Hostaway released its 2026 Short-Term Rental Report this week, based on a survey of 326 operators across 46 countries. The data shows a clear change in strategy. Instead of focusing on adding more properties, many hosts are now spending money on marketing to protect and drive bookings to what they already manage.
Marketing Spending Jumps
The most notable change is where operators plan to invest. Last year, only 4.6% of respondents said marketing was a key investment area. For 2026, that number jumps to 33.4%.
This signals a shift away from relying only on platforms like Airbnb for demand. As competition intensifies, more hosts are investing in brand-building and guest acquisition outside the platforms.
Growth Plans Slow Down
As marketing spend increases, expansion plans are cooling. Only 45% of respondents plan to add new properties in 2026, down sharply from 63.5% last year.
This trend is in line with other recent data from Hospitable, which also shows that an increasing number of hosts are pausing growth plans. Some are still expanding, but many are choosing a more defensive posture. Instead of growing bigger, they are focusing on making their current portfolio more profitable.
That same mindset applies to property managers as well. About 36.5% said they do not plan to take on new clients next year, signaling a preference for higher-quality, more profitable owners instead of growth for its own sake.
Direct Booking Struggles
Rising marketing spend appears tied to how hard it is to win direct bookings. Despite increased effort, direct booking performance remains weak compared to the traffic generated by OTAs.
- 62.3% of operators generate less than 25% of revenue from direct bookings
- 18.4% report zero direct booking revenue
- 73.6% say competition in their market increased year over year
The data underscores how challenging it remains to pull demand away from major OTAs, even as hosts invest more heavily in marketing.
AI Use Depends on Size
AI adoption continues to climb, reaching 60.7% overall, up from 54% last year. However, usage varies significantly by portfolio size.
While data from Hospitable’s 2026 Industry Report suggests more than 80% of hosts use AI for messaging, Hostaway’s findings show adoption is uneven. Among operators with 51 or more properties, AI usage is close to 80%. For those managing 10 or fewer listings, it drops to 50.9%.
The main issue is not fear of AI. Smaller operators say the biggest challenge is finding the time to set it up and use it properly.
The full Hostaway 2026 STR Report is available here.
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