Happy Friday!
This week we had our Focus Session On Channel API Connections webinar. If you missed it, no worries! You can rewatch the entire session here.
Some good news from the island of Hawaii: Vacation rentals outperformed hotels in February. The Hawaii Tourism Authority performance report for the month of February showed vacation rentals just under 50% occupancy, while hotels were at about 30%. The report also showed that the average room rate for vacation rentals was $242, whereas hotels averaged a daily rate of $259.
Osceola County, Florida, has seen a huge spike in vacation rentals over the past three weeks. Officials from Old Town say Saturdays and Sundays are seeing better numbers than prior to the pandemic. During the weekdays, hotel occupancy has increased to 50% and 60% capacity, and weekends are up to 80% or even completely booked in some cases. International travel has not picked back up yet, however huge spikes in vacation rentals have been reported in Florida as locals and people from other states seek vacation over spring break.
Washoe County, Nevada, has implemented an ordinance for short-term rentals. Incline Village in North Lake Tahoe is the key focus for these new rules with more than 90% of the county's homes being short-term rentals. The new ordinance establishes a permit system for short-term rental hosts, sets occupancy limits, implements quiet hours, requires enforcement on rules about house parties, parking violations and litter.
Joshua Tree, California, is attracting many travelers by promoting desert escapes in well-known national magazines. The Morongo Basin is in the midst of a land-buying boom, driven by revenue from Airbnb rentals and those living in LA looking for a change of scenery. Tourism has more than doubled since 2011 when 1.4 million people visited Joshua Tree.
