Top Stories
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The vacation home market continues to do quite well, according to Marriott
DestinationsMarriott Vacations Worldwide Corp. Thursday reported a better-than-expected surge in first-quarter profit, on higher revenues. The company benefited from the sale of vacation ownership products and rental income, resort management and other services revenues. The company raised its outlook for fiscal year 2013, sending its shares up nearly four percent in afternoon trade on the [...]
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HomeAway and Gogobot team up, create guides for vacation rental customers
DigitalHomeAway and VRBO vacation rental owners can now build local destination guides for their customers based on existing destination information from Gogobot users, as well as by adding their own tweaks and local favorites. Vacation rental customers can view these “Insider Guides” by going to a HomeAway.com and VRBO.com property listings, and selecting “Map.” Below [...]
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Why online vacation rental listings are still stuck in the past
DigitalLots of people think the lack of progress in being able to book vacation rentals online, as you would hotel rooms, is a technology problem, but it’s also an attitude problem. HomeAway, the vacation rental behemoth, had more than 742,000 paid listings of properties as of the end of March, and of these, fewer than [...]
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Banks now more cautious and strict about financing vacation homes
RoomsMortgage down payment requirements are considerably stiffer than for primary residences, and lenders are scrutinizing income more closely, which can make financing especially difficult for the self-employed. The tougher terms make for a “bittersweet situation” in the Hamptons, said Judi Desiderio, the president of Town and Country Real Estate in East Hampton. Many of her [...]
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Analyst: HomeAway’s new business model could be big revenue boost
DigitalIn HomeAway’s current model, subscribers pay the company upfront for running its listings on its websites. Starting this summer, vacation rental owners can instead put up a rental listing for free and then pay HomeAway a percentage once the listing is booked. Property managers will be able to use the pay-per-booking service later this year. [...]
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Scammed vacation rental tourists start class action lawsuit against bank
RoomsAustralian holidaymakers are pursuing a class action lawsuit against Barclays Bank after hundreds of false accounts were used in an international travel scam…Over the past 18 months, tourists have wired millions of dollars into accounts with Barclays to pay for luxury accommodations…around the world. The vacations are booked through HomeAway and FlipKey, owned by TripAdvisor. [...]
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UK-based startup Love Home Swap mixes rentals into its swap services
DigitalLove Home Swap, a U.K.-based startup that appeals to homeowners that want to trade their places, is getting into proper rentals. The company, which launched about a year and a half ago, was operating on a member subscription model. People would pay to get access to a network of homeowners that were open to swapping [...]
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Vacation rental marketing firm Evolve gets $2.7 million in funding
DigitalDenver-based Evolve Vacation Rental Network, which serves as an online marketer for professionally managed vacation rentals, picked up $2.7 million in funding in a Series A round, from undisclosed investors. Robert Mylod, a former CFO and head of worldwide strategy and planning for Priceline, led the round and joined the Evolve board of directors. Evolve provides online [...]
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Low-end rollup continues as Hostelworld parent acquires HostelBookers
OriginalThe low end of the accommodation reservation and online booking industry has gone through a consolidation over the years and one player, Dublin-based Web Reservations International, has emerged as the big rollup shop in the sector. WRI, which already owns Hostelworld and Hostels.com, has now acquired London-based HostelBookers. It was an all-stock deal, and still needs regulatory approval to [...]
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U.K. startup onefinestay brings users more local insight with app launch
DigitalMore than 19,000 reviews and recommendations for places to go and things to do in London and New York have been pulled together for an app for guests staying at Onefinestay homes. The iPhone app is designed to enhance the experience of travellers who wish to get to know the local neighbourhood in which they are [...]
