Search Results forHomeAway
HomeAway announces new features to find homes based on cleanliness, flexible cancellations
HomeAway HomeAway has announced new ways for families to find holiday homes so that when they are ready to travel again they can easily find accommodation that meets their standards for cleanliness and flexible cancellations. “HomeAway has been connecting families with private, holiday homes for 25 years, and it is obvious that COVID-19 has added to what people need as they plan their next trip – having the flexibility to change or cancel plans and knowing how space has been cleaned is essential to feeling comfortable enough to travel again,” said Vrbo president Jeff Hurst. “We’re adding the tools quickly to meet those additional requirements families now have when they are choosing a place to stay, as well as the systems our homeowners and property managers need to clearly communicate their policies and standards with future guests. Transparency between holidaymakers and homeowners about expectations and protocols is more important than ever.” Cleanliness Guidelines and Search Filters HomeAway is working with local governments, the travel industry and medical experts to ensure homeowners, property managers and holidaymakers are receiving aligned, clear cleanliness recommendations. Homeowners and property managers now have clear information for disinfecting high-touch surfaces, building in time between bookings to avoid back-to-back stays and stocking antibacterial handwashes, cleaners and hand sanitizers for guests. HomeAway is adding enhanced safety steps partners are taking to property descriptions so holidaymakers can choose places to book that meet their expectations. Homeowners and property managers will be able to report if the property is being cleaned with disinfectant, if guests can check-in and out without any person-to-person contact, and whether the property is unavailable for 24 hours between guests. Once property owners have supplied that information, HomeAway will add it to the property descriptions that holidaymakers see on the site and app. In another addition to HomeAway, families will be able to use search filters to see holiday rentals with the highest cleanliness reviews from other holidaymakers. Former guests have already provided cleanliness reviews on 900,000 HomeAway properties. Even before COVID-19, cleanliness was a top expectation for holidaymakers when renting a holiday home, and holidaymakers say their most valuable source of information is people who have already stayed in the holiday home, cottage or apartment. Flexible Cancellation Search Filter When looking for properties with flexible cancellation policies, families can use HomeAway search filters to find holiday homes that provide a full refund when cancelling by a specific date. HomeAway will also highlight listings with the most relaxed cancellation policies, making it easier for families to find holiday homes that offer free cancellation closer to their check-in date. “HomeAway’s homeowners and property managers told us that in response to COVID-19, adopting more flexible cancellation policies is the number one thing they are considering doing in the near future, so we’re supporting that by making the changes easy for them and highlighting the nearly a million properties that already have flexible cancellation policies and those that are adopting them,” said Hurst.
HomeAway unveils virtual tours in Bali
HomeAway, holiday home rental company, announced the launch of virtual tours in Bali. First launched in the US in November 2018, Bali is the second market outside of the US and the first market in Asia Pacific to offer virtual tours - a new proprietary product that seamlessly displays virtual tours of holiday homes on HomeAway. This customer-centric technological innovation allows homeowners and property managers to share a 360-degree walk-through of their properties with travellers. Travellers can visualise the property prior to their stay, setting their expectations and delivering a better stay experience. It also benefits homeowners with a proven record in increasing conversion. Available on desktop and mobile web, HomeAway’s approach to virtual tours is unique in the holiday home rental industry as the product is compatible with different types of virtual tours ranging from Do it yourself (DIY) tours filmed on personal phones and cameras to professionally captured footage from leading virtual tour companies like InsideMaps and professionals like TruPlace. "Harnessing virtual technology for holiday homes." “Virtual reality has transformed the entire customer journey and experience,” said Judith Davidson, regional director for HomeAway in Asia. “HomeAway is harnessing virtual technology for holiday homes in a way that has never been done before. The digital economy has opened up incredible possibilities for small-medium enterprises and independent property owners in Asia. We have combined the brainpower and scale of HomeAway and Expedia Group to deliver even more value to our customers around the world through tools like Virtual Tours.” The company is currently running a fully-funded and exclusive virtual tour programme for selected properties in Bali and displayed exclusively on the website. The tool is being tested for its impact to conversion for homeowners and property managers.
