Welcome to Episode 759
[00:00:00] Mark: Welcome back to Boostly podcast. This is the podcast that gives you the tools, the tactics, the training, but most importantly, the confidence to grow and scale your business with all things there at bookings. We are on episode 759 as we draw to an end. I wanted to record a special little podcast. I've not been on here for about 10 weeks now.
[00:00:24] Mark: Liam has been doing amazing work with all of the interviews going on behind the scenes, and I've been spending the last couple of. months, getting together a ensemble of experts who will be given you their 2025 predictions for the industry. I've managed to wrangle everybody from AI to upsells to social media, uh, to everything in between.
[00:00:47] Mark: We've got a mixture of voices from the UK, from the US, Canada, and further afield. Um, every single one of them. Has got very specific instructions. They've got 120 seconds. And in that 120 seconds, I have to introduce who they are, what they do, their prediction, and most importantly, how you can follow them on social media, or if you've got any follow up questions to their predictions.
[00:01:10] Mark: So it's not a deep dive. It's not going to be a long form at all. In total, we've got, I think, 15 experts. It's going to be short, sharp, sweep to the point. Um, And you will hear them very soon after I finished talking. But before we finish talking, I just want to let you know some of the plans for Boostly in 2025, what we're going to be doing with this channel and what's going to be happening for a separate channel as well.
[00:01:34] Mark: So, as I said, this is episode 700. And 59 by far is the most podcasts in this industry. This past year, I've just been checking the stats. We've done over 1. 5 million downloads. That is over Spotify, over Apple and wherever you get your podcasts. So thank you to every single one of you who has downloaded this.
[00:01:59] Mark: This started as. Just something that I thought I needed to do to grow the exposure of Bruce Lee way back in 2016. It wasn't all of his fancy cameras that I'm looking at all of these rigs, these light in this microphone. It was just me and my headphones. And you can go back now. I think, and you can still find those early episodes, episode one.
Evolution of the Boostly Podcast
[00:02:21] Mark: I'm sure you'll be able to find it somewhere by Googling. And then over time, uh, It changed from just being me on the podcast. We started doing interviews and then I've got Liam involved and you know, it's just grown and grown and grown. Um, loads of reasons why it has grown. I think one of the major part is obviously being part of the hospitality FM network, which is Will Slickers and his amazing team.
[00:02:44] Mark: They edit what the word audio edit every single one. They even obviously bring sponsors and partners to the table. So again, Host fully and stay five. I've been partners and sponsors of the podcast now for gosh, a nearly a year. Uh, and they make this happen. So the money that they put into this goes back into the production.
[00:03:05] Mark: So it's meant that I've been able to hire a team. So when you see this main podcast here, this isn't just the main podcast that you see, obviously the audio goes on and then the edit happens. But also what we do is we create tons of shorts, little reels that then get the attention on the social media that drive people back.
[00:03:23] Mark: Um, a bizarre stat is that we've got over 70 percent of our people who tune in, who are not subscribed, which is crazy. So people are like checking it out, sharing it, whatever, finding it on search. And that's the thing this podcast has grown cause of search. And this is my big sort of. takeaway for anybody who's looking to get going in this game is that we have now got a binge bank of content.
[00:03:46] Mark: 759 episodes of a binge bank. That is a lot. I think over, if you were to stretch it back and I'd, and I'd hate to do the research on this, but that must be a lot of hours of content that people can just go and find. And most importantly, where we place these podcasts ranks in search. So what does that mean?
[00:04:05] Mark: Every video that goes on to YouTube, every podcast that goes on to Spotify or Apple or Google or wherever, it gets ranked in Google search, in Bing search. And we find this because every single podcast that we do, the company that we use, IT Moon, they turn it into a blog post for the Boostly site. The Boosley site now attracts over 10, 000 visitors every single month because people are running searches and coming in, whether they come in and listen to a podcast or whether they come in because of a search term or all the mitigating factors, there's over 760 blogs, over 800 blogs now on the Boosley website.
The Power of Consistency
[00:04:42] Mark: So compound effect is real. Now, I'm not saying if you start a podcast in 2025. You're going to be getting tons of views and tons of listeners. This has grown over time. Right. And, you know, just because we get all these views doesn't mean that we've got 1 million customers. I wish that was the case, but we don't.
[00:05:00] Mark: But by showing up weekly, every week, every Monday, as you're listening to this, by consistently doing it and, you know, it may not be the best content in the world, but we're just showing up and being consistent. I've never procrastinated. I've never demanded it be absolutely perfect before I release it.
[00:05:15] Mark: I'm more of a fan of, uh, breaking it while fixing it. While launching while live, I'm thinking there's a terminology in there, but I can't be bothered to edit this. It's just going to go out. Um, now talking about 2025, that is going to be a new channel created. It's going to be more the Mark Simpson channel, a new name, obviously to be decided, but Based off the feedback that I had got from James Smith.
