hostAI

Three years ago, if someone were to tell you Google wouldn’t always dominate the search market, you’d have thought they were crazy. Today, that doesn’t seem so far-fetched.    We believe Airbnb's dominance will fall next. We’re on the verge of a fundamental shift. We’re entering the Agent Era. It used to be useful to have all accommodation options in one place. But that’s yesterday’s story. Soon, guests won’t be spending hours sorting and filtering options on marketplaces anymore. AI agents will crawl the web to find the most relevant options at the best possible rates. And where can they find the best rates? At the source—direct from the host.   OpenAI's Deep Research Mode gives us a glimpse into this future. In just five minutes, it searched 20 sources, filtering through the noise, and returned three tailored recommendations. https://lnkd.in/gS8B49Wq Notice something interesting? The first recommendation is a direct booking option. The others aren’t. That’s a hostAI client. This shift is a massive opportunity for short-term rental brands —but only if they position themselves to be found. AI agents don’t automatically prioritize your properties. You have to make sure they do. That’s where hostAI comes in. Professional hosts who act now will be ahead of the curve. Those who wait? They’ll be playing catch-up on their RevPARs.   At hostAI, we believe the future of travel belongs to direct bookings. Our mission is to help short-term rental brands own it. 🚀 Want to future-proof your bookings and ensure AI agents find your properties first? Let’s talk. Drop a comment or DM me to learn how hostAI can help. #ShortTermRentals #DirectBookings #VacationRentals #BookDirect #AIAgents #vacationrentals #propertymanagement #STR #ShortTermRentalBrands #VRM

Grateful to see Guesty share this story about our partners, Sojourn and Renjoy, who are making direct bookings a meaningful driver for their businesses. As two of the leading STR brands in the U.S., it’s been inspiring to watch them build deeper connections with their guests. Sojourn and Renjoy are proving every day that independent hospitality brands can hold their own in a world dominated by big Online Travel Agencies. As Guesty—our very first partner—so wonderfully captured in this case study, these are the stories that fuel our work at hostAI. With AI agents going mainstream in 2025, we’re excited to see how brands like Sojourn and Renjoy continue to grow their direct relationships with guests. 📖 Read their journey here: https://lnkd.in/gPtkb_Cj A huge thank-you to the teams at Sojourn, Renjoy, and Guesty for making this possible. Special thanks to Dunniela, Reid, Yotam, and Lucía for the incredible collaboration and support. To all the STR professionals in my network—how are you thinking about the future of direct bookings in a distribution landscape soon to be shaped by AI agents? Let’s talk. #DirectBookings #VacationRentals #ShortTermRentals #AirbnbManagement #PropertyManagement #VRM #STRManagement #ProfessionalHosts

The unbundling of Airbnb begins... In Q4 2024, our clients' data revealed a shift in the short-term rental market: 📈 Overall bookings grew 21% year over year 📉 Bookings on Airbnb declined by 2% 🚀 Direct bookings, powered by hostAI, surged by 46% This isn’t just percentages—it’s real dollars. On average, our clients are generating $20,000 more per month in direct bookings compared to Q4 2023. We’re not just witnessing a trend; we’re seeing a fundamental change in how guests book their stays. When given the option, travelers are choosing to book directly with the STR brands they trust. The direct booking revolution is here—and it’s just the beginning. Is your STR brand ready? #shorttermrentals #vacationrentals #directbookings #hospitalitytech #traveltech #futureoftravel

I started 2024 as a solo founder. I was in survival mode. But two things changed: * Aamir joined me as a cofounder and CTO * Our clients inspired us to build hostFront. And it became our flagship product (checkout the 1min demo) 2024 turned out to be a breakout year for hostAI: - Grew ARR by 30x - Our clients’ direct bookings grew 5x faster than their Airbnb bookings - Clients live on 3 continents - Two new PMS partnerships (Hostaway and Hostfully) Today, we have an exceptional team shaping the future of travel distribution. And we're particularly excited about 2025: - A new product launch planned for Q1, also driven by client demand - AI agents gaining adoption— something we’ve been building for since day one - And many more partnerships Our mission is to make direct bookings the default in travel, and 2025 will be a big step forward. Let's go 🚀

