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The 6-week revenue and guest experience playbook for short-term rental operators in host cities

Conduit (ex HostAI) alternatives for short-term rentals. We compare AI and messaging features, PMS integrations, pricing, OTA partnerships, digital guest experience with a guest app, and upsells.

Discover why chatbots underdeliver for vacation rentals and what to look for in AI that actually reduces messages and increases revenue.

AI-driven search is transforming hospitality. See how vacation rental brands can stay visible and competitive in an AI-powered travel landscape.

Learn how to stay compliant with the Vrbo Host Cancellation Policy in 2026, avoid penalties for slow responses, and protect your vacation rental income with clear communication and best practices.

Discover how agentic AI transforms guest communication in hospitality - from scripted chatbots to intelligent systems that think, decide, and act.

An in-depth comparison of AI capabilities, pricing, guest experience features, and support to help vacation rental operators choose the right AI messaging and upsells tool for scale.

Explore the top AI guest messaging automation tools of 2025. Compare Enso Connect, Conduit, Besty AI, and HostBuddy to see which delivers the most reliable, context-aware, and revenue-driving AI autopilot for vacation rentals and boutique hotels.

Why do vacation rental guests expect AI? 78% of travelers want instant, personalized responses 24/7. Learn how guest expectations shifted and what it means for you.

Compare SuiteOp and Enso Connect on main features, integrations, support and pricing for hospitality operators.

How reasoning AI is transforming guest messaging for vacation rentals. Faster, source-cited answers, safe autopilot, real ROI, plus an AI tools comparison.

Looking for the best partner to run your Airbnb or holiday-let in Australia? Below you’ll find an up-to-date comparison of leading holiday rental operators - what they charge, where operate, and why they stand out. Plus a quick guide to 2025 short-stay regulations and answers to the three questions owners ask most.

Vacation rental hosts and property managers waste an estimated 21 hours per week on repetitive manual tasks that could be automated. Smart automation cuts the busywork and scales operations. Here are the top 10 automations (proven by real customers).

H2 2025 Outlook and Trends for STR Industry: The short-term rental (STR) market in 2025 is evolving rapidly, with shifting traveler preferences, regulatory challenges, and tech-driven competition. Here is a synopsis of critical data that STR owners and operators should leverage to boost repeat bookings, optimize pricing, and stay ahead of trends.

Previously, Airbnb’s damage deposit pre-authorization offered some peace of mind. But now, hosts must navigate the process of the Airbnb Resolution Centre to receive costs for damages, which involves proving every receipt and providing photos of the damage. However, there is an exception. Hosts who manage their listings with API-connected software, such as Enso Connect, can set a security deposit or require a damage waiver using Airbnb’s offline fees feature, offering a more streamlined and controlled approach to managing property protection.

Learn how fast response times boost bookings by 116% for short-term rentals. Channel-specific benchmarks, guest communication tools, and proven strategies for 2025

Airbnb’s Pivot to a Lifestyle Platform Is a Wake-Up Call for Vacation Rental Operators And a strong validation for guest experience tech.

As an official Airbnb partner, Enso Connect is the only authorized third-party platform for digital guest experience solutions in the vacation rental space. This means you can continue to use Enso for check-in flows, upsells, personalized messaging, guidebooks, and more - all while remaining fully compliant with Airbnb’s evolving policies. We understand these updates may raise concerns.

An effective strategy for boosting income for Short-Term Rental professionals involves identifying and filling gap nights—those tricky single nights that fall between longer bookings. These gap nights can often be overlooked, but they present valuable opportunities for increasing occupancy and revenue. By strategically targeting and pricing these nights, rental operators can optimize their booking calendar and reduce unproductive gaps.

Ask these questions to assess the capabilities of a guest messaging tool. This will help you understand whether it meets all your requirements for a scaling hospitality business. See which solution checks more boxes to make an informed decision. 

For Short-Term Rental Operators and Vacation Rental Managers, you can optimize your existing properties to generate more rental income. How can you achieve this? This guide presents actionable steps to unlock revenue in your vacation rental guest journey. We will explore how to offer upsells more proactively and increase conversion rates.

AI messaging, online check-in, digital verification, smart devices—welcome to the future of seamless guest experiences where cutting-edge technology intersects with exceptional hospitality to create unforgettable stays.

Discover the best unified inbox tools to streamline communication for Airbnb and vacation rental hosts, saving time and improving guest satisfaction.

Guest experience platforms manage seamless access, unified communication, new revenue streams and personalized touches that make each guest feel special. With the advent of advanced AI systems, innovative vendors like Enso Connect are rapidly disrupting the 'old guard'. If you’re a vacation rental manager looking for alternatives to Duve, Enso Connect is a go-to solution.

Today's travellers no longer seek just a place to sleep - they crave immersive local culture, authentic experiences, and personalized touches. The 2025 travel trends are clear: nearly half of travelers choose where to stay based on the experiences available nearby. While price sensitivity is another key trend, hospitality professionals should focus on ways to stand out.