[00:05:39] Mark: So I recently had a one on one with him. James Smith is somebody that I've looked up to for ages. He is fantastic at drawing attention and creating content and his whole brain, how he thinks about it. So I'm going to be creating my own channel. We're going to be doing separate videos. It's not going to be me in his office.
[00:05:54] Mark: It's going to be me out and about, and we're going to obviously have a weekly topic that we discuss and we go on, but it's going to be more where. People come to that. And obviously I'll drive people back to Boostly, drive people to outsource of a new company that I'm creating in 2025, more on that to come.
Boostly’s Plans for 2025
[00:06:13] Mark: This isn't all about Boostly. This isn't all about me. This is not all about what we're doing. I want this episode to be predictions from our experts in 2025. Like I say, 120 seconds for them to get across their point, who they are and how you can follow them. We've got 15 in total, and we're going to start off with the fantastic, fantastic AI contingent over in, in, in America.
[00:06:38] Mark: So please settle back, sit back and wherever you're tuning in from, please do let me know if you're watching on YouTube, say hi, if you're one of the many people that watch this to thousands of people who watch this, dropping a high, dropping a comment, let us know where you're tuning in from around the world, more importantly, though, dropping a link to your website, cause you'd never know where your next booking could come from.
[00:06:56] Mark: All right. Thanks I'll be back in the new year. Speak to you soon.
Expert Predictions: Challenges and Opportunities
[00:06:59] Andrew: Hey, hello. My name is Andrew Osegi. I'm CEO of award winning apartment hotel and service accommodation provider, Homely. And we're based in the UK. I also provide training, mentoring and coaching services. So follow me on my social media profiles LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
[00:07:17] Andrew: Now my predictions for 2025. Number one is it's going to be a bloodbath, so there will be bankruptcies, people will go bust, uh, people will be put out of the market, there will be an exodus, uh, from the space, uh, I think. For the three main reasons, one is regulation, two is saturation, uh, and just number three is rising costs.
[00:07:41] Andrew: I think because of those three reasons, there will be a lot of people leaving the market, which leads to my second prediction, and that is there will be a lot more M& A activity, so mergers and acquisitions happening, people will be buying up smaller companies or people who are here for the long term, uh, will be taking it off from.
[00:07:58] Andrew: A lot of those services from, uh, people who are exiting the market. My third prediction is the rise and rise of AI. I mean, those that know me, I'm a tech guy. I've been doing tech and AI evangelist for over 10, 15 years. It's something I've been preaching about and it's good to see that it's happening. And we will see that happen a lot more in, in this sector as well, in terms of short term, in the short term rental space.
[00:08:20] Andrew: So those are my top three predictions for 2025. And I hope that you have a fantastic year ahead.
[00:08:26] Annie: Hello, Mark and Boosley team. Here is my. Big prediction for 2025 live event. Travel will continue to be huge and a driving force of why people are booking short term rentals. That's things like the Taylor Swift concert, that's sports concerts, that's events like the Olympics.
[00:08:45] Annie: Not only is that going to continue, we're going to see people traveling even more for their passion points. So 77 percent of Gen Z and millennials say their number one reason for traveling is traveling on their passions. So making sure that your short term rentals are aligned with what is in your area that people want to go to, because when people are going to book, they are no longer just booking for the Instagram wall.
[00:09:12] Annie: They are no longer just booking for, uh, the beautiful design, which is very important, but they are booking for more. What is going on in that area? So my big prediction is people will still travel on this. So make sure you are aligning yourself in your description, um, in your communication with, we have access to this thing or we're so excited that you're coming for this specific thing.
[00:09:36] Annie: Live event travel and passion first travel is here to stay.
[00:09:40] Bob: Hello and welcome from rural beautiful Wales. Where I'm staying this weekend. Um, my name is Bob Garner from EnviroRental and we provide all the free resources that you will need if you're working in Toronto Rentals around sustainability. We've put together a website that covers everything that you could possibly want.
[00:10:03] Bob: So please check EnviroRental. com. My social media preference is for LinkedIn. I love to go on there each week and learn some amazing things and also post around sustainability. You'll see me there each week doing a video, a little bit like this one. And my prediction for you, Mark, and for everybody in 2025 is that sustainability will become the thing that we expect providers of short term rentals to offer.
[00:10:39] Bob: Building sustainability into your rental, into your business, is great for your business and a great way to build your business up, get more bookings, make more money, and be more successful. So that is absolutely my prediction that sustainability will be a little bit like Wi Fi. Absolutely expected in 2025.
[00:11:03] Bob: And now I'll carry on with my walk.
