Sean O'Neill

As the recovery takes hold in many countries, investors are clocking startups like raptors track mice. Travel startups announced $657 million in funding this week.

It's a U.S. bias to assume that the answer to every hotel or vacation rental problem is to have a nationally branded management company take over operations. But in Japan and elsewhere, many owners of travel accommodation prefer an unbranded, behind-the-scenes management partner.

The RVezy funding is yet another sign that the outdoor sector is booming. Other startups to announce funding this week include a Saudi version of Airbnb and an American version of BlaBlaCar.

Many people in the U.S. have suddenly become worried about inflation. But experts and executives say the latest price hikes are mostly "good" inflation ... at least as far as the travel sector is concerned.

Uber has added a search feature for traditional car rental to its app in a few markets. Travelers will need every tool they can find in the hunt for affordable rental cars in many markets this summer.

New U.S. spending data suggests that some brands, such as Enterprise, Vrbo, and JetBlue, had a better first half of 2021 than their rivals. The travel industry as a whole should be grateful for the U.S. federal stimulus checks to consumers.

When residents of an apartment complex are away, Orion Haus lists and rents the units on their behalf as short-term rentals. A major new deal makes Orion Haus the largest of the apartment management companies, such as Daydream and Natiivo, that are professionalizing the short-term rental sector.

Awaze is arguably Europe's largest vacation-rentals business for managed properties. While its acquisitions this week are eye-catching, the bigger news is that it's spending roughly $40 million this year on a tech push. That will help it make better use of its assets.

Startups announced funding rounds this week for businesses to make it easier to rent a car, to help hotels manage sales and catering for events, to help consumers plan in-destination meetings, to help travel companies create and sell wellness-themed packages, and other ideas.

Optimism about recovery, a wariness about the tricky nuances of each sector, and suppliers demanding respect from online brands were among the themes at the Skift Short-Term Rental and Outdoor Summit. Plus: the past year's boom isn't a one-off.