AI boosts efficiency for short-term rental operators

Short-term rental operators are more and more adopting synthetic intelligence (AI) to boost efficiency and progress amidst rising competitors, based on Hostaway’s 2026 Short-Term Rental Report. The report, which surveyed over 300 operators throughout 46 nations, discovered that 61% of respondents utilised AI instruments in 2025, with adoption reaching 79% amongst managers overseeing greater than 50 items.

Larger operators are experiencing tangible advantages from AI, with almost 30% saving over 5 hours weekly and greater than half saving a whole bunch of {dollars} month-to-month. European operators lead in AI adoption at 68%, in comparison with 57% within the US and 63% globally.

Despite the benefits, direct bookings stay a largely untapped alternative. Although 70% of operators have a direct reserving web site, almost two-thirds generate lower than 25% of bookings by way of these channels, and 18% obtain none. Airbnb continues to dominate, with nearly 80% of managers sourcing at the very least half of their bookings by way of the platform.

Marketing efforts are uneven, with 43% specializing in web optimization and 36% utilizing natural social media. However, fewer than one-third prioritise return visitors, loyalty programmes, or e mail advertising and marketing, which might increase direct bookings.

Hostaway CEO Marcus Rader emphasised the significance of AI, stating, “Competition is intense across most short-term rental markets, and our latest report shows that those pulling ahead are the operators embracing AI and technology to work smarter and boost their revenue without extra costs.”

The full report is out there on Hostaway’s web site, providing additional insights into the evolving panorama of short-term leases.
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