DON'T RISK YOUR SUMMER TRIP: VRBO REVEALS BOOK-BY DATES FOR KEY TRAVEL SEASONS

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Jan 17, 2023, 10:02 ET

Vrbo advises travelers to book spring break trips by January 30, summer vacations by April 17

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Vrbo® unveiled eight key dates for booking travel in 2023. The busiest months for booking whole, private vacation rentals are January and February, so the race is on in high-demand locations.

In 2023, to have a wider selection of available vacation rentals for key travel periods, travelers must book by the below dates:¹

Vrbo advises travelers to book by these dates in 2023 for key travel seasons to have a wider selection of available vacation homes.

Spring break: Book by January 30
Memorial Day weekend: Book by April 6
Summer: Book by April 17
Fourth of July weekend: Book by May 10
Labor Day weekend: Book by July 14
Thanksgiving: Book by October 6
Ski season: Book by October 16
Winter break: Book by November 3

"If you're looking to book a private vacation home for a major holiday in 2023, mark your calendars with Vrbo's book-by dates," said Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group brands public relations. "All of these dates are two weeks earlier than they were in years past. Those two weeks can make or break snagging a coveted mountain cabin for a spring break ski trip or a beachside cottage for that annual summer vacation."

In addition to booking by the above dates, travelers can use the following tips and Vrbo tools to help find the best vacation homes:

Try out alternative destinations. Vrbo vacation homes in top summer destinations such as Outer Banks, North Carolina, as well as Cape May and Ocean City, New Jersey, tend to book up more quickly and earlier than other spots. For example, in some of the most popular summer beach destinations in the Northeast, less than half of vacation homes are still available for this July.²

Destinations that still have plenty of availability in July include:²

Corpus Christi & Port Aransas, Texas
Blue Ridge, Georgia
Miramar & Rosemary Beach, Florida
Savannah & Tybee Island, Georgia
Branson, Missouri

Plan together with Trip Boards. With Vrbo Trip Boards, travelers can save their favorite properties in one place and invite everyone in their group to do the same, which streamlines planning when traveling with a group. Vrbo curated these Trip Boards to help inspire travelers planning their 2023 vacations to turn their bucket list into a book-it list:

Take advantage of flexible cancellation policies. Families and groups of friends booking far in advance for their spring and summer trips should book properties that offer flexible cancellation policies in case travel plans change. The most flexible policy allows travelers to cancel their booking up to 14 days before check-in for a full refund, and many hosts have adopted these policies.

Use search filters to narrow down results. The many search filters in the Vrbo app can be used to narrow down options when looking for a vacation home. Helpful filters when searching on Vrbo include:

Price: Filter search results by either the nightly rate or the total price of a vacation rental, including fees, to only find properties that fall within a specific vacation budget. Vrbo first introduced this feature more than two years ago so that travelers can clearly see the total price of a vacation home before booking.
Features & amenities: Some of the most sought-after amenities on Vrbo include private pools, hot tubs and backyard or patio spaces. Using these filters helps travelers find properties with the ideal spaces and amenities to accommodate their group's needs.
Free cancellation policy: Filter by properties that offer flexible cancellation policies, as noted above, to have more flexibility with travel plans.

Download and book on the Vrbo app. Travelers that book and pay through the Vrbo app or site are automatically covered by the Book with Confidence Guarantee. This guarantee, which has been protecting Vrbo travelers for years, offers protections before, during and after a stay, including payment protection against fraudulent listings, lodging assistance if travelers are unable to check-in and rebooking assistance if the host cancels at the last minute.

Between now and February 1, 2023, Vrbo is also offering travelers a chance to make their vacation dreams come true with a giveaway. One lucky person will win a $3,500 Vrbo stay. Visit and follow Vrbo's Instagram page to learn more and enter.

About Vrbo

In 1995, Vrbo introduced a new way for people to travel together, pairing homeowners with families and friends looking for places to stay. We were grounded in one purpose: To give people the space they need to drop the distractions of everyday life and simply be together.

Since then, we've grown into a global community of homeowners and travelers, with unique properties around the world. Vrbo makes it easy and fun to book cabins, condos, beach houses and every kind of space in between.

Vrbo is part of Expedia Group and offers homeowners and property managers exposure to over 750 million visits to Expedia Group sites each month. To learn more, visit www.vrbo.com.

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¹Based on an analysis of Vrbo vacation rental demand for the 12-month period ending December 31, 2022.

²Based on Vrbo vacation rental demand for July 1–31, 2023, as of January 1, 2023.

SOURCE Vrbo