HomeAway pens deal to boost tourism in “Mediterranean of Japan”
Hotel Cocoro is one of the first listings HomeAway, the vacation rental site operated by Expedia, has formed a new partnership in Japan. The arrangement with Setouchi Brand Corporation is aimed at encouraging inbound tourism to the Setouchi area, which is also known as the Seto Inland Sea and the "Mediterranean of Japan". Travellers can now book HomeAway accommodation in the region, with a focus on historic properties. The first listings involve buildings that are more than 100 years-old, and by 2021, Setouchi aims to have 100 historic properties open for bookings. "Given HomeAway and its parent company Expedia’s strong presence internationally, we are confident that our partnership will attract many foreign travellers to visit the Setouchi region," said Yo Kimura, spokesperson for the Setouchi destination management organisation (DMO). "Looking ahead towards the future, we will also revitalise the properties based on customer needs and preferences to create a great experience for all travellers visiting the Setouchi region with HomeAway." "Japan is one of HomeAway’s top markets in Asia, and has always been a very popular travel destination," commented said Prashant Kirtane, vice president of HomeAway Asia. "The Setouchi area in particular has so much to offer travellers, and staying in a traditional Japanese house provides a great cultural experience for families and groups of friends. "We are excited about this partnership, and look forward to introducing our global travellers to the stunning Setouchi region, when they book a unique property through HomeAway," he added. The Setouchi area, in the south of Honshu Island, includes seven Japanese prefectures: Ehime, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Kagawa, Okayama, Tokushima and Yamaguchi.
HomeAway to Give Away a Fairy Tale-Like Castle Stay in Celebration of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”
Company invites travelers to enter for a chance to ‘get HomeAway from it all’ at a 14th century Scottish castleWith excitement building for the live-action adaptation of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast®” featuring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, HomeAway is teaming up with Disney to celebrate the film by giving one lucky winner and 20 of his or her chosen guests an unprecedented #HomeAwayCastle stay experience in Scotland this summer.With its contest that launches in several countries today, the world leader in vacation rentals is offering the chance to make someone’s dream of living a real-life fairy tale come true. The prize package includes a five-night stay in a majestic 14th century castle located in Duns, Scotland and all travel arrangements for the winner and up to 20 of his or her favorite people.The group will have the entire castle and its 1,200 acres to themselves to enjoy as they wish and can partake in a variety of activities ranging from archery to falconry. Or, they may prefer to dance, sing, read books, or perhaps even talk to the furniture and hope it will talk back, just like in the much-anticipated film.“Our mission at HomeAway is to help families and groups make unforgettable vacation memories and to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Steve Stamstad, HomeAway’s global brand vice president. “Whether staying in one of our hundreds of castles spread across the world, or even in a simple beach bungalow, we provide more than two million unique places to stay and help travelers get HomeAway from it all.”Travelers from the US as well as France, Germany and the UK can enter the #HomeAwayCastle prize drawing by visiting HomeAway.com/Disney until the competition closes on March 31, 2017.
Top nine tips for planning your 2024 Disney World vacation on a budget
Considering the various expenses associated with Disney World vacations, including park tickets, accommodation, flights, meals, and other potential unforeseen costs, it’s clear that Disney vacations can quickly become costly. Fortunately, Disney travel planning experts MagicGuides have compiled their top tips on how to get the most magic out of your 2024 Disney vacation without breaking the bank. Never buy water at Disney Spending your day walking around Disney World in the Orlando heat means you’ll need plenty of water to stay hydrated. However, the expense of purchasing bottled water and sodas throughout the day can add up quickly and produce needless plastic waste. The solution is to bring your own drinks into the park or bring a reusable water bottle per person to fill at water fountains. Also, one top tip is that ice water is totally free at Disney World quick-service restaurants. Therefore, skip the pricey bottled water and ask for a free glass of ice cold tap water instead. Buy discounted Disney gift cards One tip when planning your Walt Disney World vacation is to buy discounted Disney gift cards beforehand. These cards can be used to pay for park admission tickets, souvenirs, food at dining locations, or just about anything on Disney property where credit cards are accepted. This Disney hack is an easy way to save a little money on your trip to Disney World. Purchase discounted Disney gift cards from legitimate retailers, grocery stores and other participating retailers. For example, if you have a Target RedCard, you can buy Disney gift cards at a 5% discount, allowing you to save money even before your trip begins. Use online crowd calendars to avoid peak times Room rates are almost always higher during the busiest times of the year, such as the summer months, school vacation periods, and around holidays. Rates and crowds tend to be lower after the first of the year, in the first half of May, from mid-August to just before Thanksgiving, and after Thanksgiving week until mid-December. If your schedule allows for flexibility, you can save money and steer clear of crowds by planning your visit to Disney World during these off-peak times by referring to online crowd calendars. Pack essential items for your trip When on a budget, it is essential to focus on practical and cost-effective items for your Walt Disney World trip. Here's a list of a few critical things to take while keeping budget constraints in mind: Toiletries including medications such as ibuprofen, as these can be costly on-site Snacks, including reusable Ziplock bags to bring food to and from the parks Weather-permitting items, like umbrellas, rain jackets, and sunscreen Portable phone chargers Hand sanitizer and wet wipes Arriving well-prepared with essentials like the ones listed above is crucial, as purchasing them at the parks can be more expensive compared to buying online or back home. To cut costs, consider stopping at a convenience store or utilizing online platforms like Amazon before your visit. Pack plenty of weather essentials Speaking of essentials, don’t forget to pack plenty of weather essentials for your trip. Rain or shine, you’ll be at the park, but if you need an umbrella, rain poncho, or sunscreen, the cost of buying them at the park will add some considerable extra costs to your budget. Instead, come prepared by bringing affordable rain ponchos from the dollar store or Amazon, ample sunscreen, hats, fans, and other essentials to ensure comfort regardless of the weather. This is especially crucial considering that umbrellas or single adult ponchos within the parks can cost over $12 each. Keep an eye on your food budget While the food at Disney World is fantastic, it comes with a hefty price tag. It’s advised to consider the pros and cons of the Disney Dining Plan vs. a pay-as-you-go method before you book your trip. Disney Dining Plans are now back as of 2024. Some guests find that the Disney Dining Plan will save them money throughout their vacation while others find that they save more money without any plan at all – it merely depends on each guest and their individual priorities and preferences. One way to save money is to purchase food at local grocery stores and make your own meals, or even buy snacks on Amazon and schedule your package to be delivered directly to your hotel. For example, services like Orlando Grocery Express will bring food straight to your on-site resort, so you can make sandwiches and bring snacks for your big day in the park. Disney World allows guests to bring food into the park, so you could conceivably buy no food inside Disney parks at all. Enjoy non-park days Allocate a day away from the theme parks during your vacation. This not only reduces your admission expenses but also provides an opportunity to unwind and recharge. Use this day to explore Disney’s Boardwalk or Disney Springs, take boat rides, embark on a monorail resort tour, visit other Orlando attractions, or simply relax by the pool. There are numerous enjoyable and cost-effective activities around Disney World that won't strain your budget. Book your vacation through a Disney travel agent Contrary to a common misconception, booking your Disney World vacation through Disney travel agents often turns out to be a more cost-effective option, provided you choose a reputable no-fee agency. While some may think it adds to the expense, Disney actually pays these agencies to plan and book Disney trips. So, as the client, you benefit from the personalized services of a Disney World expert completely free of charge. Disney travel agents can help you plan and book most aspects of your vacation. This includes giving you expert advice and making informed recommendations, purchasing your park tickets, booking your hotel, dining, and transportation reservations. They stay updated on the most recent Disney World discounts and promotions, ensuring these are applied to your trip. If a better deal arises after your initial booking, they proactively re-book your trip to take advantage of lower rates. Additionally, they have the capability to establish a Disney payment plan, allowing you to manage the cost of your trip through installments rather than paying for it all at once. Consider staying off-site Choosing a non-Disney hotel can come with several cost-saving benefits. Firstly, these accommodations typically come at a lower cost compared to Disney-owned resorts and provide a broader range of room options, including spacious suites ideal for larger groups and families. Many of these larger rooms are furnished with kitchenettes, allowing you to prepare meals in your accommodation rather than dining at expensive Disney World restaurants. This simple adjustment can result in substantial savings, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars. The obvious downside of staying off-site is that you are situated further away from Disney World and will not have access to free Disney transportation services. Therefore, you will have the additional expense of renting a car (unless you bring your own) and parking charges or relying on taxis/Ubers to reach the parks. Disney Value resorts are the least expensive in-park lodging and offer competitive rates to rival off-site resorts. We encourage guests to book this tier if you want to be close to the action without costing you an arm and a leg. Another Disney budget hack is to search online for room or house listings near Disney World. Websites like Airbnb and HomeAway, for example, offer these types of short-term vacation rentals, most of which can be a considerable discount to staying at a resort. A spokesperson from MagicGuides adds: “"In our experience, we understand that a trip to Disney World is a dream vacation for many. Our mission is to make sure that people can fulfill these dreams without breaking the bank. When booking a Walt Disney World vacation on a budget, prioritize early planning to take advantage of discounts, consider off-peak seasons for more affordable rates, explore bundled packages for accommodations and park tickets, and leverage loyalty programs or memberships for additional savings. By using this strategic booking approach, we aim to make the magic of Disney World accessible to all."
How short-term rentals will play a big role in 2020’s hot holiday trends
UK Short-Term Accommodation Association (STAA) has released a report stating that accommodation available in the UK short-term rental sector is ticking the boxes for 2020’s holiday trends. According to the research by STAA, 5.2 million UK travellers booked holidays by the end of 2019 and this year, short-term accommodation is set to play a bigger role than ever in people’s holiday plans as the sharing economy is forecast to grow by up to 30%. Three of the key trends for 2020 include: The rise of the ‘microliday' These are 3-4 day breaks that suit time-poor travellers or those looking for several experiences in 2020. The manageable time periods also suit short-term hosts renting their own homes or rooms within it. Slow travel This is where people spend more than just one night at a destination, to explore more of a geographical location such as the South West, to make ‘deeper connections’ with the places they stay. Slow travel takes the pressure to tick off all the usual tourist hotspots and emphasises a leisurely-paced, quality-centric itinerary. Short-term rental hosts already promote their local communities and share information about services and experiences on their doorstep with guests so are perfect places to stay. Airbnb cites 85% of UK guests as wanting to 'live like locals'. Luxury treats People might not be able to afford their dream home, but they can stay in one for a weekend. Companies such as onefinestay and UnderTheDoormat offer high-end properties in a number of UK cities as mini-breaks where families or a group of friends can enjoy a luxury experience for a few nights. “It’s no surprise" “Accommodation in the sharing sector caters really well for many of the anticipated holiday trends in 2020 including the rise of the Microliday, Slow Travel and Luxury Treats,” said Merilee Karr, CEO of UnderTheDoormat and chair of the STAA. “It’s no surprise that the sharing economy is predicted to grow. Platforms such as Airbnb and HomeAway are making it much easier for consumers to choose the sort of accommodation that suits their lifestyles and holiday preferences. "For homeowners, it’s a great way to earn money from their homes when they are away themselves and there is real evidence that short-term letting is beneficial for the communities in which people stay. As the industry’s trade body, our aim is to help support its responsible growth.”
STAA welcomes three new members
The UK Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA), the trade body representing the short-term rental sector, has announced that it has welcomed three new affiliate members to its ranks - Touch Stay, a digital guest welcome book provider; Airlinen, a short-term rental linen provider; and Elina, a provider of property management software. The new members have further broadened the association’s membership base and will allow the STAA to better represent the sector moving forward. It now has 29 members in total that includes some of the largest platform operators in the UK such as AirBnB and HomeAway as well as many companies that provide specific services to the growing short-term rental sector. Merilee Karr, CEO of UnderTheDoormat and chair of the STAA said: “It’s great to be able to welcome three new members to our Association. It clearly shows the diversity of businesses that are now operating in the short-term rental sector and how significantly it is growing. Our new members will help us to have a more powerful voice on the issues that affect the sector and will add further weight to our aim of growing the short-term rental sector in a responsible and sustainable way.”
