Vacation Rental Hosts Betting Big on Direct Bookings to Power 2025 Growth, New Lodgify Survey Reveals

Expanded listing strategies, evolving guest expectations, and the rise of remote property management among top trends for 2025

BARCELONA, Spain, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lodgify, the vacation rental management platform for independent hosts and property managers (PMs), released its 2024 Vacation Rental Industry Report today — an in-depth look at booking trends, guest behavior patterns, and the top opportunities and challenges shaping the short-term rental industry. The report draws on data from over 1 million U.S. bookings with check-ins between Jan. 1 and Dec. 22, 2024. It also includes insights from nearly 800 surveyed hosts and PMs and a detailed analysis of more than 116,000 guest reviews conducted in collaboration with review aggregator Revyoos.

Driving direct bookings pays dividends, despite challenges
To increase profitability, regain control over the guest experience and help them stand out in an increasingly competitive market, more hosts are creating direct booking websites. Eager to avoid third-party service fees, guests have also embraced the shift to book vacation rentals directly. In 2024, direct booking sites accounted for nearly 34% of bookings, second only to Airbnb's 46%, according to the report. A quarter of hosts and PMs responding to the survey cited the creation of a direct booking site as a primary contributor to the growth of their business in 2024.

For vacation rental business owners, setting up a direct booking site is easy with the right tools, but it's just the first step in diversifying beyond third-party booking platforms. The challenge can be in successfully driving traffic through marketing and SEO efforts. When asked to list their top three challenges in 2024, "driving direct bookings" was the top choice, selected by nearly 57% of hosts. However, hosts and PMs appear to be committed, with nearly two-thirds saying that driving direct bookings was one of their top goals in 2025.

"Hosts and property managers are under pressure from many angles — higher costs, more regulations, increased competition and volatile macroeconomic conditions. Increasing direct bookings offers them one way to ease some of these challenges, while delivering better value to guests," said Alex Vuilleumier, chief operating officer for Lodgify. "When we look at our booking data, we see the potential for accelerating fragmentation of the traditional short-term rental booking marketplace as guests and hosts alike seek out better value and customer service."

More key findings from the report:

1. Remote Property Management is the Norm: Over 61% of hosts and PMs manage their properties from afar, driven by the growing use of mobile technology to streamline operations and shift toward embracing flexible, tech-driven solutions that boost efficiencies and improve guest satisfaction.
2. Self-Check-In is a Value Drive for Both Hosts and Guests: Nearly 74% of hosts said they always or frequently offer self-check-in, meeting the demand for seamless, contactless guest experiences. A key enabler of this trend is the growing adoption of smart locks, with 68% of hosts reporting their use in 2024. These tools not only enhance guest convenience but also help property managers streamline the check-in process — saving time and money.
3. Guest Expectations Shifting Toward Convenience and Comfort: The top three in-demand amenities guests are prioritizing include fully equipped kitchens, high-speed Wi-Fi with workspaces, and outdoor spaces.
4. Navigating Ongoing Regulatory Hurdles: Short-term vacation rental legislation impacted 40% of hosts in 2024, with common challenges including new permit requirements and caps on nights booked. Regulations such as New York City's short-term rental restrictions and Maui's proposed phase-out of vacation properties highlight the need for hosts to stay compliant and adaptable.
5. Tech Tools Make a Difference: When asked which technology tools they've found most helpful in driving efficiency and revenue growth, 56% of respondents chose channel management software, which is essential for helping hosts and PMs manage calendars and property details across multiple listing sites. Website builders were the second most popular response, at 46%, followed by property management software. In a separate finding, 32% of businesses now use artificial intelligence, a number that is likely to grow as the industry continues to move toward smarter, more streamlined operations.
6. Google Vacation Rentals Leads Growth in Booking Volume: While Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and direct booking sites accounted for 95% of vacation rental reservations, Google Vacation Rentals experienced significant growth, with its booking volume increasing by 72%. This trend highlights the platform's growing influence as an alternative to traditional OTAs.

 "Hosts and property managers are seeing the benefits of a more diversified channel strategy," said Vuilleumier. "By tapping into a broader range of booking platforms, they are positioning themselves to adapt to evolving traveler preferences and drive more bookings — a trend we can expect will continue to gain momentum in 2025 and beyond."

To see the full report and more details on the methodology, visit https://www.lodgify.com/blog/2024-report/.

About Lodgify
Lodgify is the all-in-one vacation rental management platform that empowers independent hosts and small property managers with tools to start and grow their businesses. The platform enables hosts, regardless of their level of technical knowledge or experience, to easily create their own website, accept direct bookings and payments, and synchronize all of their property data, reservations, and guest communications across major OTA channels like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Expedia, Google Vacation Rentals, and more. It centralizes all property management tasks so hosts can prioritize increasing occupancy and visibility and providing excellent service to their guests. Lodgify was founded in Barcelona, Spain in 2012 and now has over 330 employees working remotely across the world. For more information, visit www.lodgify.com.

About Revyoos
Revyoos is the ultimate review management platform for vacation rentals, helping property managers uncover insights, improve guest satisfaction, streamline operations, and increase direct bookings, all from one powerful tool.

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SOURCE Lodgify