Vrbo is making a play for last-minute travelers, and hosts are looking to fill open calendar gaps fast.
In marketing, differentiation is key. The goal is to associate your brand with a certain theme or emotion in the customer’s mind, and Vrbo seems to be doing just that by leaning into a new identity: The Procrastinators’ Platform.
The headline of their latest press release says it all: “Procrastinators Rejoice! Vrbo Offers Last Minute Deals for Private Vacation Rentals”
In the press release, Vrbo introduced Last Minute Deals, a new feature in their app and website showcasing discounted listings available within 30 days of check-in. The rollout includes:
- An industry-first “Last Minute Booking” filter
- A prominent “Last Minute” badge displaying potential savings
- Messaging focused on flexible travelers and peak periods (like Fourth of July)
VRBO phrased this slightly differently to their host community, where they called it an Expansion of their Promotion Tools, allowing hosts to trade discounts for increased visibility.
Targeting procrastinators makes sense: the data backs it up
Targeting last-minute bookers isn’t just branding, it's a good strategy.
According to AirDNA’s latest data, guest booking behavior is clearly shifting toward shorter lead times. In May 2025, Booking Lead Times (the number of days between when a guest makes a reservation and when they check in) within 1–31 days was 53% of all demand.
Comparing May 2025 to May 2024:
- Same-day bookings are up nearly 4% YoY
- Meanwhile, 2–3 month lead times are down 4% YoY
Travelers are holding off. Booking decisions are happening later. And Vrbo’s move is smart to take advantage of the trend.
What this means for hosts
Follow the brand positioning, and try to put yourself in the guest’s shoes.
Expedia Group (Vrbo’s parent company) spent $1.76 billion on sales and marketing in Q1 alone, up 6% year-over-year, as they fight to strengthen brand loyalty in a crowded market.
Translation? Expect to see an aggressive marketing strategy from Vrbo to target guests that are looking to book last minute in the coming months.
If VRBO is actively telling travelers, “Need a place last minute? Come to Vrbo!” then it makes logical sense for hosts and property managers to have their most compelling last-minute discounts on VRBO to ride the wave of incoming demand and fill otherwise-empty nights.
