (the record for February 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb Suspends All Beijing Bookings as Coronavirus Reaches the Rental Trade](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-02/airbnb-suspends-all-beijing-bookings-as-coronavirus-reaches-the-rental-trade/): Airbnb suspended bookings for every Beijing listing with a check-in from 7 to 29 February 2020, citing the outbreak and guidance from local authorities, and by 12 February had extended the window to 30 April. Guests could cancel covered trips without charge, and Airbnb China promised hosts and guests a fund of more than US$10 million. (the record for February 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Pulls 28 Hollywood Hills Listings and Ties Staff Bonuses to Safety](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-01/airbnb-pulls-28-hollywood-hills-listings-and-ties-staff-bonuses-to-safety/): Airbnb removed or suspended 28 Los Angeles listings that police had identified as party houses, then tied employee bonuses to guest safety and dedicated an additional $150 million to trust and safety. For hosts, January 2020 showed how a listing could be switched off. (the record for January 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Scotland Says Every Short-Term Let Will Need a License](https://staygazette.com/record/2020-01/scotland-says-every-short-term-let-will-need-a-license/): A Scottish minister told Parliament that every short-term let would need a license with a mandatory safety standard, and that councils could require planning permission for whole-property lets in control areas. Hosts were left waiting for the fees, the tax and the detail. (the record for January 2020, filed 11 October 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)

## Sections
- [Crackdown](https://staygazette.com/crackdown/): Bans, permits, caps, enforcement and the council votes that decide whether a listing may exist.
- [Platforms](https://staygazette.com/platforms/): Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and the software stack: fees, ranking, policy and the fight over direct bookings.
- [The Money](https://staygazette.com/money/): Occupancy, rates, revenue, taxes, insurance, financing and what the numbers are really doing.
- [Host Life](https://staygazette.com/host-life/): Guests, reviews, cleaners, pricing, automation and the operations that separate hosts who earn from hosts who post.
- [Design](https://staygazette.com/design/): The stays themselves: the architecture, the interiors and the craft of a place people screenshot, save and book on sight.
- [Viral](https://staygazette.com/viral/): What blew up and why: the Icons, the record listings, the pop-culture stays and the rentals the internet could not stop sharing.
- [Markets](https://staygazette.com/markets/): Supply, demand, seasonality and saturation, market by market.
- [Exposed](https://staygazette.com/exposed/): Scams, fraud, squatters, parties, cameras and lawsuits: the side of the business nobody puts in the listing.
- [World](https://staygazette.com/world/): Europe, the UK, Canada, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East: the rules and markets outside the US.

## The masthead
- [Marcus Dane, Editor-in-Chief](https://staygazette.com/desk/marcus-dane/): Runs the paper, the crackdown beat and the investigations desk.
- [Dana Whitfield, Money & Markets Editor](https://staygazette.com/desk/dana-whitfield/): Occupancy, rates, revenue, taxes, financing and the markets that move them.
- [Jesse Kohl, Platforms Editor](https://staygazette.com/desk/jesse-kohl/): Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, read the way a court reporter reads a defendant.
- [Tammy Brooks, Host Life Editor](https://staygazette.com/desk/tammy-brooks/): Operations, guests, reviews, cleaners, pricing: the work of hosting.
- [Wren Calloway, Design & Features Editor](https://staygazette.com/desk/wren-calloway/): The stays worth looking at, and the ones the internet can't stop sharing.
- [Tomás Ferreira, International Editor](https://staygazette.com/desk/tomas-ferreira/): Europe, the UK, Canada, Asia-Pacific, Latin America: the rules and markets outside the US.
- [Noor Haddad, Illustrations Director](https://staygazette.com/desk/noor-haddad/): Draws the picture on every story and keeps the register of every image.
- [Eleanor Quist, Standards Editor](https://staygazette.com/desk/eleanor-quist/): Every specific in every story is checked against its source before it runs.

## Topics
- [Airbnb](https://staygazette.com/topics/airbnb/): 163 stories
- [Vrbo](https://staygazette.com/topics/vrbo/): 106 stories
- [Property management](https://staygazette.com/topics/property-management/): 60 stories
- [Regulations](https://staygazette.com/topics/regulations/): 49 stories
- [Revenue Management](https://staygazette.com/topics/revenue-management/): 33 stories
- [Booking.com](https://staygazette.com/topics/booking-com/): 23 stories
- [Permits](https://staygazette.com/topics/permits/): 20 stories
- [Dynamic pricing](https://staygazette.com/topics/dynamic-pricing/): 18 stories
- [Europe](https://staygazette.com/topics/europe/): 14 stories
- [Zoning Laws](https://staygazette.com/topics/zoning-laws/): 13 stories
- [Regulation](https://staygazette.com/topics/regulation/): 12 stories
- [Direct Bookings](https://staygazette.com/topics/direct-bookings/): 10 stories
- [Hospitality Industry](https://staygazette.com/topics/hospitality-industry/): 10 stories
- [Real Estate Investment](https://staygazette.com/topics/real-estate-investment/): 10 stories
- [Insurance](https://staygazette.com/topics/insurance/): 9 stories
- [Local Government](https://staygazette.com/topics/local-government/): 9 stories
- [Short Term Rental Regulations](https://staygazette.com/topics/short-term-rental-regulations/): 9 stories
- [Property Rights](https://staygazette.com/topics/property-rights/): 8 stories
- [RevPAR](https://staygazette.com/topics/revpar/): 8 stories
- [Short-term rental regulation](https://staygazette.com/topics/short-term-rental-regulation/): 8 stories
- [Artificial Intelligence](https://staygazette.com/topics/artificial-intelligence/): 7 stories
- [Compliance](https://staygazette.com/topics/compliance/): 7 stories
- [Municipal Regulation](https://staygazette.com/topics/municipal-regulation/): 7 stories
- [Occupancy tax](https://staygazette.com/topics/occupancy-tax/): 7 stories
- [Pricing Strategy](https://staygazette.com/topics/pricing-strategy/): 7 stories
- [United Kingdom](https://staygazette.com/topics/united-kingdom/): 7 stories
- [Zoning](https://staygazette.com/topics/zoning/): 7 stories
- [Cash Flow](https://staygazette.com/topics/cash-flow/): 6 stories
- [Market Analysis](https://staygazette.com/topics/market-analysis/): 6 stories
- [Mid Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/topics/mid-term-rentals/): 6 stories
- [Real Estate Investing](https://staygazette.com/topics/real-estate-investing/): 6 stories
- [South Carolina](https://staygazette.com/topics/south-carolina/): 6 stories
- [Airbnb Hosting](https://staygazette.com/topics/airbnb-hosting/): 5 stories
- [Expedia Group](https://staygazette.com/topics/expedia-group/): 5 stories
- [Guest Experience](https://staygazette.com/topics/guest-experience/): 5 stories
- [Guest Screening](https://staygazette.com/topics/guest-screening/): 5 stories
- [Historic Preservation](https://staygazette.com/topics/historic-preservation/): 5 stories
- [Hospitality Tech](https://staygazette.com/topics/hospitality-tech/): 5 stories
- [Housing Market](https://staygazette.com/topics/housing-market/): 5 stories
- [Liability](https://staygazette.com/topics/liability/): 5 stories

