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Booking Holdings launches Vayo AI travel agent
Reading Time: 2 minutesUS: Booking Holdings has launched AI travel startup Vayo and plans to invest up to $100 million in the business, subject to its continued development and market conditions.
[Interview] Booking.com on AI, changing guest expectations and the value of OTAs
Reading Time: < 1 minuteWorldwide: Booking.com’s Carlo Olejniczak speaks to STRz about the future of AI-led travel distribution, guest expectations and how OTAs demonstrate their value to property managers.
HostUplift adds Sykes distribution for UK and Ireland portfolio
Reading Time: 2 minutesUK: Short-term rental management company HostUplift has partnered with Sykes Holiday Cottages to provide eligible properties in the UK and Ireland with an additional booking channel.
Booking.com research links payment choice to booking conversion
Reading Time: 2 minutesUK: Almost two-thirds of accommodation professionals say they have seen guests abandon bookings when their preferred payment method was unavailable, according to new research from Booking.com.
EU court upholds veto of Booking’s €1.63bn ETraveli deal
Reading Time: < 1 minuteEurope: Booking Holdings has lost its legal challenge against the European Commission’s decision to block its proposed €1.63 billion acquisition of flight booking company ETraveli Group.
Airbnb appoints Pepijn Rijvers as chief business officer
Reading Time: 2 minutesUS: Airbnb has appointed former Tripadvisor and Booking.com executive Pepijn Rijvers as chief business officer, with responsibility for its Homes, Hotels, Global Markets and Enterprise Operations divisions.
UK short-term rental rates rise as late-summer occupancy softens
Reading Time: 2 minutesUK: Average daily rates for short-term rentals are pacing ahead of last year for August and September, although lower forward occupancy is expected to leave revenue per available rental slightly behind 2025 levels, according to Key Data.
Investigation finds Airbnb and Booking.com listings in Bucharest earthquake-risk buildings
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRomania: More than 200 short-term rental properties are reportedly being advertised on Airbnb and Booking.com in Bucharest despite being located in buildings where holiday letting is prohibited because of severe earthquake risk.
Booking.com-exclusive listings reshape view of global STR markets, AirDNA analysis finds
Reading Time: 2 minutesGlobal: Booking.com-exclusive listings account for a significant share of short-term rental supply and demand in several markets, according to new analysis from AirDNA, highlighting the importance of multi-platform data when assessing market performance.
America250 celebrations boost Fourth of July vacation rental demand, data shows
Reading Time: < 1 minuteUS: Historic destinations across the US are seeing a surge in short-term rental demand ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, with America250 celebrations helping boost bookings beyond FIFA World Cup host cities.