[00:11:06] Clive: Hello, I'm Clive Titmuss, the founder of Hello Host EAI, the AI powered channel manager, and these are my predictions for AI in the vacation rental industry in 2025. So two predictions. First prediction, I predict we are going to see a much greater adoption of AI and AI tools in general.
[00:11:26] Clive: What does this mean for vacation rental industry and hosts and guests? So I believe that we're going to see the hosts that were previously holding back from using AI tools begin to bring AI forward into their workflows. I believe that guests are going to expect to see AI tools such as, uh, Hello Hosties AI assistant Alina.
[00:11:44] Clive: They're going to expect to see tools like this used by hosts Open AI are aiming to go from 250 million users to a billion users next year. That's forexing in 2025. How are they looking to do this is through a few different areas. One of which is through partnerships, a really exciting partnership, which they've got with Apple.
[00:12:03] Clive: We're going to see a chat GBT accessible via Siri. So exciting, which leads me onto my second prediction. So. Currently, the AI behemoths, uh, OpenAI and Google are, they have conversational AI. So the ability that you can have a conversation, speak to AI. And I think we're going to see a much greater focus from these behemoths on conversational AI.
[00:12:31] Clive: Currently, the AI, uh, conversational AI is amazing. ChatGPT and, and Gemini. It's amazing where it is, but there are some areas in which it can improve. And I think we're going to see a much greater focus from these guys On conversation AI, OpenAI have also said that they're going to focus more on personalization.
[00:12:48] Clive: So the ability to build. Uh, personal assistance, personal, um, personalized gpt, and of course at Hello Hosty. We're looking to be as innovative as possible and we are not ignoring these changes. So many exciting things to come for 2025. Let's see how these predictions pan out.
[00:13:03] Derrick: My name is Derek Clean Connects Airbnb host and property management, uh, with professional cleaners with over 120,000 cleaners across us, Canada, and uk.
[00:13:16] Derrick: My prediction for 2025, it's gonna be a lot a ma, a lot of mass measure. What do I mean by that? Mass merger in the PMS, mass merger in the OTAs, and mass merger in the vacation rental industry. People buying other vacation rental industries and businesses buying other business OTAs and streamlining of these processes.
[00:13:42] Derrick: I feel like there's a lot of noise and in the, as the noise comes out, there's going to be a time where there will be consolidation from property management companies to mom and pop being bought, uh, being, uh, purchased and to all the way to property management software has been acquired by OTS as well.
[00:14:02] Derrick: And then direct booking is going to be the biggest next thing. Because everybody wants to have a piece of the pie, especially in the property management space. So OTAs might start losing a chunk of their business to their property management software through direct bookings. So those are my predictions for 2025.
[00:14:23] Derrick: And as always, cleaning is always the next thing that you need for your property. So when in doubt, use Cleanster. Thank you.
[00:14:32] Francois: Hi, everyone. My name is Francois. I'm the co founder and CEO of Enso Connect. We are a guest experience platform designed to help hospitality professionals digitize and monetize the guest experience.
[00:14:42] Francois: So let's look ahead to 2025. The hospitality industry has navigated some uncharted waters. We've got tightening regulations and rising costs, and guests are booking later, expecting more and spending less. These challenges are real, but so are the opportunities. Prediction number one, AI will redefine guest experiences.
[00:15:01] Francois: AI is no longer just a buzzword. It's the foundation for staying competitive. AI driven guest communication, predictive analytics and personalized upselling is going to become the essential tools for hospitality professionals. Imagine anticipating a guest needs before they even ask. AI makes that possible.
[00:15:18] Francois: Prediction number two, monetization without expansion. You do not need more inventory necessarily to thrive in 2025. The focus is going to shift to maximizing the revenue potential of existing assets. And that includes operational upsells, early check ins, late check outs, fees, like pet fees, and even mid stay cleanings, gap nights, and so on, but also experiential upsells.
[00:15:41] Francois: Guests are seeking more than just a place to stay. They want curated local experiences. AI powered recommendation engines will enable that seamless cross selling of activities, tours, and dining options. We're already seeing the results. We've got customers that are making up to 147 per listing per month.
[00:15:56] Francois: In additional revenue through upsells, and we're seeing up to 60 percent adoption on damage waivers, adding an average of 50 per booking, and we're starting to see AI powered pricing optimization designed to increase profitability by adapting to the market trends in real time. So 2025 is the year to squeeze the juice from every single booking and by embracing AI, leveraging upsell opportunities and adapting to those guests expectations.
[00:16:23] Francois: Growth is not just possible, it's inevitable. So let's make this year the best year yet. Follow me for more actionable insights or connect with me directly to see how EnsoConnect is going to help you thrive in 2025.
