Sarah · Jun 30, 2026 · 2 min read
The "Airbnb by default" era is ending for short trips, couples, and business travelers. Here's why travelers are returning to hotels — and what STR operators need to do to compete.
Spain's record €64M fine against Airbnb for 65,000 unlicensed listings ends the era of "the platform handles compliance." Here's what STR operators need to do.
Booking.com's Smart Messenger and Auto-Reply, paired with recency-weighted review scoring, have quietly reshaped what it takes to rank. Here's what operators need to do.
Airbnb retired its Strict cancellation policy, added a mandatory 24-hour free cancellation window, and launched dynamic policies. Here's what changed for hosts and how to adapt.
Airbnb systematically reshaped the economics of hosting in 2025 — cancellation shifts, BNPL, payout reversals, a 15.5% host-only fee, and a direct-booking crackdown. Here's the full picture and what to do.