New Hospitable report reveals hosts are confidently competing with larger operators — and aren’t interested in handing over control
SAN FRANCISCO, 12 MAY – A brand new report from property management software Hospitable reveals that independent short-term rental (STR) hosts are feeling confident in their ability to compete — and clear on what gives them an edge.
Published today, ‘The Evolving STR Landscape: Insights for Hosts & Property Managers’ draws on a survey of 566 STR professionals, including self-managing hosts, co-hosts, and property managers.
Among the findings: nearly half (47.7%) of hosts say large property management companies (PMCs) have no impact on their ability to attract bookings, and just 10.4% believe PMCs dominate their local markets.
Although 65.4% have noticed an uptick in competition, most aren’t concerned. Rather than stepping back, hosts are leaning into what sets them apart — personalization.
Three-quarters (74.8%) say offering a more personalized guest experience is their biggest competitive advantage over PMCs, while 72% cite attention to detail as a key differentiator. Many also point to direct guest relationships (60.3%) and pricing flexibility (48.8%) as core strengths.
While the majority of hosts remain committed to self-management, many aren’t opposed to outside support — as long as it adds clear value. 38.3% say they would consider working with a PMC if it improved marketing and visibility, while others would welcome help with saving time (29.7%), scaling their portfolio (28.5%), or streamlining operations such as cleaning, guest communication, and tech tools.
Pierre-Camille Hamana, CEO of Hospitable, said: “The findings from this report highlight a new level of confidence among independent hosts. They’re not looking for someone to take over, they’re looking for tools and strategies that strengthen what they already do well. Hosts know that personalization, direct guest contact, and control over their business are what make them competitive, and they’re leaning into this more than ever before.”
Looking ahead, independent hosts remain optimistic about their growth prospects. Over half (56.7%) of hosts plan to expand their portfolios in 2025, signaling strong confidence in the future of the STR market.
Hospitable’s new report is ready to download today.
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About Hospitable
Hospitable gifts short-term rental hosts their valuable time back. Founded in 2016, Hospitable’s tools allow hosts to automate the most time-consuming elements of hosting. Hosts use Hospitable to answer 90% of guest messages with AI-powered automated messaging, to automate their team notifications so they never miss a clean, and to avoid double bookings with a synchronized calendar across booking channels. Hospitable allows hosts to build their own direct booking website with many of the safeguards you would find in a third-party OTA and to integrate with popular third-party online travel agencies (Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com). For more information, visit www.hospitable.com.