## Latest stories
- [From 4 Cabins to 500 Doors: Inside the Brutal Scale of Short-Term Rental Management](https://staygazette.com/news/from-4-cabins-to-500-doors-short-term-rental-scale/): A group of friends built a 500-property short-term rental empire from four modest cabins. Here is how management companies scale, where the margins collapse, and why most operators fail along the way. (World, October 12, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [The 1.75 Million Pound Question on the Banks of Loch Lomond](https://staygazette.com/news/lomond-luxury-lodges-scotland-holiday-let-sale/): An eight-unit Scottish retreat tests whether owner-operated holiday lets can command institutional prices in a market tightening around planning, tax, and licensing. (Markets, October 12, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Revenue Share Models Replace Fixed Fee Property Management](https://staygazette.com/news/revenue-share-property-management-airbnb-vrbo/): The shift from flat monthly retainers to gross commission cuts has rewired the short-term rental industry, aligning some incentives while setting an occupancy trap for owners. (The Money, October 8, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [When Vacation Rentals Burn: The Legal Battle Over Who Actually Pays](https://staygazette.com/news/vrbo-deadly-fire-lawsuit-liability/): A Wisconsin fire that killed four guests has triggered a high-stakes legal battle, exposing the paper-thin safety net of platform insurance and the limits of Section 230. (Platforms, October 8, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Paris Court Slams Studio Owner with Historic 110,000 Euro Fine](https://staygazette.com/news/paris-studio-owner-fined-illegal-rentals/): A six-figure judgment against a single property owner signals a devastating turn in the global municipal war on illegal short-term rentals. (Exposed, October 8, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Why Floating Homes and Houseboat Rentals Squeeze Host Margins to the Breaking Point](https://staygazette.com/news/economics-floating-homes-houseboat-rentals/): The eye-popping ADRs of floating homes on Airbnb and Vrbo mask a financial reality of slip fees, specialized marine insurance, and relentless structural depreciation. (Markets, October 7, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The End of the Spreadsheet Nightmare: Stayntouch and Staklio Automate Condo Hotels](https://staygazette.com/news/stayntouch-staklio-condo-hotel-integration/): Managing individually owned units within a resort has been an administrative black hole for twenty years. A new API integration aims to fix the industry's most expensive back-office mess. (Markets, October 7, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb Relaunches Luxe to Recapture the High-End Vacation Rental Market](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-rebuilds-luxe-premium-rentals/): Leaked plans from an exclusive host summit reveal that Brian Chesky is resurrecting a high-end inspection program to win back the world's wealthiest travelers. (Platforms, October 7, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [The Barcelona Purge: Why Revoking Ten Thousand STR Licenses Will End in Court](https://staygazette.com/news/barcelona-str-license-revocation-2028/): Mayor Jaume Collboni wants to wipe out every tourist apartment in Barcelona by 2028. Here is why the legal and financial reality will turn his housing promise into a billion-euro courtroom disaster. (World, October 6, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Bartech Targets Vacation Rentals With a Cheap No-Sensor Minibar App](https://staygazette.com/news/bartech-smart-minibar-short-term-rentals/): A legacy hotel vendor wants a slice of the short-term rental market with a ten-dollar monthly subscription. But the real cost isn't the software. (Host Life, October 6, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [The 2027 Short-Term Rental Outlook: Managers Surrender to OTAs for Growth](https://staygazette.com/news/2027-vacation-rental-industry-outlook-managers/): KeyData's annual outlook reveals a massive industry pivot: professional managers are projecting record revenues, but only by abandoning their direct-booking dreams. (Markets, October 6, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The Viral Review Everyone Screenshots and Why Manufactured Charm Fails](https://staygazette.com/news/viral-review-screenshots-airbnb-host-replies/): A witty guest review or a razor-sharp host reply can travel further across the internet than a six-figure ad spend. The winners follow a strict narrative formula. (Viral, October 5, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [The Anti-Rollup Rollup: How Pavilion Plans to Rewrite the Vacation Rental Playbook](https://staygazette.com/news/pavilion-national-vacation-rental-launch-consolidation/): Twenty local brands managing 5,000 homes have merged under a single institutional capital stack. Can a founder-owned model avoid the graveyard of first-wave rollups? (Markets, October 5, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The Great Decentralization: Joe Riley Takes the Helm as Casago Dismantles the Corporate Property Management Model](https://staygazette.com/news/casago-joe-riley-vacasa-decentralization/): The transition of Vacasa's centralized portfolio into local hands is complete. As Joe Riley takes the wheel, the industry's grandest corporate experiment gets a local rewrite. (Markets, October 5, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Hackers Steal Host Logins to Divert Payouts in Silent Digital Heist](https://staygazette.com/news/phishing-scams-target-property-management-credentials-divert-pay/): Cybercriminals target property management credentials to quietly swap bank routing numbers, siphoning peak-season revenue before operators notice the balance sheet bleed. (Exposed, October 4, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Ras Al Khaimah Hotels Strip Down All Inclusive Deals to Fight Wynn Effect](https://staygazette.com/news/wynn-effect-ras-al-khaimah-hotel-renovations/): As Wynn Al Marjan Island prepares to introduce gaming to the UAE, neighboring resorts are abandoning all-inclusive packages and gutting rooms to survive the spillover. (Markets, October 4, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The End of the Web-Based PMS: Why AI Will Redefine Vacation Rental Technology](https://staygazette.com/news/vacation-rental-pms-ai-replacement/): The traditional property management system has become an operational bottleneck. As autonomous AI agents take over, the centralized dashboard is about to go obsolete. (Markets, October 4, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Corporate Ownership Bans Force LLCs to Sell Short Term Portfolios](https://staygazette.com/news/corporate-ownership-bans-force-llc-portfolio-sales/): City halls across the map are stripping business entities of short-term rental permits. The rush to deed properties back to living humans is colliding with tax traps. (Crackdown, October 3, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [The Commission Trap: Inside Furnished Finder Fees and the Mid-Term Shift](https://staygazette.com/news/furnished-finder-fees-mid-term-rental-math/): As regulatory bans squeeze nightly rentals, hosts are fleeing to thirty-day stays. But leaving the major platforms means trading commission fees for landlord liabilities. (Host Life, October 3, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [Cape Town Confronts the Cost of the Holiday Let