A new association for vacation rental owners, the Association for Short-Term Rental Homeowners (ASTRHO), is launching this week to “bring together like-minded individuals and companies with a shared interest in offering safe, legal, and successful short-term rentals for owners, guests, and vendors.”
As a not-for-profit, ASTRHO was created for homeowners seeking to find education and resources related to marketing, operations, and investment, and it welcomes existing and aspiring short-term rental homeowners, corporate solution and service providers, and academic experts in hospitality and relevant disciplines. The association serves short-term rental homeowners who are:
- Seeking to invest in a short-term rental or vacation home,
- Self-managing a short-term rental or vacation home, or
- Selecting a property or hospitality management company.
“While the lodging industry has professional development and trade associations for hotels, resorts, and other lodging sectors, short-term rental and vacation rental homeowners are now a segment of their own,” said Heather Richer, ASTRHO board president and former RedAwning, and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants executive. “There are an estimated 10 million short-term rental homeowners globally, and they need a professional community. We’re looking forward to playing a role in the further advancement of this lodging segment.”
In addition, the association’s website, ASTRHO.ORG, offers eLearning courses, local and regional community discussion boards, relevant news updates, and networking opportunities. It also serves as an aggregator of the fragmented information, tools, and solutions available to short-term rental homeowners. The cost for homeowners to join this association is $10 per month or $100 per year, and they are offering homeowners a free 14-day trial period.
“We’ve identified three trends to watch,” Richer said. “First, approximately 50 percent of short-term rental owners choose to self-manage, and technology advancements will further empower these entrepreneurs and small business owners, making profitability and operational success even easier. Second, we’ll see more branded opportunities. There will be both new entrants and traditional hospitality management companies, like we’ve seen with Marriott Homes and Villas. Finally, with COVID-19, guest demand for second-home rentals has increased. Whether seeking a place to vacation away from crowds or working remotely, travelers are considering vacation home stays now more than ever before.”
Richer added, “According to AirDNA, year over year, between May and June, US vacation rental bookings were up 20 percent.”
ASTRHO will host a virtual launch event on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at 12:00 pm ET, 9:00 am PT. At this membership drive, homeowners will get an overview of the community and the organization’s purpose, and ASTRHO will spotlight homeowner members and introduce supporting industry leaders and experts.
To learn more about the launch event or to become a member, visit https://astrho.org/.
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