Industry Trends

Most trend content is entertainment. This category holds itself to a harder standard: if a shift doesn't change what a host should do next quarter, it doesn't get written up. What's left is a short list of changes that are already moving bookings, rates, and rules — and what to do about each one while it's still early. Every guide follows the same discipline: here's the shift, here's the evidence, here's what to change if your market or property sits in its path.

Regulation leads, because nothing reshapes a market faster. The 2026 review of US short-term rental rules tracks where cities tightened and where states pushed back, and the global companion covers what tightening regulation means for property owners everywhere. If your market shows up in either guide, they come first — everything else can wait a week. Rules rarely announce themselves twice.

The demand side gets equal time: the rise of the experiential stay and the premium guests happily pay for it, the eco-luxury playbook and how sustainability quietly commands a higher rate, why boutique hotels keep winning against generic listings — and what hosts should copy from them before their competitors do. There's also the bigger-picture piece on seven trends reshaping the industry through 2026, and a look at why real estate agents keep adding short-term rentals to their practice.

Trends are only useful with a map underneath. Read these alongside the market intelligence guides for your specific city, and consider the free regulation alerts on our data hub if you'd rather hear about rule changes from an email than from a fine.