[00:16:36] Jamie: I'm Jamie Lane, chief economist at AirDNA. We are a global short term rental data and analytics company.
[00:16:43] Jamie: I'm going to talk about our 2025 outlook. So in the U S 2020 through 2023 was really a year of our years of supply and demand imbalance while Europe was really struggling to get guests and travelers. Back well, news for you. We are back. Uh, in 2024, uh, U. S. was finally in a year of equilibrium. Uh, supply and demand were growing roughly, uh, in line with each other, which meant that hosts no longer had to cut rates to compete for occupancy.
[00:17:21] Jamie: Uh, in Europe, we saw very strong growth on both supply and demand, 15 percent growth, north of 15 percent growth, which In a lot of ways, really renewed pre COVID concerns around over tourism and the need for increased regulation. These are sort of themes that will be pervasive throughout 2025. But for investors, 2025 is going to be a year to dig deeper.
[00:17:51] Jamie: New investment will continue to be difficult as interest rates and home values remain elevated. I'm making really finding new investments increasingly hard. So at RD& A, we're going to be rolling out new tools to, uh, help, uh, uh, really take the guesswork out of finding probable investments, uh, for hosts and operators, limited new investment and new supply will, uh, really be music to your ears.
[00:18:16] Jamie: Uh, we expect demand growth to outpace supply growth leading to another year of rising average daily rates. We really think 2025 is the year to double down on distri distri distinguishing yourself for your competition As the gaps between the haves and have nots will continue to be widened. And here the haves are those with bookings.
[00:18:37] Jamie: Uh, so good luck, uh, and, uh, best wishes in 2025.
[00:18:42] Jay: My name is Jay Ulrich and I am the CEO and co founder of HostBuddy AI. In 2025, I think there's going to be a really big shift in the way that hosts start using technology. And we're seeing it trend that way a lot right now, where they're starting to really focus in on how they can make their operations more efficient, how they can save the most amount of money to put back in their business, to focus on improving the amenities, the furnishings, um, the entire guest experience at the properties, the entire landscape of the STR, Uh, space is really just developing into high competition.
[00:19:18] Jay: The hosts that are providing the most things for their guests and giving the best experience are going to be the ones who succeed. Um, and some of the ways that those hosts are doing that are by automating those processes that really slow down their company and eat up their expenses. So one of those things and something that HostBuddy AI focuses on is automating that guest communication.
[00:19:36] Jay: I think we're really going to start seeing a lot more people put their trust more into programs and systems like AI. Okay. Um, that can really automate, uh, the entire process of messaging guests, um, following up with guests, upselling them, doing all these great things. Um, you know, optimizing your listings, all these things that AI can do that can really improve the business.
[00:19:56] Jay: So moving into 2025, I think we're going to continue seeing that big shift. And I'm really excited to see. Um, how that all continues to develop. You can find me on Instagram at J T Ulrich and look at hostbuddy. ai as well.
[00:20:10] Jenn: Hey, I'm Jen Boyles, the founder of Direct Booking Success and the all in one marketing platform, BookDirectPro.
[00:20:18] Jenn: As we head into 2025, I see a growing challenge. But in even greater opportunity, with tighter regulations on the horizon, those who rely heavily on the OTAs will face significant obstacles. But for those ready to prioritize their own business, this could be a pivotal year. As regulations tighten, those clinging to the OTAs risk losing out by Not only those putting the regulations in place, but by competitors who are more innovative and adaptable.
[00:20:56] Jenn: Guests today aren't just booking a place to stay. They're looking for a unique, personalized experience that makes their trip unforgettable. To thrive in 2025, the strategy is clear. Focus on direct bookings. It's about crafting an exceptional guest experience. while using marketing tactics that truly connect with your ideal guest.
[00:21:23] Jenn: Personalization isn't just a nice to have anymore, you've got to step it up. Whether it's offering local experience upgrades, or those little personal touches that only you can provide, these details will set you apart. And don't forget the power of storytelling, guest reviews, and guest generated content.
[00:21:47] Jenn: They're your secret weapons for building trust. Show your face, share your story and remind guests why no one else can deliver what you do. The secret to thriving in 2025, mastering the art of connection. and communication. When you focus on these, you'll come out with a stronger business that is built for the future.
[00:22:10] Jessica: My name is Jessica Gillingham and I am the founder of Abode Worldwide. We're a specialist public relations agency working with tech companies in the hospitality and short term rental sectors. I've got lots of predictions for 2025, but the one I'll focus on here is what I think is going to happen. is that there will be fewer property managers.
[00:22:32] Jessica: So they will be because of regulations, because of how hard it is to be a property manager right now, because of challenges with profit, because of rising costs, all sorts of things that make it very difficult being a property manager. Those that came in Relatively recently in the in the kind of the covid gold rush days will decide that uh, You know what?
[00:22:58] Jessica: This isn't for me and will leave the market and what that will mean is that there will be better stock for property managers who really do see themselves as professionals Who are really doing a great job for asset owners for their homeowners And who have really invested in their businesses. So they have been strategically building their businesses for sustainable growth.
[00:23:26] Jessica: So those are the ones that are going to win and stick. And the ones that kind of just came in for the quick wins will leave the market in 2025.
[00:23:37] John: I am Jon Stokerger with Direct Software and the No BS Podcast. Today's prediction is brought to you by the letter. D for direct. Give us a follow on Instagram.
[00:23:47] John: Our handle is at direct software. So I run the sales for direct. We are a PMS, a property management software. And my 2025 prediction is Is that as an industry, we're going to see more and more established short term rental property managers switching away from their VC funded private equity backed solutions to solutions that are more bootstrapped with strategic funding partnerships like Direct and other solutions out there.
[00:24:10] John: Why is that you ask? Well, there are a few reasons, but I'll start with cost. Investors need to see a return. The valuations of these large mega PMSs or technology groupings are in a whole different stratosphere. Costs are going to rise if they have an RRN. This is fine if you're leveraging one solution to run your whole business and property managers initially bought into this idea that they needed a solution that would do everything for it, do all solution.
[00:24:34] John: But that is not the case and what has actually happened is that they are bundling their must have insulative solutions like property care, dynamic pricing, guest portal, home automations, insurance, etc. On top of their payments. With revenue margins ever shrinking, the true operating costs for the tech stack is reaching unbearable heights.
[00:24:52] John: Back to my prediction, hosts and property managers, in an effort to get their operating costs under control in 2025, are going to be searching for and switching to alternative, affordable, competent solutions. They have a truly open API. Do not upcharge for things like the privilege to distribute to channels like Airbnb and Vrbo, who without a doubt can make the property manager their North star and not the ROI for their investors.
[00:25:15] John: Every Thursday, starting January 16th, I'll be conducting a workshop on understanding your tech operating costs called STRTOC, S T R T O C, True Ownership Costs, and it's free to participate. Message us on Insta if you'd like to be invited or go directly to directsoftware. typeform. com forward slash S T R T O C.
[00:25:35] John: Happy holidays and here's to a wonderful 2025.
[00:25:37] Alexander: I'm Alex Shapiro, CEO of CanMonkey. My favorite social media handle is LinkedIn K period Alexander Shapiro, and my prediction is unfortunately I think there will be stricter regulations going across the United States, the cities will impose tighter restrictions to address this housing shortages.
[00:25:58] Alexander: There will be licensing occupancy limits and tax compliance will be required, but stay informed and be proactive.
[00:26:05] Liz: Hi, I'm Liz from Meadow Falls Campsite. Having run a camping, glamping and touring site for 10 years, I have seen the initial booking rush, the business growth, the COVID crash, and The post COVID over inflated holiday surge and the uncertainty of the following years.
[00:26:22] Liz: It certainly has been a roller coaster of booking patterns. But what has been clear to see is that those businesses offering to go the extra mile are those who are flourishing. Guests want more for less and the options for them to choose from is massive. Treehouses, pods, cottages, camping, lodges, so many diverse spaces to stay in the short term rental world.
[00:26:42] Liz: It's already a crowded room and standing out is challenging. During their stay they're not just looking for a place to lay their head, they are looking for more. No longer just a patch of grass for a tiny tent with minimal kit to get them by. Huge tents with sofas, side pods, different cooking facilities, home from home luxuries all packed into a big trailer.
[00:27:02] Liz: Guests are planning their stay and activities before they arrive and they want bang for their buck. I predict those that go the extra mile will be rewarded with a bright 2025. So get ahead, ensure you are offering all your guests a personal experiential experience. Wishing you all a fabulous season ahead.
[00:27:22] Mike: Hi, I'm Mike O'Connell. I'm the founder of Happy Guest. And I think in 2025, the short term rental industry will a significant evolution as travelers are seeking more personalized and immersive stays. I think the industry is really shifting from that basic accommodation model to one more centered around curated experiences.
[00:27:39] Mike: Um, curated experiences like private chef dinners, local artists and workshops, or adventure tours that are really tailored to individual guests, I think are going to become standard offerings. Um, the large OTAs are already kind of paving the way in the experience world. And I think that short term rental operators who position themselves as gateways to these authentic destination specific activities, um, are going to do well.
[00:28:03] Mike: Hosts that build partnerships with local businesses or create exclusive on site experiences are going to be really gaining competitive edge. Capturing not just like bookings, but guest loyalty as a whole. I think upselling is also going to hit its stride, transforming kind of how rentals generate revenue.