Boom](https://staygazette.com/news/cape-town-airbnb-by-law-housing-crisis/): As housing advocates slam the city's toothless draft planning by-law, Cape Town's massive short-term rental market faces a reckoning over spatial inequality and foreign cash. (World, October 3, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Why Real Plants Are the Ultimate Trust Signal in Short-Term Rental Photography](https://staygazette.com/news/real-plants-rental-photography-conversion/): In a marketplace saturated with sterile, white-walled listings and clinical corporate design, the presence of real living greenery acts as a powerful psychological cue that someone actually cares. (Host Life, October 2, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [Vrbo Shifts to Flat Twelve Percent Commission Ending Era of Cheap Subscriptions](https://staygazette.com/news/vrbo-host-fees-twelve-percent-commission/): A sweeping policy change effective October 29, 2026, eliminates legacy subscriptions and PMS discounts, forcing hosts into a strict rate-parity framework. (Host Life, October 2, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [The Algorithmic Trap: How Airbnb’s 2026 Fall Update Reclaims Control Over Host Margins](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-2026-fall-update-dynamic-pricing-ai/): As the platform introduces native pricing upgrades, conversational AI search, and checkout add-ons, the line between independent host and commoditized subcontractor grows razor-thin. (World, October 2, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [The Brutal Economics of Italy Ancient Stone Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/trulli-matera-cave-rentals-italy/): Ancient thermal mass keeps Puglia's trulli and Matera's cave dwellings cool without high utility bills. But the regulatory and maintenance costs are astronomical. (World, October 1, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Japan's Minpaku Boom Defies the Regulatory Death Sentence](https://staygazette.com/news/japan-minpaku-regulations-ryokan-loophole/): Despite a draconian 180-day cap and local municipal bans, Japan's short-term rental market is thriving. Here is how professional operators are outmaneuvering the bureaucrats. (World, October 1, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Guesty Partners With Column to Turn Property Managers Into Mini Banks](https://staygazette.com/news/guesty-column-vacation-rental-banking-infrastructure/): By integrating direct clearing bank infrastructure into its software, the industry's largest property management system is making a play for your ledger. Here is what it means for your cash. (Platforms, October 1, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [One Hero Material Beats a Full Renovation](https://staygazette.com/news/hero-material-short-term-rental-design/): Why spending thousands on minor cosmetic upgrades is a financial trap, and how a single, dramatic material statement drives bookings and protects your bottom line. (Design, September 30, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [Airbnb Targets Family Travel Markets with Integrated Baby Gear Rental Partnership](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-baby-gear-rentals-family-travel/): A new partnership signals a major shift in the platform's battle for high-value family bookings, transferring operational headaches and liability off the host. (World, September 30, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Annapolis Quintuples Short-Term Rental Fines in Warning to Event-Driven Markets](https://staygazette.com/news/annapolis-short-term-rental-fines-crackdown/): The era of treating municipal fines as a cost of doing business is over. As Annapolis moves to aggressively penalize unpermitted hosts, the entire industry must prepare for the new enforcement reality. (Crackdown, September 30, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [The Social Arbitrage: How Small Hosts Beat Big Capital on Social Feeds](https://staygazette.com/news/how-small-hosts-earn-first-viral-post/): The era of listing and waiting is dead. Here is the workable playbook for seeding organic virality to fill your calendar without buying fake engagement. (Viral, September 29, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [Airbnb Promotes Agritourism as a Financial Lifeline for Maine Farmers](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-agritourism-maine-farm-stays/): As coastal short-term rental markets tighten under heavy regulation, the platform is looking inland—and wrapping its corporate lobbying in a flannel shirt. (Markets, September 29, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Cape Town Airbnb Hosts Hit by Triple Property Rates and Utility Shock](https://staygazette.com/news/cape-town-airbnb-triple-rates-shock/): A compounding crisis of aggressive tax reclassifications, soaring valuations, and punitive utility tariffs threatens to wipe out short-term rental margins in South Africa’s tourism crown jewel. (World, September 29, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [The Ghost in the Garage: Why Hosts Secretly Live in Whole-Home Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/hosts-secretly-living-on-property-whole-homes/): Crushed by debt service and falling revenue, hosts are hiding in basements and campers while renting out the main house. The fallout is about to detonate. (Exposed, September 28, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [The Nirvana Premium: Kurt Cobain's Olympia Apartment and the Monetization of Grunge](https://staygazette.com/news/kurt-cobain-olympia-airbnb-grunge/): A historic Olympia apartment where Kurt Cobain wrote 'Nevermind' is now on Airbnb, exposing the raw financial power—and ethical tightrope—of rock-and-roll real estate. (World, September 28, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [London Clamps Down on Illegal Holiday Lets With a Threatening Tax Hammer](https://staygazette.com/news/london-tax-crackdown-illegal-airbnb-lets/): Town halls and tax collectors are closing the loophole that let thousands of London properties run as shadow hotels without paying council tax or commercial dues. (World, September 28, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Green Retrofit Mandates Are the New Backdoor Ban on Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/energy-efficiency-upgrades-str-permit-crackdown/): Progressive cities are tying short-term rental permits directly to mandatory energy efficiency upgrades. The massive capital costs are clearing older inventory off the map. (Crackdown, September 27, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [The Shadow Market for Airbnb Identity: Inside the 22 Sites Trading Verified Accounts](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-verified-accounts-black-market-exposed/): A major investigation exposes the booming grey-market economy where established host accounts are bought, sold, and traded to bypass platform rules and local laws. (Exposed, September 27, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [The Silent Battle for the Inbox: Why Guest Vetting Is the New Front Line of Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-guest-screening-red-flags/): When a major newspaper breaks down the red flags of bad guests, it exposes the structural friction that platforms prefer to ignore. (Host Life, September 27, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [British Columbia Crushed Investor Short-Term Rentals. The Mid-Term Pivot is Now a Fight for Survival.](https://staygazette.com/news/british-columbia-str-ban-investor-pivot-mid-term/): When British Columbia outlawed