In this Host Planet Playbook episode, Dean McLuckie shares the roller-coaster rise of Euphoric Leisure in South Africa – from a travel club to scaling fast in a complex, ever-evolving STR market.

We dig into regulation challenges, how industry rivals have united to protect responsible hosting, and what makes Euphoric Leisure stand out. Dean drops practical tips for five-star guest experience, why you should never waste a good crisis, and how joy returns to the job when you get the guest journey right.

1:52 The story of Euphoric Leisure

2:21 From a travel club to the short-term rentals industry (via Netflix)

4:32 The wild journey from 0-100

6:46 How the South African STR space is developing

8:12 The challenges in South Africa, starting with regulation

13:15 The threat of regulation has united competitors in South Africa 

16:05 What makes Euphoric Leisure stand out

19:01 Tips to deliver an outstanding guest experience

23:43 Never waste a good crisis

26:09 Delivering a great guest experience makes the job joyful

27:22 Quickfire questions

32:02 Shout-out: Nick Taylor

32:53 Ultimate goal

Download a free copy of the Host Planet Playbook: https://www.hostplanet.club/host-planet-playbook

The Host Planet Playbook was created in collaboration with the property management software, Hospitable. Interested in using a PMS which will help you manage your rentals on autopilot? Get 25% off Hospitable for the first three months: https://hospitable.com/partners/hostplanet

Dean McLuckie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanmcluckie/

Euphoric Leisure: https://euphoricleisure.com/

The Host Planet Playbook series is presented by James Varley, Founder and CEO of Host Planet. Connect with James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Host Planet: https://www.hostplanet.club/