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Some hosts and managers are scaling up, scooping up multiple residences and creating mini-hospitality empires.
Analytics site AirDNA aggregated locations across the United States. These “professional hosts” make up the majority and are the designation given to host IDs with 20 or more listings on Airbnb or Vrbo.
In the 15 U.S. towns and cities identified by AirDNA, more than 50% of short-term rental properties across the booking site were managed by large portfolio hosts.
Many of the locations with professional hosts are regional vacation hubs, such as Oregon’s seaside towns of Lincoln City and Newport, and New Mexico’s ski resort of Ruidoso.
For example, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, a popular ski area, more than 60% of the town’s short-term rental inventory is managed by professional hosts.
Some of these places include; There was a strict crackdown on short-term rentals. In 2022, Steamboat Springs imposed a 9% tax on short-term rental owners over concerns that the inventory of affordable housing for local workers is dwindling. In 2023, the town created a red zone where new short-term rental permits are prohibited. According to local radio station KUNC.
Steamboat Springs’ restrictions prompted mixed reactions. According to KUNC, some homeowners in the new red zones said they would lose significant income if they were unable to rent out their properties.
Others celebrated even more, the newspaper reported.
“It’s been really nice,” Steamboat Springs resident Tori Wodnik told KUNC about living in the new red zone. “We have several new neighbors who work full-time year-round. They are part of our neighborhood, part of our community, living here, working here. Masu.”
AirDNA economist Jamie Lane says new short-term rental hosts should be aware of places like Steamboat Springs that have large amounts of specialized inventory, because it presents both a warning and an opportunity. He said that this is because it comes along with it.
On the other hand, being David facing Goliath means having a host who is a well-oiled machine and a variety of Lane told BI that means they will likely need to compete in different ways. . Professional hosts may also have an advantage in offering discounts or adjusting daily rates to attract more guests.
“We’re not going to outdo the revenue management of some of these companies,” Lane said.
But on the flip side, guest service and communication can help smaller operators stand out from the crowd.
The 15 cities with the highest share of professional Airbnb hosts are: