Vacation rental trends: what travel research means for your property
Research notes / Updated perspective
Travel reports are useful context. Your property’s next decision still needs local evidence, a clear guest proposition and a realistic view of operations.
The short answer
Use vacation rental trends as hypotheses to test against your own booking pace, guest questions and channel contribution. Stated travel preferences and broad market averages do not establish the occupancy, revenue or conversion results an individual property will achieve.
Read the research in context
Before using a statistic, identify the population, geography, fieldwork dates and what was actually measured. A survey of travel preferences is different from observed bookings. Hotel results are not automatically holiday-rental benchmarks.
Apply the same discipline to your own data: compare the same booking window and seasonal period, and account for changes to supply, operating days and channel mix.
Reviews remain a useful trust signal
Expedia Group’s 2025 Traveller Value Index, conducted with Wakefield Research, surveyed 11,000 respondents across 11 markets. It reported that 75% of consumers would pay more for a holiday rental with better reviews.
This is a stated preference, not a measured uplift for adding reviews. Our interpretation: make genuine feedback easy to find, respond thoughtfully, and address repeated service issues before increasing promotion.
Source: Expedia Group, 2025 Traveller Value Index highlights.
AI changes discovery, not the need for confidence
Expedia Group’s 2026 AI Trust Gap study, commissioned from YouGov, surveyed more than 5,700 adults in the US, UK and India between 10 and 25 March 2026. It reported that 68% preferred booking with a trusted travel brand over AI chatbots and agents.
Our interpretation: make your brand and properties understandable wherever guests discover them, then provide clear contact details, accurate information and dependable support. This survey does not predict direct-booking growth for an individual stay.
Source: Expedia Group, The AI Trust Gap, 14 April 2026.
Choose one property-level test
ObserveIdentify a recurring guest question or a point where enquiries stall.
ImproveChange one relevant page, content asset or response process.
ReviewCompare enquiry quality and outcomes over a meaningful period.
For example, if groups repeatedly ask about sleeping arrangements, improve the bedroom descriptions and layout imagery. Define the outcome before changing the page. Account for seasonality and other campaigns when interpreting results.
Common questions
Which vacation rental trends should I act on first?
Start with a recurring issue visible in your own guest questions or booking data. Use research to support a test rather than adopting every market trend.
Does growing market demand mean my bookings should rise?
No. Results depend on location, season, capacity, competition, distribution and the guest experience. A broad market average is context, not a property forecast.
How do I know whether a marketing change worked?
Define a baseline, record the change and compare relevant outcomes over a meaningful period. Treat small samples and simultaneous changes cautiously.
Continue reading
Vacation rental marketing: the complete guest journey
Airbnb vs a direct booking website
Email marketing for holiday rentals
Want a clearer next step for your property? Talk to Escapes Media or use our free marketing scorecard.
About the author: Carolina Guimaraes is the founder of Escapes Media, with hands-on content experience for Parkside Homes and Pinta House.