non-primary short-term rentals, it did not just regulate the market. It fundamentally altered the economics of real estate investment. (World, September 26, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [The Digital Ghost in the Living Room: Why Smart TVs Are Your Rental’s Biggest Security Threat](https://staygazette.com/news/smart-tv-security-risks-vacation-rentals/): Guests checkout but leave their digital identities behind. Here is why your smart TV is a ticking data bomb—and why the major platforms are ignoring it. (Platforms, September 26, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb Funds Rural Pivot with Ten Thousand Dollar Grants for Arkansas Farmers](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-arkansas-farm-stay-grants/): A tech giant hands out cash to small agriculturalists in the Ozarks, chasing unregulated inventory and a shield against city crackdowns. Here is the real cost of the dirt. (Host Life, September 26, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [Why the 400-Square-Foot Studio Out-Earns the Three-Bedroom House on Design Alone](https://staygazette.com/news/micro-studio-design-short-term-rental/): A disciplined layout with custom built-ins and a single material palette out-performs sprawling, bland listings by winning the battle of the digital scroll. (Design, September 25, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [The Pacific Wall: Inside Airbnb's Secret War for the California Coast](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-california-coast-lobbying-battle/): A major investigation exposes the platform's backroom campaign to weaponize 1970s environmental laws against local cities trying to ban short-term rentals. (Crackdown, September 25, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Oktoberfest 2026: Munich Short-Term Rentals Book Slower but Earn More](https://staygazette.com/news/munich-oktoberfest-2026-rental-pricing-trends/): Data from PriceLabs reveals a high-stakes game of chicken between Munich hosts and festival-goers, with slow booking curves masking record-breaking nightly rates. (The Money, September 25, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The Nostalgia Stay Sells a Whole Decade](https://staygazette.com/news/nostalgia-stay-retro-short-term-rentals/): Time-capsule rentals crush the beige box on feed clicks and off-season bookings, but half-hearted kitsch and fragile appliances will destroy review scores. (Viral, September 24, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [The Ghost in the P&L: The High-Yield, High-Risk Business of Haunted Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/haunted-airbnb-morgue-dark-tourism-economics/): Sleeping in a 1900s morgue sounds like a dare. For short-term rental operators, converting stigmatized historic properties is a masterclass in high-yield marketing. (Host Life, September 24, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [Mandy Rennehan Hands High-End Rental to Homeless Mission as Market Tightens](https://staygazette.com/news/mandy-rennehan-donates-rental-souls-harbour/): When an Atlantic contractor hands a premier vacation asset to an addiction charity, it exposes the brutal reckoning facing Canada's short-term rental sector. (World, September 24, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [The Short-Term Rental Bathroom Standard That Saves Bookings](https://staygazette.com/news/short-term-rental-bathroom-setup-standards/): Why a minor investment in hospitality-grade bathroom amenities is the ultimate protection against bad reviews and falling search ranks. (Host Life, September 23, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [Vrbo Sued Over Fatal Dominican Republic Fire as Safety Shield Cracks](https://staygazette.com/news/vrbo-lawsuit-dominican-republic-fire-safety/): A devastating wrongful death lawsuit over a Caribbean rental fire that killed four family members threatens to dismantle the legal shields of the short-term rental giants. (Platforms, September 23, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [The Great Search Squeeze: Vrbo and Airbnb Push Pay-to-Play Just as AI Threatens to Bypass OTAs](https://staygazette.com/news/sponsored-listings-vrbo-airbnb-ai-agents/): As Vrbo launches sponsored listings and Airbnb eyes a billion-dollar ad business, emerging AI agents like Instinct are preparing to ignore paid rankings entirely. (Platforms, September 23, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Renting to Film Crews Requires Massive Premium Pricing](https://staygazette.com/news/film-crew-rentals-premium-pricing/): When location scouts offer triple your nightly rate, it sounds like easy money. The reality is a high-risk commercial operation that can wreck your property. (The Money, September 22, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb Expands Instacart Grocery Integration Across the United States and Canada](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-instacart-grocery-delivery-expansion/): The booking giant is embedding grocery delivery directly into the guest journey. But who carries the operational burden when the milk spoils on the front porch? (Platforms, September 22, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb’s Pivot into Hotels: Inside the Multi-Billion-Dollar Assault on Legacy OTAs](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-pivot-into-hotels-ota-disruption/): Once built on the promise of "forgetting hotels," Brian Chesky’s platform is now listing them. Here is what it means for your bookings and the future of the digital shelf. (Platforms, September 22, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [The Byron Bay Warning Shot for Coastal Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/byron-bay-coastal-str-cap-impact/): As Australia's premier coastal market prepares to enforce a brutal 60-day annual limit, professional hosts worldwide must prepare for the new era of municipal containment. (World, September 21, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [The Death of the Twenty Seven Thousand Dollar Cabin Dream](https://staygazette.com/news/upstate-new-york-cabin-design-economics/): A Connecticut carpenter built a design-forward empire on five cheap acres in upstate New York. Ten years later, his playbook is both legendary and impossible to replicate. (Design, September 21, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [The Real Cost of Realtor.com's Secondary Market Predictions](https://staygazette.com/news/realtor-com-2026-secondary-rental-markets/): Realtor.com wants owners to buy into under-the-radar markets. But the operational reality of secondary-market hosting is a far cry from the portal's rosy spreadsheets. (The Money, September 21, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Google Vacation Rentals Cuts Out the OTA Middleman](https://staygazette.com/news/google-vacation-rentals-bypasses-otas/): By opening direct booking links to property managers, the search monopoly takes aim at the multi-billion-dollar tollbooths of Airbnb and Vrbo. (Platforms, September 20, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [The Demolition of Civic Dignity: How Britain’s Admiralty Estates Became High-Yield Airbnbs](https://staygazette.com/news/admiralty-to-airbnb-historic-heritage-rentals/): As historic naval assets and public monuments transition into private holiday rentals, a fierce battle is erupting over architectural preservation, tax write-offs, and local resentment. (Design, September 20, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [The Peak District Tourist Tax Fight Signals a Dangerous New Era for UK