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Saudi short-term rental platform Gathern raises $72m Series B
Saudi Arabia: Riyadh-based short-term rental platform Gathern has secured $72 million [SAR 250 million] in Series B funding, valuing the company at over $266 million [SAR 1 billion]. The round was led by Sanabil Investments, with participation from STV, Nuwa Capital, Endeavor Catalyst, and Pinnacle Capital. Founded in 2017, Gathern has become one of the […]
Over 50% of UK second homeowners consider STR letting amid tax changes, Sykes research finds
UK: Most second homeowners in England who currently keep their properties for personal use are now considering opening them up to holidaymakers or tenants, according to new research from holiday cottage rental agency Sykes Holiday Cottages. The company’s latest survey of second homeowners who do not currently let their properties found that 71 per cent […]
Hosts embrace AI for guest messaging as Hospitable reports 45% jump
US: Hosts are increasingly leaning on artificial intelligence to handle guest communication, according to new data from property management software provider Hospitable. The company reported a 45 per cent increase in use of its AI-Suggested Replies feature in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous six months. Nearly 60 per cent of those […]
RMS launches RMS Pay in North America
US / Canada: Hospitality technology provider RMS has rolled out its integrated payments solution, RMS Pay, in the United States and Canada. Already adopted across Australia and Europe, RMS Pay enables operators to automate the full payment journey from pre-arrival to check-out. The platform is designed to reduce chargebacks, no-shows, and fraud while streamlining reconciliation […]
Casago San Diego takes on 150+ former Vacasa homes
US: Casago San Diego has expanded its portfolio to manage more than 150 coastal vacation homes previously operated by Vacasa, marking a major growth step for the franchise in Southern California. The Casago San Diego franchise is led by Carlsbad locals Dave Carter, Bert King, and Erik Trogden, who bring more than 35 years of […]
US short-term rentals outperform hotels in Q2, according to Key Data
US: US short-term rentals outperformed hotels across every region in Q2 2025, according to the latest Vacation Rental Market Index from Key Data. The report, which tracks performance across 13 million listings, found STRs achieved an average revenue per available rental (RevPAR) advantage of nine percentage points over hotels. The findings point to a sector […]
HostGPO partners with Amazon Business
US: HostGPO, a group purchasing organisation serving the short-term rental industry, has entered into a strategic partnership with Amazon Business to provide members with new procurement benefits. The agreement will give HostGPO members access to discounts of up to 40 per cent on products, in addition to 50 per cent off Amazon Business Prime memberships. […]