Wire Weekly: Global Short-Term Rental & Hospitality News

Airbnb has reported its strongest revenue growth in more than three years, but its attempt to influence the future of short-term rentals in Los Angeles has proved considerably less successful.

Meanwhile, the Middle East’s short-term rental sector has suffered a significant setback with the closure of Silkhaus, while Booking Holdings faces a substantial financial charge linked to an FTC investigation.

This week’s roundup also looks at Booking.com’s move into WhatsApp bookings, new research into the economic contribution of vacation rentals and encouraging progress in accessible travel.

Airbnb reports 19% revenue growth and sets sights on AI-powered travel bookings

Airbnb has reported a strong third quarter, with revenue increasing 19% year on year to $4.9 billion, its fastest growth in more than three years.

Gross booking value rose 21% to $27.7 billion, while nights and seats booked increased 16% to 155 million.

Every region recorded double-digit growth, with Latin America and Asia Pacific particularly strong. North America also saw its fastest growth in nights booked for four years.

Airbnb’s results suggest that demand remains resilient despite wider economic uncertainty. The number of first-time bookers increased by 13% year on year, with Gen Z the fastest-growing demographic.

But the company’s ambitions extend considerably further than accommodation.

During its earnings call, CEO Brian Chesky confirmed that Airbnb plans to begin introducing its AI-powered travel agent in the first half of 2027. As reported by PhocusWire, the agent will combine maps, photographs, calendars and itinerary tools to help travellers research and book trips through a personalised interface.

Airbnb is also expanding into hotels, car rentals and additional travel services. Its recently announced partnership with American Express will make more than one million Airbnb listings available through Amex Travel, opening another distribution channel to eligible US cardholders.

What this means for operators: Airbnb’s latest results demonstrate that its core accommodation business is still growing strongly, even as the company invests in becoming a broader travel platform.

For property managers, the development worth watching is how Airbnb intends to influence the entire booking journey. If travellers increasingly use Airbnb to research destinations, compare accommodation and arrange other elements of their trip, the platform could become even more influential in determining which properties guests discover.

Its expansion into hotels and premium travel partnerships also raises questions about how different accommodation types will compete for visibility within the same marketplace.

Airbnb spends more than $6 million on LA elections, but its preferred candidates lose

Airbnb’s financial performance may be impressive, but its political influence has faced a significant setback in Los Angeles.

According to reporting by LAist, Airbnb spent more than $6 million supporting candidates in the city’s mayoral and city attorney elections, only to see both of its preferred candidates defeated.

The company directed more than $4.1 million towards groups supporting incumbent mayor Karen Bass and a further $2.1 million towards city attorney candidate John McKinney.

Bass conceded defeat to Nithya Raman, while Marissa Roy won the city attorney race against John McKinney.

The election results are particularly significant because Los Angeles is preparing to host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, when demand for visitor accommodation is expected to increase considerably.

Under existing city regulations, short-term rentals are generally restricted to an owner’s primary residence. Airbnb has been lobbying to allow second homes to be rented during the Games, arguing that additional accommodation will be needed to meet visitor demand.

Raman has opposed relaxing the rules and has indicated that she intends to strengthen enforcement of existing STR regulations.

The incoming city attorney could also take a tougher approach towards platforms and illegal listings. Roy will inherit an ongoing lawsuit against Airbnb relating to alleged price gouging during the Los Angeles wildfires.

What this means for operators: Los Angeles illustrates how closely short-term rental regulation has become tied to local politics.

Airbnb’s substantial campaign spending did not deliver the electoral outcomes it wanted, and the city’s next administration appears unlikely to support a broad relaxation of existing restrictions.

For operators hoping to benefit from demand surrounding the 2028 Olympics, the outcome is particularly relevant. Additional visitor demand does not necessarily mean authorities will permit more short-term rental accommodation.

It also demonstrates the limits of platform-led lobbying when housing concerns and neighbourhood opposition are central to an election campaign.

Dubai STR operator Silkhaus to close as regional conflict hits tourism

Dubai-based short-term rental operator Silkhaus has announced it will cease operations at the end of November 2026, citing the impact of ongoing regional conflict on tourism and hospitality across the Gulf.

Founded in 2021, Silkhaus had raised more than $10 million in equity and debt funding and built a technology-led property management business across the UAE, with ambitions to expand into Saudi Arabia.

The closure comes amid a difficult period for Dubai’s tourism sector. According to Skift’s reporting, international visitor arrivals fell 44% during the first eight months of 2026, while AirDNA figures show short-term rental bookings for November running 37.5% behind last year. Reduced international flight capacity is adding further pressure.

Silkhaus was also among the companies represented in SCALE’s recent Abu Dhabi webinar, making its closure particularly disappointing news for an industry looking towards the Middle East for future growth.

What this means for operators: Silkhaus’s closure illustrates how quickly external events can affect even well-funded property management businesses. Falling international demand creates particular difficulties for operators managing significant fixed costs, especially when there is little certainty about when tourism will recover.

For operators across the Gulf, the immediate concern is how prolonged disruption will affect bookings, revenue and the financial sustainability of their portfolios.

Booking Holdings takes $900 million revenue hit linked to FTC investigation

Booking Holdings has recorded a $900 million reduction in third-quarter reported revenue and a separate $100 million accrued loss relating to a US Federal Trade Commission investigation involving its Priceline subsidiary.

The investigation concerns Priceline’s relationship with Guest Reservations, a third-party booking website supplied with hotel inventory through Priceline Partner Solutions.