[00:28:21] Mike: Um, some of these enhanced pre arrival booking tools, like Happy Guest, will allow hosts to upsell add ons, such as early check ins, late check outs, gap nights, or even have welcome packages. featuring locally sourced goods. I think this convergence of curated experiences and tailored upsells will not only boost host income, but also redefine guest expectations.
[00:28:42] Mike: In this hyper personalized landscape, those who prioritize connection and creativity are going to lead the way. It's really going to reshape the industry from being a place to stay to a full service destination. Um, the challenge for 2025 really balancing scalability with authenticity success is going to favor hosts and property management companies that innovate, integrate, and truly understand the modern traveler.
[00:29:07] Mike: Thanks. And have a happy 2025.
[00:29:10] Paul: Hey everyone, Paul Walshman here, CEO and co founder of Owner Rez. You can find us online at X LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, just look for at Owner Rez and stay tuned for insights and updates. Okay. Let's talk about 2025 and predictions. It's not sexy. It's not cool, but I think we're going to see an era of consolidation continue through 2025, an era that already started in 2024, but I think it's going to intensify and expand in 2025.
[00:29:41] Paul: Now, what I mean by consolidation is on the vendor side of the vacation rental market. So, uh, vendors like OTAs, like PMS software, our channel managers. I think you're going to see it across the board because there's been an explosion of software and tools over the last 5 10 years. And I think a lot of those companies have worked on things that are great ideas, but in some cases they haven't reached profitability, um, or they've struggled to find their niche.
[00:30:05] Paul: And so now they're shedding things or they're trying to acquire and they're moving around and the industry is starting to consolidate. So again, not sexy, not cool, but. So I think we're going to see that continue. Make sure that you are poised and that you are in the right spot, uh, to see where the winners and losers are.
[00:30:23] Paul: Make sure that the companies you're with are profitable like owner as, and, um, as you look forward, uh, make yourself, make sure you're in a position to, um, use tools that work well, that are from a profitable company and that aren't going to consolidate, go away, be purchased by somebody else because I think more and more, you're going to see that.
[00:30:42] Paul: I think on the OTA side, you're seeing that as well. I guess they're starting to gravitate more and more to the platforms that they trust. There's been an explosion of OTAs and some with really good ideas. But I think you're going to see consolidation there as well. So look for simple, look for powerful, look for stuff that works.
[00:30:58] Paul: And hopefully we break out of some of that consolidation in 2026. But I think you're going to see kind of a period of that in 2025. Okay. Happy holidays, everybody.
[00:31:10] Richard: Hi, Mark. Hello, all you boosty people. My name is Richard Horton. I'm the founder of Yes Consulting. We work on company growth, tech adoption and M& A and short term rentals.
[00:31:21] Richard: So what's 2025 going to produce? Well, we're in mature markets in many countries now, uh, and even Airbnb, biggest name in political homelessness is still the new kid on the block. So these mature markets increasingly depending on tech, we're facing legislation, they have sustainability needs, higher staff costs.
[00:31:41] Richard: We all know the problems. And it means many of those people are coming to the end of their long slog when they had started a lifestyle business are increasingly likely to want to sell. Owners are also beginning to question managers in oversupplied markets. They've experienced 2021 income and there's intense competition.
[00:32:01] Richard: So this is just compounding the whole issue, I think, for these long, long term managers. The same applies to, uh, small tech businesses. I think we're going to see more roll ups and pivots. It's the, it's the only way to go, and we've got so many of them. A big one to watch, uh, I think, is a significant acceleration in AI and, and its current use and efficiencies, but also the likes of Google and Anthropic, which are beginning to deliver human like keyboard and software emulations.
[00:32:31] Richard: They're going to be really interesting. And as that moves forward, it may allow managers to be more creative on workflows as well. Finally, loyalty programs and experience centered companies should in theory be able to help more direct booking opportunities as well. Not something I've said for a long time because the OTAs have been hammering into space very, very heavily.
[00:32:56] Richard: But I do see now opportunities as AIs come into the industry. And in fact, we have a lot of noise around experience that this is going to be a big opportunity. So Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. Hi,
[00:33:12] Rose: my name is Rose from Your Family's Place and also hosting in the motherhood. And I'm here to give you my predictions for 2025.
[00:33:20] Rose: What I think is going to be happening is there's going to be an increased focus on hospitality and operators building independent standalone brands from the OTAs. Good days are over folks and relying on the OTAs for all of our revenue is a thing of the past. This is an opportunity for professional operators to level up their game, focus on building their brand awareness and their hospitality standards and turning our guests into guests for life.
[00:33:44] Rose: Give me a follow at your family's place or hosting in the motherhood and hey, I'd like to host you this year.