Travel tech this week: This is how Cathay Pacific records passengers in flight
This week, Cathay Pacific admitted that it records passenger activity, but it is not the way most people think. Deem X Conferma Pay Deem, a leading mobile and cloud technology provider for the corporate travel industry, has announced the launch of its first virtual payment provider program with Conferma Pay, a leading FinTech company specializing in virtual card technology. The new program allows corporations to use virtual payment solutions for travel spend, starting with hotel bookings and extending to airfare and ground transportation. “The payment industry is moving quickly to a more efficient and highly secure virtual payment model with leaders like Conferma Pay, Apple Pay and Google Pay,” said John F. Rizzo, CEO and president, Deem. “Our new virtual payment program solves a host of challenges for corporations and travellers alike.” Virtual payment gives corporations a central method to bill services, and a better way to audit and account for travel spend. This solution helps corporations mitigate security and fraud, especially in regions or countries with higher levels of fraudulent activity. Travellers also aren’t required to present a credit card at hotel check-in, mitigating their personal risk. The virtual payment program service is available for hotel content across all GDS with direct integration to Conferma Pay via their API and is available for profiled and non-profiled users of the platform. The system also supports custom PNR remarks by leveraging Deem’s unique PNR Editor functionality. The functionality will be available to customers by the end of Q3. “We want to support corporations by enabling them to cut costs through more efficient administrative processes. With Conferma Pay’s virtual payment technology, customers benefit from a holistic and detailed, automated reporting system accounting for every single transaction. This achieves greater efficiencies, tighter controls, heightened security and avoids laborious manual tasks to create a complete cost-effective solution,” said Paul Raymond, director of strategic relationships at Conferma Pay. Guesty directly integrates HomeAway Guesty has announced that all Guesty users can integrate directly with HomeAway’s distribution network and manage their HomeAway listings directly from the Guesty dashboard. Vered Schwarz, COO of Guesty, says: "Enabling our users to more seamlessly manage their properties is of the utmost importance to Guesty. That’s why we dedicate countless resources to direct integrations with our valued channel partners. We are excited to add HomeAway to that list. HomeAway is a strong player in the vacation rental ecosystem and our direct integration will provide Guesty users with increased exposure, specialized support and more, enabling them to focus on what matters most: growing their businesses." This addition to the Guesty family is one of many on the long list of capabilities we have added to our platform in the last quarter alone to ensure that short-term property managers can do it all from the Guesty dashboard. These updates include a revamped mobile app, the ability to manage multi-unit listings from our platform and access to advanced analytics that can be utilized to make data-driven decisions. Guesty’s Direct Integration To HomeAway Means: Property managers get paid right away: they can process traveller payments automatically (currently available to those with existing Stripe accounts) This integration enables property managers to automatically distribute their listings from Guesty to HomeAway with a single log-in Property managers’ data automatically syncs: listings stay up-to-date across all HomeAway Specialized, quick customer support: Guesty users who take advantage of this integration will have access to a support team dedicated to integrated property managers In the last year, Guesty’s customer base has increased by 100% and employee count has ballooned to 260+ spread out across 7 offices worldwide (and counting). The company is now the highest-funded short-term rental PMS on the market, according to Crunchbase, with $60M in funding. Guesty proudly has customers in 70+ countries managing hundreds of thousands of listings who report an average 150% increase in revenue annually, a 100% increase in listings annually and 50 or more hours saved per week, on average, due to Guesty's features. Cathay Pacific records passengers Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific has revealed it is recording passenger activity on its aircraft. The carrier outlined its information gathering in an updated privacy policy published at the end of July 2019. Cathay confirmed it is collecting images of passengers while they're on board as well as logging their usage of the in-flight entertainment system (IFE) and how they spend time during the flight. The airline says the images are not captured from embedded seat-back cameras. "In line with standard practice and to protect our customers and frontline staff, there are CCTV cameras installed in our airport lounges and onboard aircraft (one camera, positioned near the cockpit door) for security purposes. All images are handled sensitively with strict access controls. There are no CCTV cameras installed in the lavatories," a spokesperson of the airline said. "Our inflight entertainment systems do not have any cameras, microphones or sensors to monitor passengers, nor have they in the past," Cathay Pacific added. For more travel tech stories, click here. Send us your pitches and press releases at tech@traveldilymedia.com.
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