GOOD DAY, READERS.
Vrbo is piloting sponsored listings for vacation rentals, with an official launch planned for later this year — and Expedia.com placements could eventually follow. Executive Editor Dennis Schaal reports that Expedia Group's Tim Rosolio said the move could be another "massive unlock," and that the pilot is already performing well. Sponsored listings would let companies pay for visibility and enable them to target more of the travelers they want.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky floated a similar idea in 2023, but later said it wasn't a priority.
Skift IDEA Awards
The short-term rental sector is moving. The question is whether your work gets seen. Judges from AvantStay, Kasa, and Boutiq score this year's STR entries. Submissions close July 1.
DON’T MISS THESE STORIES
Vrbo Is Launching Sponsored Listings — with Expedia.com Placements to Come
by Dennis Schaal
Vrbo and Expedia are seizing an obvious opportunity in vacation rental sponsored listings. Airbnb will get there eventually too.
Airfares Are Up 20%, Demand Is Strong. Even Airline CEOs Are Surprised.
by Meghna Maharishi
Airlines across the world have been cutting capacity and raising airfares to keep up with higher fuel costs. But even as travel is becoming more expensive, consumers still want to spend.
The World Cup Promised to Go Green. This One Could Be the Most Carbon-Heavy Ever
by Darin Graham
Transportation is the main problem. Progress in emission reductions at the World Cup would come from concentrating future tournaments in single countries.
CLOUDBEDS + SKIFT
Tune into Good Morning Hospitality as Wil sits down with Adam Harris, Co-Founder and CEO of Cloudbeds, to cut through the noise. Adam's argument: most operators aren't failing because they lack effort or the right tools.
For $7 a week, Skift gives you something the industry is missing – the full picture. Subscribe today for 25% off.
MORNING HEADLINES
SKIFT PODCAST NETWORK
AI travel agents may make trip planning easier for consumers, but they could create a massive cost problem behind the scenes.
In this clip from Good Morning Hospitality, Jamie Lane, Brandreth Canaley, and Michael Goldin discuss how a single AI-powered travel search could generate hundreds or even thousands of backend requests as it compares destinations, dates, and prices.
The conversation breaks down why that model doesn't fit the traditional economics of OTAs and global distribution systems, and how companies are racing to reduce costs through smarter caching and data storage.
As AI booking tools become more common, the infrastructure powering travel search may have to evolve just as quickly.
SKIFT TRAVEL 200
How are public travel companies performing around the world? The Skift Travel 200 pulls the data you need to understand global market movements. Paid subscribers get full access here.
See more essential travel news in your search results.