Hosts](https://staygazette.com/news/peak-district-derbyshire-tourist-tax-uk/): As the newly elected East Midlands Mayor faces pressure to introduce a tourism tax, rural holiday let operators warn of economic disaster for the Peak District. (World, September 20, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [The Great Canvas Crash: Why the Glamping Market Has Hit a Hard Ceiling](https://staygazette.com/news/glamping-market-oversaturation-price-crash/): Thousands of pandemic-era canvas tents and geodesic domes are sitting empty as supply outpaces demand, regulatory crackdowns intensify, and operational costs skyrocket. (Markets, September 19, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Renovated West Virginia Fire Tower Highlights the Brutal Reality of Novelty STRs](https://staygazette.com/news/west-virginia-fire-tower-airbnb/): A newly renovated lookout tower in West Virginia highlights the extreme costs, liabilities, and operational realities of experiential short-term rental hosting. (Design, September 19, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [Labour Targets Holiday Cottages in a High-Stakes Tax Raid on British Hosts](https://staygazette.com/news/labour-tax-raid-uk-holiday-cottages/): The abolition of the Furnished Holiday Let regime is no longer a distant Tory threat. The new government is preparing a swift fiscal squeeze that will reshape the market. (World, September 19, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Historic Districts Are Banning Exterior Lockboxes to Deter short-term rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/historic-districts-ban-short-term-rental-lockboxes/): Preservation boards are using aesthetic guidelines to block automated check-ins, forcing physical key handoffs and pricing out remote investors. (Crackdown, September 18, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Skokie Rolls Back Rental Rules as Suburban Crackdowns Hit a Wall of Reality](https://staygazette.com/news/skokie-airbnb-fee-rollback-regulation/): When high taxes met high enforcement costs, this Chicago suburb realized that punishing local home-sharers was a losing game. Other towns are watching. (Crackdown, September 18, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [The Coastal Cool Down: What the Hilton Head Summer Showdown Means for Short Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/hilton-head-hotels-vs-short-term-rentals/): New data from South Carolina's premier beach market reveals a stark shift in the battle for occupancy. As traditional resorts claw back market share, hosts are facing a cold reality. (The Money, September 18, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The Silent Parasite: How Crypto Miners Are Bankrupting Mid-Term Rental Hosts](https://staygazette.com/news/crypto-mining-short-term-rental-utility-bills/): Tech-savvy renters are converting month-long stays into makeshift server farms, leaving hosts with catastrophic utility bills that completely erase operational margins. (Exposed, September 17, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [The Cost of Global Reach: Inside Booking.com’s High-Stakes 2026 Algorithmic Shift](https://staygazette.com/news/booking-com-hosting-guide-2026/): As the European travel giant reshapes its Genius loyalty program and demands higher discounts, short-term rental operators face a critical choice between volume and margin. (Host Life, September 17, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [Guesty Acquires Smily to Corner the Nine Billion Dollar French Market](https://staygazette.com/news/guesty-acquires-smily-france-pms-consolidation/): As Guesty swallows yet another localized property management system, independent operators face the cold reality of software consolidation and the death of boutique tech. (Markets, September 17, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb Experiences and Host Services Are Back to Save Squeezed Margins](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-experiences-relaunch-host-services-analysis/): As regulations tighten and ADRs flatten worldwide, the short-term rental giant is turning back to its experiential marketplace to extract more cash from every stay. (Viral, September 16, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [Shakira Madrid Residency Sends Hotel Rates Soaring to €339 as Domestic Bookings Surge](https://staygazette.com/news/shakira-madrid-residency-short-term-rentals/): With hotel bookings up nearly 15% and domestic demand surging by 65%, a 12-night residency in Spain's capital is rewriting the playbook for short-term rental hosts. (Markets, September 16, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [First Chair Destinations Enters the New England Ski Rental Market](https://staygazette.com/news/first-chair-destinations-new-england-ski-rentals/): A new regional brand is targeting New England ski slopes, proving that the battle for premium vacation rentals has moved from national roll-ups to hyper-focused niches. (Markets, September 16, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Interest Rate Swaps Save Large Short Term Rental Portfolios From Insolvency](https://staygazette.com/news/interest-rate-swaps-short-term-rental-portfolios/): While individual hosts struggle under the weight of rising mortgage rates, institutional operators are using sophisticated financial derivatives to freeze their borrowing costs. (The Money, September 15, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb Bullies a Portland Bed and Breakfast Over Its Logo](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-portland-bb-logo-trademark-dispute/): A small Portland inn is refusing to bow to corporate legal threats after Airbnb demanded it abandon its logo. Here is why the bully tactic backfired. (World, September 15, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Airbnb Pledges 250 Million Dollars to Underwrite Stalled Rental Projects](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-housing-accelerator-real-estate-finance/): The short-term rental giant is pivoting from defensive lobbying to real estate developer, backing stalled affordable housing with sub-market rate capital. (Markets, September 15, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Expedia Unified Loyalty Program Devastates Vrbo Visibility](https://staygazette.com/news/expedia-one-key-loyalty-vrbo-visibility/): By forcing independent vacation rentals into the same reward ecosystem as corporate hotel chains, Expedia Group has tilted the playing field against hosts. (Platforms, September 14, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [The Shard’s Fifty-Million-Pound Empty Apartments and the Rise of the Shadow Hotel](https://staygazette.com/news/shard-fifty-million-empty-apartments-london/): How ten unsold ultra-premium penthouses at the top of London’s tallest tower became a private, high-ticket short-term rental operation for global elites. (World, September 14, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Costa Rica Short-Term Rentals Face Oversupply as Tourist Numbers Lag](https://staygazette.com/news/costa-rica-short-term-rental-oversupply/): With active listings nearing 49,000 while international arrivals flatten, vacation rental hosts in Costa Rica are facing a brutal squeeze of high costs and falling occupancy. (The Money, September 14, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The Athens Lockout: Inside the Mad Rush Before Greece Freezes Central STR Permits](https://staygazette.com/news/athens-greece-str-freeze-permits/): Greece is halting new short-term rental permits in central Athens for a year. The policy has