Booking.com just closed Q4 2024 with massive growth in short-term rentals—alternative accommodations now make up 33% of all nights booked, with 19% YoY growth. But here’s the catch: OTAs are gaining even more control over how and when hosts get paid, raising new concerns for property managers.

🔑 Key insights from this podcast episode:

✅ Why Booking.com is surging in short-term rentals (7.9M listings & counting).

✅ How its strategy differs from Airbnb’s—focusing on pro hosts vs. casual hosts.

✅ The rise of the Merchant Model—59% of bookings now go through OTA-managed payments.

✅ What this shift means for STR managers in 2025—more demand, more competition, and less control over revenue flow.

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