Really enjoyed chatting with Victor Dey about AI’s impact on travel booking and how hostAI is skating to where the puck is going. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gZcbVDNV

🎙️ The Localist: Capitalia's Guide to a Christmas Break in Mexico City by hostAI Planning to spend the holidays in Mexico City? Our latest podcast episode covers everything you need to know for a memorable Christmas experience! From traditional events to must-visit spots, let Capitalia guide you through the magic of the season in CDMX. Listen now and discover why Mexico City is the perfect festive destination! 🌆🎄 #Capitalia #Podcast #MexicoCity #ChristmasBreak #HolidayTravel https://lnkd.in/eA8-B_HU

The game is on... 🥁 🥁 OpenAI's search product is being rolled out. The first major challenge to Google's search dominance with a meaningful reach. And their doubling down on travel: "We plan to keep improving search, particularly in areas like shopping and travel, and leverage the reasoning capabilities of the OpenAI o1 series to do deeper research." Our theses on the implications: 1. ChatGPT eats into Google's share of travel discovery and planning. “Deeper research” means OpenAI’s search will ingest and prioritize ideal travel destinations and accommodation options from multiple sources. Add a more visual UI and travelers can spend their entire discovery and planning process on ChatGPT 2. Marketplace value proposition will be challenged; aggregating all inventory on a single platform becomes less valuable. Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) will need to innovate—perhaps by offering bundled packages—to avoid commoditization. Booking Holding's "connected trip" strategy seems better positioned to weather this storm than Airbnb and Expedia. 3. Channel pricing becomes paramount. Once an accommodation is selected, the o1 model will prioritize channels offering the best price, assuming a baseline level of trust. That's how a human would do it when they have the time to research. 4. Direct distribution will intensify. Hospitality brands that are well prepared for this new world can be much more competitive vs the old days of ad-dominated search results What remains to be seen: • Dedicated UI/UX: Will OpenAI adapt the experience to each vertical, making travel queries more visual rather than purely conversation-based? • Inventory integration: Will OpenAI incorporate inventory feeds in specific verticals like travel? For instance, Gemini uses feeds from Google Hotels, Vacation Rentals, etc. We are witnessing a pivotal moment in the travel and hospitality industry. How do you think this will reshape the landscape? https://lnkd.in/g8JY_sJ6

Exciting to see hostAI featured in USA TODAY! Travel expert and consumer advocate Christopher Elliott highlighted hostAI among innovative solutions helping travelers navigate travel costs. We're proud to be recognized for empowering hosts and travelers to connect directly and save up to 15% through trusted direct bookings. To our community of Short Term Rental brands who trust hostAI to power their direct booking success: thank you for being part of this journey. We're committed to making direct bookings the default in the Short Term Rental industry. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/ghW5m5D9

Exciting times in the STR industry! Our data reveals a game-changing trend: While Airbnb forecasts 8-10% growth, our clients are seeing a 71% surge in direct bookings. Want to boost your direct bookings? Learn how hostAI can deliver these results for your STR brand. Request a demo on gethostai.com. #STRInsights #DirectBookings #HospitalityTech

Exciting news from hostAI! 🚀 We’ve just launched Personalized Search on hostFront, transforming how Short Term Rental (STR) guests find and book their perfect stay. Our AI-powered search lets guests share their trip details, and we: • Recommend the top 3 listings in your portfolio that matches their intent, explaining why they’re a great fit • Rank listings based on their unique needs • Suggest filters for an even more tailored experience Whether it’s a family seeking a Disney-themed room in Orlando or a business traveler needing a quiet space in DC, your hostFront website helps your guests find exactly what they need—quickly and easily. For STR brands, this means: • Boosted bookings with precise matches 📈 • Enhanced guest satisfaction through personalization 😊 • A standout booking experience that rivals the largest OTAs 🏆 • Insights into guest intent to fine-tune your marketing 🔍 • Deeper relationships with guests by tailoring their stays ❤️ And this is just the beginning. Soon, every guest’s visit to your storefront will be a fully personalized experience. Ready to grow your direct bookings? Let’s connect. We can have hostFront up and running for you in just 5 business days—no upfront costs, no long-term commitments. 👉 Request a demo at gethostai.com