triggered a massive pre-deadline listing rush and a structural market split. (World, September 13, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Cannon Beach Shuts the Door on New Permits in the Long War for the Oregon Coast](https://staygazette.com/news/cannon-beach-vacation-rental-cap-oregon/): By moving ahead with a strict cap on vacation rentals, the iconic coastal enclave of Cannon Beach is doubling down on a regulatory playbook designed to starve out short-term rentals through slow, legal attrition. (Markets, September 13, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The Event Pricing Trap: What PriceLabs Data Reveals About Parisian Booking Spikes](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-pricing-paris-event-data/): When Céline Dion and the Pope head to Paris, hosts immediately jack up their rates. New data from PriceLabs shows why that strategy is a direct path to empty calendar nights. (Markets, September 13, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The Cheap Nursery Hardware Quietly Locking In Four-Figure Bookings](https://staygazette.com/news/family-setup-grandparents-book-short-term-rentals/): Multigenerational travellers do not browse properties for design trends. They hunt down the listing that spares them dragging sixty pounds of baby gear through airport terminals. (Host Life, September 12, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [The Direct Booking Moat: Inside the Awaze Financial Paradox](https://staygazette.com/news/awaze-ebitda-direct-bookings-europe/): While gross revenues flattened, Europe’s largest managed rental group squeezed out a twenty percent jump in operating profits. Here is how they did it. (Markets, September 12, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The Mid-Century Maintenance Trap: Renting Frank Lloyd Wright’s Michigan Masterpieces](https://staygazette.com/news/frank-lloyd-wright-michigan-usonian-rentals/): Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian homes in Michigan are architectural masterpieces. But running these historic properties as short-term rentals is an operational minefield. (Design, September 12, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [The Automated Dragnet: How Algorithmic Noise Patrols Are Killing Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/algorithmic-noise-monitors-private-security-short-term-rentals/): Municipalities are writing connected decibel sensors and private security dispatches into local ordinances, shifting the entire cost of policing onto property owners. (Crackdown, September 11, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [How Airbnb Uses Latino Wealth Creation to Fight Its Toughest Regulatory Battles](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-latino-generational-wealth-regulatory-lobbying/): A new platform campaign highlights minority property ownership as a path to equity. But behind the narrative lies a high-stakes chess match against municipal bans. (Host Life, September 11, 2026, by Tammy Brooks)
- [How a Delayed Refund Exposes the Broken Payments of Vacation Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/vacation-rental-refund-payment-integration-failure/): A guest canceled a thirteen-thousand-dollar booking, and the refund took two years. The breakdown shows who really holds the cash and who gets burned. (Platforms, September 11, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [The Secondary Debt Trap Gutting Vacation Rental Portfolios](https://staygazette.com/news/str-down-payment-heloc-debt-risk/): During the post-pandemic vacation rental rush, thousands of retail investors tapped their primary home equity to fund down payments. Now, the double-leverage trap is springing. (The Money, September 10, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [England Mayors Set to Gain Tourist Tax Powers as Devolution Reshapes Short Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/england-tourist-tax-mayors-short-term-rentals/): The era of tax-free hosting in England is drawing to a close as the government prepares to hand metro mayors the statutory power to levy local visitor charges. (World, September 10, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [The Scottish Bookshop Let That Proves Guests Will Pay to Work Your Shift](https://staygazette.com/news/scotland-bookshop-airbnb-experiential-rentals/): A tiny bookstore in Wigtown challenges everything we know about hosting. Inside the high-margin world of sweat-equity tourism and the regulatory maze of modern Scotland. (Design, September 10, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [Extortion Rings Threaten Ruinous Reviews for Cash Refunds](https://staygazette.com/news/review-extortion-platforms-short-term-rental/): Predatory guests are exploiting platform safety policies, fabricating severe hazards, and forcing professional hosts to pay cash refunds or face ruinous listing suspensions. (Exposed, September 9, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Google Strips Rates and Dates from EU Travel Search in Antitrust Retreat](https://staygazette.com/news/google-strips-eu-travel-search/): Under pressure from Brussels, the search giant has gutted live pricing and date filters from European hotel and vacation rental results, handing control back to OTAs. (Markets, September 9, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The Retro Liquidation: Why BC's $1.8M Themed Mansion Signals the End of Algorithmic Design Arbitrage](https://staygazette.com/news/bc-retro-mansion-regulatory-liquidation/): As British Columbia's strict principal-residence rules choke off commercial short-term rentals, highly stylized properties are hitting the block. Here is why the design-first investment model is facing a brutal reality c (Design, September 9, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [Thailand Bans Daily Rentals but Looks the Other Way on Platforms](https://staygazette.com/news/thailand-hotel-act-short-term-rentals-airbnb/): Thai law makes stays under thirty days illegal without a hotel license. Yet platforms thrive, towers fill with lockboxes, and enforcement strikes like lightning. (World, September 8, 2026, by Tomás Ferreira)
- [Tokyo Hotspot Bans Short-Term Rentals as Tourist Surge Overwhelms Ward Streets](https://staygazette.com/news/tokyo-tourist-hotspot-bans-short-term-rentals/): A premier Tokyo destination cuts off short-term rentals following a spike in neighborhood complaints, exposing the fragile truce between municipal power and global platforms. (Crackdown, September 8, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [The European Guillotine: Inside the Leaked EU Affordable Housing Act](https://staygazette.com/news/eu-affordable-housing-act-str-leak/): A leaked draft of the EU Affordable Housing Act reveals Brussels plans to dismantle the legal defenses of short-term rentals, giving cities total power to clear inventory. (Platforms, September 8, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Every Pool Has the Same Flamingo Now](https://staygazette.com/news/who-put-the-flamingo-in-the-pool/): The inflatable pink bird is the default hero shot of the short-term-rental web. One agency says it put it there first. In the agentic era, that claim is both plausible and impossible to prove. (Viral, September 7, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [Airbnb Hires Booking Veteran Pepijn Rijvers as Chief Business Officer](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-appoints-pepijn-rijvers-chief-business-officer/): By handing Homes, Hotels, and Enterprise to a thirteen-year Booking veteran, Brian Chesky signals that the