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Greek government set to increase daily taxes for STRs and hotels
Reading Time: 2 minutesGreece: The Greek parliament has approved a bill that will increase a daily tax on short-term rentals and hotels in the country, as well as charge a levy for cruise ship visitors, in a bid to reduce over-tourism and address the impact of natural disasters on its economy.
Tuesday 11 March [4pm GMT] – AI in Hospitality: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Future of Guest Communication [In partnership with Dharma]
Reading Time: < 1 minuteHosted by STRz editor Paul Stevens In partnership with Dharma Advances in AI technology offer PMs a huge opportunity to streamline and improve their guest communications. The webinar covers : How to connect in ways that feel personal, meaningful and efficient Creating experiences that your guests will remember and tell other about How to choose the […]
Lighthouse notches $370m in Series C funding round
Reading Time: 2 minutesUK / Belgium: Lighthouse, a commercial intelligence platform for the travel and hospitality industry, has announced that it has closed a $370 million growth investment [Series C funding] round.
Journey to launch curated loyalty programme for STRs and hotels
Reading Time: 4 minutesUSA: Curated travel rewards platform Journey has launched to redefine loyalty in the travel sector, as it plans to launch a points-based loyalty programme in spring 2025.
District Show 2024: Olala Homes CEO Ittai Savran
Reading Time: < 1 minuteSpain: Olala Homes CEO Ittai Savran speaks to STRz at the District Show in Barcelona about his company’s unique business model, the latest guest booking trends, and how Olala Homes is navigating the regulatory landscape.
Review: Urban Living Festival takes hospitality insights to next level
Reading Time: 4 minutesUK: The 2024 Urban Living Festival offered a comprehensive overview of the current trends and challenges shaping the hospitality and real estate sectors.
STRz spotlight: Alertify co-founder Gareth Rhodes Q&A
Reading Time: 5 minutesUS / South Africa: Gareth Rhodes, co-founder of Alertify, speaks to STRz about the company’s new WelcomeLink product, streamlining compliance with state regulations, and his reaction to Airbnb’s pledges to verify more listings worldwide and its global ban on the use of indoor security cameras at its listings.
Valpas raises €4m in seed funding for bedbug solution
Reading Time: 2 minutesFinland: Helsinki-based pest control startup Valpas has announced that it recently raised €4 million in a seed funding round to scale its solution in Europe.
Directo emerges from stealth with $1m pre-seed funding
Reading Time: 2 minutesSpain: Directo, a Chrome extension that helps travellers find the best commission-free accommodation deals for short-term rentals and hotels, has emerged from stealth mode and announced a $1 million pre-seed round fundraise.
Otamiser secures $3m in funding to drive global expansion
Reading Time: 3 minutesBelgium: Otamiser, which claims to be the world’s first online travel agency [OTA] ranking management platform, has raised $3 million USD [€2.8 million / £2.36 million] in its first funding round.