As a vacation rental property manager, understanding your property's profitability is key to making informed decisions and maximizing returns. But with so many factors to consider - costs, revenue, occupancy rates, and more - it can feel overwhelming. We've got you covered. In this guide, we'll break it down into simple, actionable steps to easily calculate and improve your short-term rentals' profitability.

2024 was a year of challenges and triumphs for the short-term rental industry, defined by resilience, innovation, and a commitment to growth. From navigating strict regulations to capitalizing on new revenue opportunities, STR operators have showcased their ability to adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving landscape. Let’s dive into The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of 2024 and explore strategies shaping the coming year.

Good reviews help your listing stand out, get noticed by more people, and appear higher in search results. But if you have few or negative reviews, it can scare away potential guests, making it difficult for new hosts to start or for experienced ones to keep their good reputation. So, how do you build a trustworthy reputation, get feedback, give better guest experiences, address not-so-positive comments, and overall improve Airbnb reviews? In this article, discover key strategies to elevate your Airbnb ratings and guest satisfaction.

Managing multiple short-term rental properties is no easy task - for both newbies and seasoned professionals. As the portfolio grows, so do the challenges. Once you’re managing around 20 properties, the workload becomes overwhelming. And handling it alone or with a small team starts to feel impossible. Hiring more staff often isn’t financially viable at this stage, which is where automation steps in.

Balancing property protection with guest satisfaction can be a challenge for short-term rental operators. Guests expect hassle-free stays - no large upfront deposits or complicated refunds - while property managers need to safeguard against potential damages. Online travel agencies (OTAs) or vacation rental sites will not typically cover damage caused by guests.

A recent KeyData survey revealed a fascinating trend for 2025. 77% will focus on pricing optimization. While 74% of property managers plan to add more properties, only 33% are considering upsells. Adding properties means multiplying your workload—more maintenance, guest communications, owner relationships, and everything else. But what if you could boost revenue by 30% from your existing properties without all that extra work?

According to SciTech Today, the global short-term rental industry generated revenue of USD 109 billion in 2022. It is expected to reach USD 228 billion by 2030. Europe leads the earnings (33%), followed closely by North America and Asia (approx. 21% each).

The short term rental market in Florida, United States, is flourishing, with increasing demand for unique vacation experiences. This indicates an excellent opportunity for hospitality businesses to grow and boost revenue.

Colorado’s short-term rental market booms as tourists seek unique stays in the state’s beautiful scenery. With Colorado drawing millions of visitors annually, there is an opportunity for vacation rental operators to grow and drive revenue. Effective upselling strategies can accelerate growth and revenue for hospitality professionals in the area.

Modern guests seek digital interactions, rapid responses, and independent, touchless check-in processes. To meet these demands, property managers are looking for new ways to digitize guest experience with guest apps and portals. These are powerful digital tools that enhance communication, simplify processes and deliver personalized services throughout the guest journey.

In this article, our Enso Connect experts explore the innovative strategies employed by some vacation rental managers for monetizing the slow season and ensuring a steady stream of revenue throughout the year.

A short-term rental upsell is a powerful tool which refers to the practice of offering guests additional products, services, or upgrades to enhance their stay, while increasing revenue. This strategy is commonly used in the short-term rental industry and can be either operational, or involve tours, activities, and experiences.

Around 560,000 Australians (2.9% of the population) own a holiday home. According to Pricelabs, in 2023 Airbnb had around 166,000 listings in Australia, making it the 10th largest market globally. With high competition from hotels and other Australian vacation rental operators, there’s a need to stand out in the market. The good news is that the right upselling strategy provides a competitive edge, regardless of business size.

In the vibrant and rapidly growing vacation rental market of Mexico, upselling has become a key strategy for maximizing revenue and enhancing the guest experience. From the Ruins of Tulum to the cenotes of Yucatán, Mexican property managers have endless opportunities to provide memorable experiences.

If you’re seeking the right platform to manage messaging in your short-term rentals, we’ve compared these two options for you. Three main differences between Enso Connect and Akia lie in their streamlined guest journey approach, inbox functionality, and AI capabilities.

We are breaking down the complex topic of smart locks in professional short-term rentals. Learn about the advantages, and potential drawbacks to help you make informed decisions for your property management business. In this webinar, we are talking to a leading hardware manufacturer whose smart locks are used in STRs worldwide. Explore the ins and outs of this cutting-edge technology. Discover how smart locks help professional property operators to streamline operations and deliver an exceptional guest experience

Today's market demands short-term rental professionals focus on profitability. This means that establishing a direct contact with guests has become essential, not just a nice to have. Hence more hospitality operators seek to build on "owned land," favoring the benefits of direct channels over third-party sites. While there are many advantages to having visibility with online travel agencies, building a direct booking strategy is important. The foundation of the direct booking strategy for short-term rentals lies in owning and leveraging data. 

In 2024, the global economy is marked by a lot of uncertainty. Many factors like ongoing geopolitical tensions, fluctuations in global markets, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are attributes. All businesses, including those in retail, technology, and services, face upcoming challenges. For vacation rental property owners and managers, it may be tough to increase vacation rental profitability. 