era of homespun hosting has formally surrendered to distribution. (Platforms, September 7, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [New York Short-Term Rentals Plummet 85 Percent Following Local Law 18 Crackdown](https://staygazette.com/news/new-york-short-term-rental-crackdown-collapse/): A year after the implementation of the city's aggressive registration system, the short-term-rental market in the five boroughs has been almost entirely dismantled. (Crackdown, September 7, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Vrbo’s Global Sponsored Listings Just Killed the Organic Meritocracy](https://staygazette.com/news/vrbo-sponsored-listings-global-rollout/): Expedia Group is bringing the pay-to-play model to vacation rentals worldwide. Prepare for a margin-crushing bidding war where the mega-managers hold all the cards. (Platforms, September 6, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [The End of the Scarcity War: Why the STR Industry Must Now Fix Dying Towns](https://staygazette.com/news/str-depopulation-scattered-hotels-japan-italy/): For a decade, the short-term rental debate was defined by housing shortages. Now, the industry is being asked to absorb millions of empty homes in shrinking regions. (Markets, September 6, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [The Single Feature That Drives Listings Viral](https://staygazette.com/news/viral-listing-single-feature/): Forget scattered upgrades. The short-term rental market's new arbiters are algorithms, and they demand a singular, jaw-dropping visual hook that sells itself in three seconds flat. (Viral, September 5, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [The Mirror Cabin Disappears Into the Treeline and the Balance Sheet](https://staygazette.com/news/mirror-cabin-design-costs-realities/): Mirrored glass structures generate massive social media saves and high average daily rates, but operational realities like bird strikes and thermal load threaten returns. (Design, September 5, 2026, by Wren Calloway)
- [Booking.com Virtual Credit Card Delays Are Wrecking Host Cash Flow](https://staygazette.com/news/booking-virtual-credit-card-cash-flow-delay/): The platform holds the money, issues high-fee virtual cards at checkout, and leaves professional property managers to shoulder transaction costs and liquidity risks. (Platforms, September 5, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [The Revolt Begins: Folly Beach Hosts File Class-Action Over Permit Fees](https://staygazette.com/news/folly-beach-class-action-permit-fees/): The era of pleading at city council meetings is over. Owners in South Carolina are taking the city to court over alleged shadow taxes, and the whole industry is watching. (Crackdown, September 5, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Poland Moves to Hand Neighbors the Power to Ban Short-Term Rentals](https://staygazette.com/news/poland-local-community-short-term-rental-ban/): The Polish government is drafting legislation that allows housing communities and municipalities to outlaw short-term rentals, shifting the battle from city halls to building lobbies. (Crackdown, September 5, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Vrbo Just Lit the Fuse on a Bidding War: Pay Up or Fade Out](https://staygazette.com/news/vrbo-sponsored-listings-bidding-war/): The platform's global rollout of sponsored listings isn't just a new feature; it's a seismic shift, forcing hosts and managers into a brutal pay-to-play battle for visibility. Your wallet just got a new job. (Platforms, September 4, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [AirDNA's AI Gambit: Is The Data Kingpin About To Remake STR Pricing?](https://staygazette.com/news/airdna-ai-revenue-management/): The market intelligence giant just dropped 'Adapt,' an AI-native revenue management system. This isn't just another software launch. It's a shot across the bow that could redefine how every host, manager, and investor ma (The Money, September 2, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Blood on the Strip's Edge: A Killing Shakes Clark County's STR Crackdown](https://staygazette.com/news/clark-county-str-enforcement-killing/): A teenage life cut short at an Airbnb property rocks Las Vegas, forcing Clark County to overhaul its short-term rental enforcement. The party's over, and the industry is on notice. (Exposed, September 2, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Milford's STR Embrace: Is the Regulatory Pendulum Swinging Back?](https://staygazette.com/news/milford-str-council-backing-implications/): A single council's decision to 'back' short-term rentals in Milford might seem small, but in the brutal, high-stakes war for the industry's future, every local battle signals a potential shift in the tide. STR NEWS digs  (Markets, September 1, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Airbnb's Fee Bombshell: The Hidden Play to Crush Direct Bookings](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-fee-bombshell-direct-bookings/): The short-term rental giant is testing lower fees for hosts who bring their own guests, a move that looks like a gift but is really a calculated strike against the burgeoning direct booking movement. Unpack the cunning s (Platforms, August 31, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Airbnb's Latest Fee Shockwave: Hosts Fume as Platform Tightens Its Grip](https://staygazette.com/news/airbnb-fee-shockwave-hosts-fume/): Another shift in how Airbnb charges for its services has hosts seeing red. This isn't just about a few percentage points; it's a battle for your bottom line and the future of the STR industry. (Platforms, August 23, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [IDAHO SUPREME COURT SMASHES CITY'S STR BAN: A LANDMARK WIN FOR PROPERTY RIGHTS](https://staygazette.com/news/idaho-str-ban-overturned/): The highest court in Idaho just delivered a seismic blow to municipal overreach, striking down an outright ban on non-owner-occupied short-term rentals. This isn't just a local victory; it's a battle cry for hosts nation (The Money, August 22, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Rhode Island’s 'Swift Tax' Lawsuit Ignites New Front in STR War](https://staygazette.com/news/rhode-island-swift-tax-lawsuit/): A lawsuit over Rhode Island's so-called 'Taylor Swift Tax' is more than a local spat. It’s a chilling signal to every host and manager: cities are coming for your event-driven profits, and the legal battles are just begi (The Money, August 22, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)
- [Folly Beach Declares All-Out War: Moratorium Hits After Court Ruling, Industry Reels](https://staygazette.com/news/folly-beach-str-moratorium-appeal/): The battle for control of short-term rentals just claimed another beachhead. Folly Beach's council is appealing a court loss and slamming the door shut on new STRs. This isn't just a local fight; it's a chilling signal f (Crackdown, August 21, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Vegas Plays Hardball: Cities Are Done Chasing Hosts, Now They're Coming for Airbnb](https://staygazette.com/news/vegas-fines-platforms-unlicensed-ads/): The Wild West is over. Las Vegas is poised to fine platforms for unlicensed listings, signaling a brutal new chapter where cities put the burden of enforcement squarely on tech giants. This isn't just Vegas; it's a natio (Exposed, August 21, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [FOLLY BEACH SHUTS DOWN NEW STRs: A Coastal Town's War on Rentals Heats Up](https://staygazette.com/news/folly-beach-str-permit-freeze/): The battle over short-term rentals takes a dramatic turn on Folly Beach, as local officials move to appeal a key court ruling and freeze new permits for years. This isn't just about one small town; it’s a blueprint for t (Crackdown, August 20, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Vrbo Just Lit the Fuse: The Great Pay-to-Play War for Listing Visibility Has Begun](https://staygazette.com/news/vrbo-sponsored-listings-pay-to-play/): The short-term rental giant's new 'Sponsored Listings' aren't just a feature; they're a tectonic shift, forcing hosts to buy their way to the top and irrevocably changing how guests find their next stay. Get ready for a  (Platforms, August 19, 2026, by Jesse Kohl)
