Denver-based property manager Evolve is laying off 20% of its workforce, Skift has learned.
25.08.2023 - 14:31 / skift.com / United Airlines / Edward Russell / Dennis Schaal / Matthew Parsons / Dave Stephenson
Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, December 2. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
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Airbnb has long argued that 90 percent of its active hosts are individuals as opposed to property management companies. But a report has shot down that narrative, forcing the short-term rental giant to defend its longtime claim that the overwhelming majority of its hosts are individuals, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.
When asked about an analytics company report that said only 38 percent of Airbnb hosts offered one listing, an Airbnb spokesperson countered that most of its hosts only share one home. Airbnb Chief Financial Officer Dave Stephenson, as recently as last month, said 90 percent of the company’s hosts are individuals. Schaal writes the issue is important because many Airbnb guests seek a local experience from individual hosts. Those hosts are also aware property managers have gained share in bookings on Airbnb in recent years versus solo hosts, Schaal adds.
Schaal argues that it’s time for Airbnb to be more transparent about the breakdown of host types on the platform, writing that the company labels hosts as individuals in a misleading manner.
Next, companies worldwide are increasingly looking at ways to tap into the remote worker market. But a Nairobi, Kenya-based venture studio has closed its remote working startup after discovering its business model wasn’t meeting its aims, reports Corporate Travel Editor Matthew Parsons in this week’s Future of Work briefing.
Purple Elephant Ventures has shut down Wavel, a platform designed to connect properties with high-end professionals. Purple Elephant, which had raised $1 million for the project, had set up Wavel to showcase African destinations as ideal for remote working. However, Purple Elephant co-founder and CEO Ben Peterson acknowledged Wavel faced challenges with infrastructure and convincing prospective customers they could trust the brand.
Peterson said the demand for remote work has begun to waver. He noted Wavel was unable to find the proper business model. But Peterson added closing Wavel was the right decision because it prevents Purple Elephant from losing money.
Finally, United Airlines will open new pilot bases in Florida and Nevada amid ongoing contract negotiations, reports Edward Russell, editor of Airline Weekly, a Skift brand.
United Director of Flight Crew Resources Zach Shapiro told staff this week that it would open new crew bases in Las Vegas and Orlando next May. Shapiro described the bases as beneficial to pilots, with Florida and Nevada being home to the largest concentrations of United pilots outside of the carrier’s existing bases. United’s
Denver-based property manager Evolve is laying off 20% of its workforce, Skift has learned.
Florence has been at the top of my travel bucket list for years, and this summer I finally crossed it off. It's since made its way to the top of another list of mine—my ranking of favorite cities. The food, the architecture, the rich history, and, of course, the gelato make it a city like no other. What I loved most about Florence was how surprisingly small it is—every restaurant, museum, and tourist attraction I hoped to visit was in walking distance of one another, which made seeing everything I possibly could see during my three-day stay doable. Hoping for an accommodation that was a little more homey and spacious than a hotel, my partner and I booked a gorgeous Airbnb with a private terrace in the heart of Florence.
The late Jimmy Buffett’s popular song “Margaritaville” was based on his time in Key West. Although Margaritaville was a fictional oasis (turned restaurant and resort) where people operated on island time, the Florida Keys is a real-life sanctuary where the sun sets in the west and it's always five o’clock. It's also a great place for a group trip. I hadn’t been on one of this magnitude since my high school marching band and I bombarded the staff at Kalahari. During the week-long vacation with 14 friends, I was most interested in going to the beach, enjoying the pool, and napping in the sun (lathered in sunscreen, of course) without a care in the world.
September 5 was the first day of New York City’s short-term rental registration rules, but the city’s electronic verification system isn’t operational yet, Skift has learned from three sources familiar with the new process.
Hosts of at least 23,000 short-term rentals in New York City are being forced to reevaluate or end their businesses as Airbnb blocks them from making new bookings.
Staying in an Airbnb when visiting Kyoto is a great idea for anyone looking to experience the city like a local. An Airbnb rental gives travelers access to unique neighborhoods and accommodation options that can’t be found elsewhere. Furthermore, many Airbnb rentals are located close to popular tourist attractions, making them ideal for those who want easy access to the area’s must-see sights. These Kyoto Airbnbs showcase the best of the city.
This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Dave Claunch, the owner of the Bloomhouse rental property in Austin, Texas. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
In a second round of cuts since mid-year, property manager AvantStay laid off 144 staffers, about 22 percent of its workforce, according to a published report from Short Term Rentalz.
Airbnb took several steps to ease the process of onboarding new hosts, increased damage protections, and added a half-dozen new search categories, including trending homes and those adapted for wheelchair access.
Despite lots of vacation rental industry talk about making inroads in attracting more direct bookings, a global survey of property managers and individual hosts reported those percentages were stable, if not decelerating.
Building on initiatives that had mixed results in the past, Airbnb is debuting an Airbnb-Friendly Apartments program to enable long-term renters in multifamily buildings where landlords permit it to list their rooms or apartments on Airbnb.
When pressed about an analytics company report that found 38 percent of Airbnb hosts offered only one listing, an Airbnb spokesperson countered this week, without elaboration, that “the vast majority of active Airbnb hosts are sharing just one home as single-listing hosts.”