US: Kimberly Miles, the president and CEO of the Vacation Rental Management Association [VRMA] – the largest vacation rental association in the United States – has departed her role, it was announced last week.
There was initial confusion around her departure, but sources close to the VRMA board have since told STRz that Miles was offered the opportunity to resign from her position. No details have yet been provided about a successor.
In a recent StraightFireVRย podcast hosted by VTrips CEO Steve Milo, with guests including Amber Carpenter [SVP of product and marketing, VTrips] and Scott Leggat [director – government affairs and advocacy, Inhabit IQ], however, Milo suggested that Miles had been “fired” due to “poor attendance at the New Orleans VRMA Spring, VRMA Houston and VRMA Europe events” and that some vendors were considering boycotts of future VRMA events.
STRz has approached the VRMA for comment.
Founded in 1985, the VRMA has built up a reputation as an international, professional trade association for the short-term and vacation rental industries. The association’s membership includes short-term rental property management companies, individual property managers and hosts, industry suppliers and other allied organisations such as destination marketing organisations [DMOs] and convention and visitor bureaus.
According to the association’s website, the VRMA member community has grown to “more than 1,200 companies representing more than 27,000 vacation and holiday rental professionals from diverse backgrounds, locations and specialties”. The VRMA organises conferences for the industry throughout the year, including its flagship VRMA International Conference, which is held every October in a different US city.
Miles previously served as senior vice president, operations at the American Hotel & Lodging Association before joining the VRMA three years ago. Under her tenure, the VRMA launched a membership category for individual hosts, although it has also faced criticism in that time for supposedly falling behind on industry trends, confirming speakers at short notice for its events, and struggling to provide value to members.