[00:33:49] Sean: Hey, my name is Sean Kemper with ETI Solutions. Educate, train, and innovate. That's what we do. We help lift up the operation professionals back of the house, housekeeping, maintenance. We educate and train them on proper procedures.
[00:34:04] Sean: I guess my favorite social media outlet would probably be LinkedIn. We have such a nice tight knit community there that we can keep up with our industry friends, see what's going on with the companies and trends. So I love reading on linked in and seeing everybody's doing. As far as predictions for 2025 sustainability is becoming huge.
[00:34:25] Sean: We are staying ahead of the curve with our cleaning program to be sustainable chemicals. Another one would probably have to be technology. I love the technology that's coming in for the back of the house to keep us more efficient. Inventory control, and there'll be some other good things that'll help out with, uh, with, uh, their operations.
[00:34:43] Sean: And then probably education. We got to continue to educate our industry, lift these folks up, make sure they're on top of the latest trends, cleaning quicker, better equipment, whatever it might be. And I look forward to serving you guys in 2025. Take care.
[00:34:56] Sean: Hey, everyone. My name is Sean McGregor with no code STR.
com. I help people to automate the annoying parts of their short term rental business and life using no code tools like Airtable and Zapier. And automations critically important. They will always be critically, critically important, but what is going to change in 2025 and what is going to be so exciting.
And scary. It's a weird world. We're going to be weird year is incorporating AI into those automations to create your own custom, what are called agents that anytime you get a text message, your agent will be alerted. It'll have all of your knowledge base about all of the information in your company, your property, your neighborhood, your recommendations, but then the ability to search the web to find other recommendations people need.
And that agent is going to be able to communicate with their guests. Okay. And it won't sound just like everybody else or every other AI, because you'll be able to use these tools to actually create it, to personalize it and to make it sound just like you reply, just like you, um, and to keep that same hospitality that we all strive for.
Instead of just being a stale robotic kind of generic chat GPT, it'll be customized to have the exact same. Expressions, jokes, humor that you do, and we'll completely free you up to focus on advancing your business and helping out with friends, family, businesses, because none of the tools I use are short terminal specific.
They can be applied to any industry, any part of your life. And because AI is not going anywhere, I think in 2025. Learning the ability to harness that fire, to use AI, to create custom AIs relevant to your business in life will be such a critical skill that will create a clear gulf between the people that do that and the people that don't.
So if you're interested in that, go to no code, str. com free five day course. And I look forward to connecting with you. Thank you.
[00:37:01] Steve: Hey everyone, it's Steve Davis over here at Oporto, in Vancouver, Canada, just passing along the best of the holidays to everyone. Being asked to put together a few thoughts for 2024 and heading into 2025 and some of the exciting things that I'm seeing as we head into the new year.
[00:37:17] Steve: I think the, you know, the most overused word of the year, but also the most exciting place to be is playing with all the new AI that's out there. I think, you know, property managers who are embracing some of the new technologies, Uh, are setting themselves up for success. We're seeing some incredible step forwards in, you know, in automation, in the use of, you know, AI concierge type services where, you know, we can, we can really get, uh, into the guest stay much quicker.
[00:37:43] Steve: Uh, we can make sure that guests are having that curated experience and making sure that the guests are ultimately being communicated with properly, are getting the information that they need before they arrive, um, when they're actually staying with you. And then also once they've left. Uh, making sure that, uh, you know, again, they're, they're taken care of as, as, as close to a five star, um, experience as they can get because we all know that, you know, if you cater to a guest, uh, well, uh, the downstream effect of that is obviously, um, you're going to get five star reviews and you're also going to have, um, you know, word of mouth and all those things that, that come with it.
[00:38:15] Steve: I think the other thing too, is, is really just a grappling with this whole notion of upsells and money that's being left on the table. I think that, that, you know, when you get a guest that stays with you. There's, there's a wallet there that is looking to spend some money and how do we capture greater share of wallet, I think is going to be another core, um, consideration for, for the, for the property managers going forward, right?
[00:38:40] Steve: Um, it's not really about how many units you manage. It's can you actually squeeze as much lemon juice out of those, uh, out of those properties as, as possible. And I think some of the most successful property managers are really starting to get that straight. Um, you know, whether it's basics like early check in late check out, but it can also just be curated experiences, you know, things that are fun to do in the local area, uh, making again, making them feel that they're, they're not just staying and renting a bed and a, and a TV from you, but actually getting into the, you know, what, what makes your area special, what are the things that I have to see while I'm staying?
[00:39:11] Steve: And, and if you can help guests really navigate their stay, okay. Um, you know, all the way through from the most basic information, whether that is, you know, what's the Wi Fi password, uh, all the way through to making sure that they're learning and seeing the most amazing spots and you're really the conduit to, to unlocking great stays, um, that's where I feel that, you know, when we look at things like AI, There's there's some huge opportunities here for for property managers and some really cool tools that we're seeing coming on to the market to help folks out.
