Today the Vacation Rental Management Association announced to its membership that it is partnering with Vrbo and “expanding its membership to include rental property owners, many of whom self-manage bookings through platforms such as Vrbo, part of Expedia Group.”
The entire announcement is below:
The move is part of a strategic decision to open doors to thousands of individuals who both directly own and manage less than six properties made available to guests and travelers for short-term stays. By connecting this growing market with VRMA’s community of property management and supplier members, the association will lead the way toward enhancing professionalism, expertise and the consumer experience across all facets of the vacation rental industry.
“We’re working toward the ultimate goal of driving industry growth and professionalism,” said VRMA President Toby Babich, and owner, Breckenridge Resort Managers. “By welcoming owners into our expanding community of management companies and suppliers, we can accelerate the exchange of ideas, information, knowledge and expertise to benefit the guests and communities we serve.”
Kevin Locraft, VP Partner Success, Vrbo, Expedia Group, adds, “We are excited to work with VRMA on this important initiative. For our platform partners who manage five or fewer properties, VRMA membership will provide them access to industry-leading resources to help solve everyday challenges with renting their vacation properties, and the added know-how to provide safe, clean, professional guest service.”
In addition to gaining resources, education, networking and data intelligence, owners also will benefit from VRMA’s advocacy efforts that work to protect vacation rentals and the industry. Together, owners and property management companies play a critical role in localized advocacy discussions that directly impact them and the communities in which they operate.
VRMA represents the full industry spectrum—from large management companies with properties throughout the world to individual owners, and also includes supplier companies that provide products and professional services.
About the Vacation Rental Management Association
Founded in 1985, the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) advances and advocates for the vacation and holiday rental property management and hospitality industries.
Headquartered in the United States, membership includes professional vacation rental managers, owners and suppliers in countries throughout the world—in addition to housekeeping professionals through our partnership with the Vacation Rental Housekeeping Professionals (VRHP).
VRMA provides news and research, education and networking opportunities, certification and accreditation, promotes the value of the vacation rental experience and drives industry growth and professionalism. To learn more, visit www.vrma.org.
About Vrbo
In 1995, Vrbo introduced a new way for people to travel together, pairing homeowners with families and friends looking for places to stay. We were grounded in one purpose: To give people the space they need to drop the distractions of everyday life and simply be together. Since then, we’ve grown into a global community of homeowners and travelers, with unique properties around the world. Vrbo makes it easy and fun to book cabins, condos, beach houses and every kind of space in between.
Vrbo is part of Expedia Group and offers homeowners and property managers exposure to over 750 million visits to Expedia Group sites each month. To learn more, visit www.vrbo.com.
It’s about time, VRMA. I first suggested this to VRMA in 2006, and every year after that through my retirement in 2015. Of course owner/managers should be able to join the VRMA; it will increase the ranks and further legitimize the industry. Even today, the vast majority of vacation properties are owner managed: it’s insane that this large population of potential members was actively ignored up until now. Good for you, VRMA: let’s just hope it isn’t too late.
They should really treat their employees properly instead of paying them 2 US n hr and expanding their workers and treating them like robots. Putting them to work all countries and working global dealing with both owners and property owners and going global!! Taking calls for country that they can’t even speak the language for…. That company is reall just disgusting
Donna, this is really great insight. Thank you! -Amy
So many times I have tried to participate but was given the sense that the little business people need not apply…But we’ll send you the memo on what the industrial guidelines ought to be so that when you grow bigger you too can then come in and play.
However, having just finished applying as a Startup Manager, someone defined as “just getting started in full-service management and manage fewer than 6 properties” and getting to the end of the application process only to say I didn’t qualify was more than frustrating.
I’ll give it another go for it. It may have been a computer glitch.
That said…the implication of “just getting started” is certainly a loaded and presumptive descriptor of who I am, a succesful owner of 8 years. A much better descriptor would be to lose the implied rebuke of my level of involvement in the business and simply state the level of homeownership or management, in this case, 6 or less….which could also include 0.
Actually, I am most satisfied with “just” having my one singular home that is part-time VR/ part-time our family’s personal use second home.
Hopefully, they know how to operate in a big tent…or at least one with at least a bit of expansion and inclusive of the others.
It may force owners to “professionalize” a bit more.
The registration expects the single homeowner to have a separate business/company email. How many do now?
Interesting that they have a partnership with VRBO – requiring that the owner’s listing ID.
There’s also a required website presence. That could be a motivator for more direct booking effort.
What about the property owner who does NOT use an OTA, but rather books directly? Or uses that other OTA that begins with “A”?
The required Online Directory description will compel (maybe)individual, independent owners to think of their home as more than a house that sleeps X. It may promote individual owners to develop a vision statement.
I would like to see who is actually doing the real advocacy for we individuals of small inventory and how they plan to incorporate us.
Will they be ok with not “absorbing” us into the fold of managed homes so that the Start-Up management company can grow beyond “just” his/her wimpy list of 6?
I left our management company for a reason, pretty much for the same reason I avoid using OTAs.
Communities across the nation and globe face increasing regulations and limitations as well as great animus towards OTAs. There is also great animus around the larger corporate-style PM companies, at least in my community.
For example, see an HOA Board member’s reasoning for increased regulations: “Most owners rented before buying. I believe the system worked until about 10 years ago when online rental platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO proliferated. These multi-billion-dollar companies have commodified rentals worldwide.”
The same Board Member points out STR’s are big business [in his specific community], County, state, nation, and worldwide. STR’s[in his specific community] generate between $11 million and $16 million in rental income and millions more in sales at local businesses and payments to house cleaners and other service providers.”
Thus the Board is promoting the following regulations for its coastal community and the County for ultimate approval by the California Coastal Commission:
·Mandatory registration of all rentals.
·Maximum of two renters per actual bedroom, plus two more renters.
·One vehicle per bedroom maximum.
·Three strikes for rule violations.
·A cap on the total number of rentals.
·Notify neighbors of your rental and provide your telephone number in case there is a problem with your renters.
·Two dog maximum.
·180 days per year limit.
·Density limits.
Having further advocacy support for the “just” the independent owners, as well as the communities’ larger PM Company’s, may offer a boost of support.
That is IF they are not charged guilty by association with the perceived Root Cause-OTAs, or big PM Companies such as VACASA