- [Barcelona Drops the Hammer: A Total Ban on Airbnb-Style Rentals. This Changes Everything.](https://staygazette.com/news/barcelona-total-str-ban/): The short-term rental industry just got a gut punch from Barcelona, announcing a complete ban on all tourist apartments. This isn't just a warning shot; it's a declaration of war that will echo across every major city. (Crackdown, August 19, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [Clark County Unleashes Legal Bomb on Airbnb, Vrbo: The War for Vegas STR Just Got Personal](https://staygazette.com/news/clark-county-unleashes-legal-bomb/): Vegas regulators just voted to ban platforms from processing bookings for unlicensed short-term rentals, unleashing a legal and operational nightmare for hosts and a potential earthquake for the entire industry. (Crackdown, August 19, 2026, by Marcus Dane)
- [INSURANCE BOMB DROPS: Your Airbnb Listing Just Canceled Your Homeowner's Policy](https://staygazette.com/news/insurance-bomb-drops-airbnb-claims/): The nightmare scenario for every short-term rental host is no longer a 'what if' but a brutal reality. Insurers are lurking, ready to deny claims when you need them most, and ignorance is no defense. (The Money, August 18, 2026, by Dana Whitfield)

## Latest briefs
- US vacation rental managers expect revenue growth in 2027: A majority of professional vacation rental managers in the United States anticipate financial growth in 2027, according to KeyData's 2027 Vacation Rental Industry Outlook survey. The data shows that 76.8% of US property 
- Simpson Travel acquires South France Villas in luxury expansion: UK-based luxury tour operator Simpson Travel has acquired villa rental company South France Villas, according to ShortTermRentalz. The acquisition expands Simpson Travel's portfolio of high-end accommodations across sout
- Booking.com drops external rate parity in European Economic Area: Booking.com has removed its last link to external pricing for properties within the European Economic Area, according to PriceLabs. The change means the platform will no longer enforce rate parity clauses that restrict h
- Short-term rentals surge nearly 182 percent in Matagorda: Short-term rental listings in Matagorda have experienced a rapid increase, surging by nearly 182%, according to a report by The Bay City Tribune. The sharp rise highlights a significant shift in the local lodging market 
- Mandarin Oriental adds 12 properties to luxury home portfolio: Mandarin Oriental Exceptional Homes has expanded its global footprint to 43 properties across 18 destinations, according to Hospitality Net. The luxury brand added 12 new homes in Croatia, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Thail
- White Rainbow deploys Mews to scale boutique hotel portfolio: Boutique hotel portfolio White Rainbow has deployed Mews property management, revenue management, and Flexkeeping systems across its eight properties. According to Hospitality Net, the brand operates across the Adirondac
- Largo Moves to Rein in Problem Vacation Rentals: The city of Largo is taking action to regulate problematic vacation rentals within its borders. Local officials are moving forward with measures designed to curb disruptive guest behavior and address ongoing neighborhood
- Lauderdale Boutique Hotel Switches to Paid Pricing Tool: The Lauderdale, a 17-room boutique hotel in Fort Lauderdale, achieved a 12% lift in revenue per available room after switching to Pricepoint. The property chose to pay for the pricing software despite previously having a
- What Hosts Need to Know About Service Animal Policies: Vacation rental hosts must navigate specific service animal policies on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. According to guidelines, hosts are required to accommodate service animals and are limited in what they can ask gues
- Flanigan's Resort Boosts Ancillary Revenue by 57 Percent: Flanigan's Resort & Spa, located near Zion National Park, increased its ancillary revenue by 57% during its first year of using Canary's Guest Management System. The property achieved the financial growth by implementing
- Tokyo Ward Expands Short-Term Rental Restrictions: A local ward in Tokyo has expanded its restrictions on short-term rentals. The move introduces tighter regulations on vacation rentals within the district, limiting the days and locations where hosts can operate. Local a
- West Hartford Homeowners Sue Town Over Airbnb Restrictions: Homeowners in West Hartford have filed a lawsuit against the town after local officials blocked them from operating an Airbnb near the Rockledge Golf Club. The legal dispute arose when neighbors pushed back against the s
- Albuquerque Hotel Rates Hit Record Highs for Balloon Fiesta: Hotel rates in Albuquerque reached their highest levels ever during the 2026 International Balloon Fiesta. Room prices peaked at an average of $265 per week during the event, representing a 10% increase compared to the p
- Santa Barbara Council Votes to Ban Short-Term Rentals: The Santa Barbara City Council has voted to ban short-term rentals across most neighborhoods in the city. The decision follows years of debate regarding the impact of vacation rentals on local housing stock and neighborh
- Branded residences supply triples globally over a decade: The global supply of branded residences has tripled over the last ten years, reaching more than 900 active developments. According to industry data, another 835 projects are currently in the pipeline. Dubai, Miami, and N
- Nocturne Luxury Villas acquires Luxury Simplified Retreats: Nocturne Luxury Villas has expanded its high-end hospitality portfolio by acquiring Luxury Simplified Retreats. Founded in 2012, the acquired operator manages coastal villas in South Carolina. The deal brings the total N
- PriceLabs launches AI revenue analyst Athena: PriceLabs has launched a new artificial intelligence revenue analyst named Athena. According to the company, the tool is designed to monitor listings specifically for short-term rental revenue management teams, helping t
- Landing report highlights traveler demand for flexible long stays: A new report from Landing reveals that nearly three-quarters of surveyed travelers feel current accommodations for longer stays do not meet their needs. The findings highlight a growing demand for more flexible, diverse 
- Pavilion launches with 5,000 homes and major institutional backing: A new short-term rental brand named Pavilion has officially launched with a portfolio of 5,000 homes. The launch is backed by institutional investors TZP, HPS, and Capital Dynamics. The substantial initial inventory and 
- AI adoption quadruples among small short-term rental hosts: A study by PriceLabs reveals that 58% of small short-term rental hosts globally now use artificial intelligence to manage their properties. This represents a significant increase from 2025, when only 14% of small hosts r