In the world of short-term rentals (STR), even a modest get-together can rapidly escalate into a full-blown party, leading to potential property damage and considerable stress for the owner. Understanding how to implement effective strategies to control and prevent such situations is crucial for maintaining the integrity of your property and ensuring a positive experience for all guests. This guide will provide you with practical tips and proven methods to help you stay ahead of potential issues and maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for your rental property.

Effectively operating your vacation rental property requires the right tools, and a Property Management System (PMS) is at the top of the list.

The way the pandemic has shaped the travel industry will surely make you rethink the way you take care of your rental business.

For those of you currently attending a post-secondary institution such as college or university, you may have moved out of your parents’ house and into either on-campus or off-campus housing.

When contemplating entering any new market or work force, the first thought that enters everyone’s mind (hopefully) is “How can I successfully enter this market?”.

What is your rental missing? This question, although so innocuous, can really determine how you place in comparison to other Short Term Rental owners out there.

So you’ve decided to rent a short-term rental. But, how do you get to your place of stay?

If you currently own a property, and are interested in transforming it into a short term rental, there are several things you must consider before making the transition.

From day to day, I can guarantee that you’ve communicated with at least one person, whether it’s your mother asking about how to log in to Netflix or your spouse wondering what you are doing for dinner.

Stress is a common challenge, and it’s likely that you’ve been feeling its weight more heavily recently due to the pandemic.

Renting during a pandemic was likely not something you ever anticipated, but here we are. Life during and after COVID-19 has introduced many unique and challenging situations as we strive to return to a new normal.

If you’ve been contemplating transitioning your short-term rental into a long-term rental, you’re certainly not alone.

With COVID cases continually on the rise, the health and safety of your guests is now more important than ever.

I thought I would write up a few words on why Enso Connect decided to join Founders Factory…

On the same page as our most recent blogs, this demographic is one of the biggest you may want to focus on.  According to Investopedia, business related flights equate up to 12% of all consumer flights, and up to 75% of airline profits.

Like the last couple of blog entries, this one also follows a similar theme: targeting a specific demographic for your rental property.

When renting out your home, one major factor to consider is the demographic you’re targeting. The type of guests you attract can vary significantly based on the time of year and the nature of your listing.

Renting a property in a foreign country or even city can pose a lot of uncertainty. As a guest, you are always trying to make sure that you have a good quality rental, with similar amenities to a hotel.

Now more than ever, you may find yourself feeling busier and more stressed out. In your quest to destress, you aim to simplify aspects of your life that consume significant time and energy.

When renting an Airbnb for a trip, you are always figuring out which one suits you the best, and which one will give you the best experience.

One of the best things about the current state of the Short Term Rental (STR) market is that one could be perfectly content as a remote host, with properties all over their city, or even, the world, and manage them as if they were living next door.

Renting out your property in Toronto, Canada, has become more regulated. If you’re considering turning your home into a rental property or already operate rental properties, you must now register them with the city, notifying the government that you are using your property for short-term rentals.

In these unprecedented times, it’s hard to know when exactly the world is going to get back to normal, or if we’ll have to redefine what normal means.

If you think you’ve milked every opportunity to make more money from your rental, think again. Automation is the new kid on the block, and its impact is unprecedented.

When it comes to the rental and hospitality business, efficiency is key—specifically, efficiency via automation.

If you’ve read our recent posts, we have touched on certain things that can be done to turn your property into a short term rental or vacation home, and some challenges you may be facing with the current pandemic.

Having a rental property or vacation home is a fantastic way to generate passive income and supplement your other income streams. While the prospect of this investment opportunity is undoubtedly exciting, it comes with its own set of challenges that you may not have anticipated.

It’s pretty evident that 2020 hasn’t been beneficial to the hospitality and short term rental industry. Hotels and STRs need to find ways to stay competitive and entice visitors.

COVID-19 has forced virtually every business on the planet to either pivot or perish. The pandemic disrupted industries worldwide, and the only way for businesses to survive was to adapt to the new realities

How we travel and where we stay has undergone a fundamental shift over the past decade, and even more so in the past year. The rise of platforms like Airbnb and other short-term rental services has dramatically altered the landscape of the hospitality industry.

Whether you’re a host with a few short-term rental properties, a boutique hotel owner, managing a resort, or overseeing multiple properties as a property manager, you know just how much work it takes to keep everything running smoothly.

The vacation rental market is growing. As of 2019, the global rental market size was valued at $87.09 billion USD, and is expected to have a compound annual growth of 3.4% from 2020 to 2027.

With millions of short-term rentals available through platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, and other booking sites, distinguishing your listing from the competition can be a daunting task.

We’ve all heard that age-old expression “your home is your castle.” And it’s true. This is where you keep your valued possessions, rest your head, and hopefully find a calm space to breathe. But owning a home or a property is a lot of work, and if you choose to use it as a rental space, then that sense of complication increases exponentially.