Regulators have been examining allegations involving advertising disclosures, fees, customer support and billing practices. The concern centres on whether consumers were misled by booking websites that appeared to represent hotels directly.

The financial impact was substantial. Booking Holdings reported third-quarter revenue of approximately $8.89 billion, down 1% year on year, despite continued booking activity across its platforms.

As Reuters reported, the company had previously disclosed that the FTC was considering legal action against Priceline and an affiliate, with discussions underway to resolve the matter.

What this means for operators: This case highlights a problem that accommodation providers have been dealing with for years: third-party websites that advertise properties in ways that can make it difficult for guests to identify who they are actually booking with.

For property managers distributing through multiple channels, it is worth understanding where their inventory ultimately appears, particularly when booking platforms supply accommodation to affiliate partners.

Misleading advertising or unexpected fees can damage guest confidence long before the traveller arrives at the property, even when the operator had no involvement in how the accommodation was marketed.

The investigation also places greater attention on the responsibilities of major distribution platforms for the businesses and affiliates using their inventory.

Booking introduces WhatsApp bookings in India

Booking is testing a new approach to travel distribution by allowing customers in India to make accommodation bookings through WhatsApp.

The company is also considering integrations with other widely used messaging platforms, including Kakao in South Korea, WeChat in China and LINE.

Speaking to Skift, Laura Houldsworth, Booking’s Asia-Pacific managing director, explained that the strategy is based on reaching travellers through applications they already use regularly, rather than expecting them to adopt another platform.

As Hospitality.today reports, Booking believes its established payment infrastructure, customer service and extensive review database give travellers the confidence to complete transactions through these channels.

India is a particularly relevant testing ground, given the widespread use of WhatsApp for business communications and the popularity of local payment methods.

However, the precise booking process remains unclear. Booking.com has not confirmed whether transactions are completed entirely within WhatsApp or whether customers are redirected to its own booking environment.

The development comes as other travel companies experiment with messaging-based services, including Accor’s AI concierge and Expedia’s involvement with Meta’s WhatsApp assistant.

What this means for operators: Many independent accommodation businesses already market to and communicate with prospective guests through WhatsApp, particularly in markets where messaging is preferred to email.

The difficulty often comes when an enquiry needs to become a confirmed booking. Guests may have to leave the conversation, open a booking engine and complete payment elsewhere.

Booking.com’s approach recognises that reducing those extra steps could improve conversion.

For operators developing their direct booking strategies, it raises a practical question: how easy is it for someone who contacts your business through WhatsApp to check availability, receive a price and complete a secure booking?

The opportunity is not simply to respond faster, but to make the booking process easier without requiring guests to move repeatedly between channels.

The STR Industry in Brief

Becoming rentABLE recognised for making accessible travel possible

Accessible travel platform Becoming rentABLE has been featured among Condé Nast Traveller’s Bright Ideas in Travel 2026, recognising its work to make short-term rental accommodation more accessible to travellers with disabilities.

Founded by Lorraine Woodward after struggling to find suitable accommodation for her own family, the platform now has approximately 1,200 verified accessible properties across all 50 US states. Each listing is assessed against specific accessibility requirements, helping travellers book with greater confidence.

With fewer than 1% of US short-term rentals estimated to be wheelchair accessible, according to figures highlighted by Becoming rentABLE, the company is addressing a substantial gap in accommodation provision.

New VRMA study examines vacation rentals’ contribution to Cape Cod and Nantucket

A new economic impact study commissioned by the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) and conducted by Tourism Economics examines the contribution of professionally managed vacation rentals to Cape Cod and Nantucket.

According to the study, short-term vacation rentals account for around half of all lodging expenditure in the region. For every $100 spent on accommodation, guests spend approximately another $100 at local restaurants, shops and other businesses.

The research also examines the housing debate, finding that short-term rentals represent no more than one in ten homes in the areas studied. It points to second-home demand and limited development opportunities as additional factors influencing affordability.

The findings provide useful evidence for discussions about STR regulation, although they should be considered alongside the particular housing conditions of each destination.

KeyData: Most US ski markets are pacing ahead for winter 2026–27

New analysis from KeyData shows short-term rental revenue pacing ahead of last year in 14 of 19 major US ski destinations for the coming winter season.

Taos in New Mexico leads the early figures, with adjusted revenue per available rental night (RevPAR) up 88%, followed by Killington, Vermont (+68%) and Heavenly, California (+49%).

However, the picture varies considerably. Five markets, all in the Rocky Mountains, are currently pacing behind last year, including Steamboat Springs (-13.5%) and Park City (-11.9%).

Much of the growth is being driven by stronger occupancy rather than higher nightly rates. KeyData also cautions that some impressive percentage increases are coming from relatively low booking levels, with a substantial proportion of the winter season still available to book.

Hospitable adds inventory tracking and credit card payments to Tasks

Hospitable has expanded its Tasks platform with inventory management and credit card payments for property teams.

The new inventory feature allows cleaners and other team members to update stock levels while working at a property, automatically flagging supplies that need replacing. Costs can then be allocated to the relevant property and included in owner statements, reducing the need for separate spreadsheets and receipt reconciliation.

Managers in the US can also pay cleaning teams by credit card, helping with cash flow when operational expenses fall due before guest payments arrive.

Inventory management is available on Hospitable’s Host, Professional and Mogul plans, while credit card teammate payments are currently limited to the US.

Have a story the STR industry should be paying attention to?

Whether it’s a regulatory development, new research, an industry initiative or something changing the way property managers operate, we’d love to hear about it.

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