Airbnb, Vrbo battle for more vacation cabins as travel rebounds

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts President Radha Arora on how his business is recovering from the pandemic and the demographics of the returning travelers. 

Vacation-rental brands are jostling to persuade owners to list homes on their sites as properties are in short supply in certain outdoor destinations.

Sites such as Airbnb Inc. and Expedia Group Inc.’s Vrbo have rolled out features designed to make it easier to become a host. Demand for homes near beaches, national parks and other nonurban areas has been high during the pandemic, but it is accelerating as the economy reopens, vaccinations rise and some companies have announced plans to keep flexible work arrangements in place.

Properties near beaches, lakes and national parks remain in high demand as pandemic restrictions ease and flexible work arrangements stick. (iStock). 

Airbnb in May said it eased the sign-up process for new hosts, reducing the number of steps required to 10 from dozens. The…

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