[00:39:40] Steve: Um, you know, again, I don't know if it's really about how many properties you manage anymore. It's how well you manage them. And I think that property managers that can really understand. That beyond just sort of the basic ADRs and what are the things that can drive revenue growth, it's, it's actually doing more with, with the, with the inventory that you currently have, because personal feeling is, is that, you know, we're, we're not there quite yet.
[00:40:04] Steve: Um, we can capture more share of wallet. We can absolutely. Um, I think it's really important for us to continue to offer amazing stays to our guests, but also a level of personalization that's very difficult in the hotel space, and that's ultimately what makes our industry so special. So, looking forward I think there's just some amazing tools and some technologies that the most successful property managers are going to continue to leverage, and I'm really looking forward to 2025, as we all grow and see a new year.
[00:40:31] Steve: I just wish everyone a good holiday season, and take care, and we'll see you on the other side. I'm Paul
[00:40:37] Paul Anderson: Agneson, the social media hotelier. I teach hosts and short term rental businesses how to drive traffic from Instagram to their booking pages and listings. So you can find me on Instagram at the social media hotelier.
[00:40:47] Paul Anderson: Here is my big prediction for 2025. 2025 will belong to the hosts who embrace authenticity, simplicity, and human connection. Here's why. With an estimated 52 percent of content on the internet now being AI generated, it's becoming harder than ever to distinguish what's real from what's fake. Pair that with the increasing accessibility in marketing, and we're facing a perfect storm.
[00:41:07] Paul Anderson: A deluge of polished, but often generic content. The noise on Instagram will only get louder. Attention spans aren't shrinking. But competition for attention is growing to stand out your content. Your signal must cut through the noise. That doesn't mean being louder or flashier. It means being authentic, being relevant, and speaking directly to your perfect potential guest.
[00:41:27] Paul Anderson: And here's the key. Instagram isn't a one to many platform. It's a one to one platform. Think about it. How do people usually consume social media content? On their sofa, on their commute, they're alone. Every post, every story, every reel, it's It's a personal conversation with someone deciding whether or not you are the right fit for them.
[00:41:45] Paul Anderson: Overproduction and perfectionism create distance. Instead, focus on being real, being approachable, being targeted, and being clear in your messaging. So my prediction is that the hosts who will thrive in 2025 will start building genuine human first connections. Be your perfectly imperfect self. Set your marketing apart from the overproduced, likely AI generated content.
[00:42:06] Paul Anderson: Speak directly to your perfect potential guest. It's not about reaching every person. It's about reaching the right person. And authenticity will be your greatest advantage. Your perfect potential guests are not looking for perfection. They are looking for trust, relatability, and real people behind the post.
[00:42:20] Paul Anderson: So make mistakes. Embrace the suck that comes with starting anything new. And learn from them. Done is better than perfect. And action beats hesitation. Every time your authenticity will shine through and your success will naturally follow if you just hit post. I wish you all a cool yule and a very happy new year.
[00:42:38] Adam: Hi, I'm Adam from Avivo, the all in one property management system, channel manager, and booking engine. As we look to 2025 and beyond, one thing is clear. What people want from their accommodation continues to evolve. More than just a comfortable stay, they crave experiences. The demand for diverse accommodation.
[00:42:55] Adam: From boutique hotels to pubs with rooms and eco friendly pods is growing and shows no signs of slowing down. Studies predict that in 2025, the vacation rental market will continue to grow, driven by a global shift towards unique experience led stays. Platforms like Airbnb are seeing a significant rise in searches for non traditional accommodations.
[00:43:17] Adam: including yurts, shepherd's huts, and tiny homes. And Expedia is seeing travelers prefer unique vacation rentals in farmhouses or cabins, showing increased demand for cowboycations or nature oriented stays. This preference for diverse stays presents a golden opportunity for accommodation providers, and more often than ever we're speaking to operators who want to make sure they're set up to maximize this opportunity.
[00:43:42] Adam: Expanding or diversifying your accommodation offering not only increases capacity But also enables you to tap into a broader audience. Whilst catering to modern travelers desire for novelty and flexibility. That said, managing a business with diverse accommodation types can be complex. Managing them all in the same diary, configuring the various occupancy based pricing scenarios they require, overseeing guest communications in a unified way and making use of automation.
[00:44:07] Adam: All this means that having robust technology solutions that are deeply integrated with the major OTAs will become even more critical in helping you capitalize on the key trends. Coming in 2025. Don't be afraid to change provider if your tech stack doesn't stack up. Otherwise, you risk missing out.
