Wire Weekly: Global short-term rental & hospitality news

This week’s headlines show that the short-term rental industry is continuing to grow, but the competitive landscape around it is becoming broader and more complex.

From corporate travel distribution and Airbnb’s push into hotels and experiences to continued global booking growth and new AI compliance requirements in Europe, operators are being challenged to think beyond traditional STR channels and prepare for a market where technology, regulation and competition increasingly shape performance.

Short-term rentals gain access to corporate travel distribution in France

TrustedStays has recently launched its new corporate accommodation platform in France following a partnership with Amadeus and newfound access to the Global Distribution System (GDS).

This means that property managers now have access to corporate demand and use outside of traditional online channels used for STRs.

Though the company plans on expanding into other international markets in the future, the decision to start with France is due to the demand amongst their customers and the market itself.

The move is another example of professionally managed short-term rental inventory becoming more integrated into traditional business travel infrastructure, giving operators the opportunity to compete more directly with hotels for corporate and extended-stay guests.

What this means for operators: Property managers should begin thinking beyond Airbnb, Booking.com and direct bookings when evaluating their distribution strategy. Access to the GDS can create new opportunities with corporate travellers, travel management companies and longer-stay business demand, but operators will also need to meet higher expectations around availability accuracy, service consistency, pricing and operational reliability.

Airbnb turns to Tripadvisor to accelerate its Experiences strategy

Airbnb is taking another step in expanding the experience side of booking and is partnering with TripAdvisor to expand the available choices for travellers.

The company began adding in experience options in 2016, but has significantly increased its focus on the category this year as it looks to capture more of the overall trip beyond accommodation.

Tripadvisor itself has around 425,000 experiences available globally, though it is not yet known how many of those will be listed through Airbnb.

The partnership allows Airbnb to scale its Experiences inventory more quickly without having to build all of that supply independently, while also strengthening its position as a platform for the entire travel journey rather than just the stay.

What this means for operators: Property managers should expect major booking platforms to continue expanding beyond accommodation and into activities, services and other parts of the guest journey. Operators that already work with local tour providers, attractions or service partners may want to strengthen those relationships and consider how they can create their own ancillary revenue opportunities before more of that guest spend is captured directly by the OTAs.

Airbnb’s hotel inventory is growing three times faster than homes

Airbnb held its second quarter earnings call last week and revealed that its hotel inventory is growing three times faster than homes.

The company has been conducting high levels of outreach for hotels, and it has led to more being listed and others wanting to list.

This is exemplified through their partnership with Lark, who has added over 75 hotel properties to the platform across the U.S. and Mexico.

The growth signals Airbnb’s continued push beyond its traditional short-term rental base and toward becoming a broader accommodation marketplace where hotels and vacation rentals compete for the same traveller.

What this means for operators: Property managers should expect competition on Airbnb to continue increasing as more hotels enter the platform. This could put additional pressure on visibility, pricing and conversion, particularly in markets where hotels and STRs already compete closely for the same guests. Operators will need to focus more heavily on differentiation, strong listing content, guest experience and value to stand out as Airbnb expands the range of accommodation available to travellers.

Global STR bookings projected to reach $270.6 billion by 2029

The short-term rental industry is going through a period of adjustments and realignments globally. In 2025, gross bookings across STRs reached $219.9 billion according to a Phocuswright report.

This number is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% through the next three years, resulting in an expected $270.6 billion in gross bookings by 2029.

These numbers are being affected by many forces, but the main ones are enforcement of new regulations, scrutiny on compliance and reshaping supply across some of the most in-demand markets across the globe.

The result is an industry that is continuing to expand, but with greater pressure on operators to become more professional, compliant and differentiated.

What this means for operators: Operators should not assume that overall industry growth will translate directly into stronger individual performance. As regulations tighten and competition increases, success will depend more heavily on compliance, operational consistency, brand trust, distribution strategy and the ability to adapt to changing traveller behaviour. Managers that invest in stronger systems and professional standards will be better positioned to capture their share of the industry’s continued growth.

EU AI Act creates new compliance obligations for travel companies

Europe has become known for the strict regulations that short-term rentals are facing in different countries and areas, but now each of these places within the EU are under the blanket of the EU AI Act.

This new law is cracking down on transparency, pricing, marketing, customer service, and hiring within the industry.

One of the main points of the act is that any use of AI has to be clearly labelled and identifiable, whether it is content or assistance in the form of answering questions, booking, or other parts of the marketing or selection process.

The legislation also prohibits the use of AI for discriminatory pricing and some employment decisions. Companies that violate these regulations could face penalties and fines of up to 3% of global turnover.

As AI becomes more embedded across hospitality technology, compliance will increasingly extend beyond the property itself and into the systems operators use every day.

What this means for operators: Property managers using AI for guest messaging, pricing, marketing, content creation, recruiting or other operational functions will need a clearer understanding of how those tools are being used and what disclosures may be required. Operators should begin reviewing their technology stack and vendor relationships to identify where AI is involved, particularly in customer-facing interactions or automated decision-making. As adoption accelerates, AI governance and compliance will become another important part of running a professional short-term rental business.

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Want the practical take? Sab Mulligan breaks down what the EU’s new AI transparency rules mean for property managers using AI in guest communication, including the non-negotiables operators need to understand. 🎬 Watch Sab’s video on LinkedIn.

Have a story the industry should be paying attention to? If you’re seeing regulation changes, market shifts, operator trends, new technology, or community-led initiatives across short-term rentals, serviced accommodation, or hospitality, send it to [email protected] for possible inclusion in a future WIRE Weekly roundup.