How access to OTA data is democratizing short-term rental tech

For far too long, a
significant segment of the short-term rental (STR) industry has been starved of
the tools necessary to professionalize and scale.

The majority of the STR market is made up
of individual hosts and self-managers. Yet these critical players are being
sidelined and denied access to the cutting-edge tech they
need to stand toe-to-toe with the big players. Why? Because
traditional software connections have demanded that everything routes
through the property management system (PMS), placing unwarranted barriers
between hosts and the tools they need.

The promise of a PMS has always been to
streamline operations and simplify the complexities of professional property
management. But the traditional model – which has practically mandated
integration with specific third-party tools – has created a captive system.
Hosts lacking the finances or time to adopt a PMS are unfairly
excluded from the competitive arena, unable to
access the tech they need to compete.

Historically, hosts have been left with two
choices: Either invest in expensive and complex systems that may not align with
their scale and needs or operate at a disadvantage. By
impeding access to tools that can enhance operational efficiency and revenue
potential, the current model stifles the very things it aims to promote:
innovation and growth.

The idea that hosts need to
be tethered to a PMS to access vital tech tools is not just outdated; it’s
ludicrous. The only way for hosts of all sizes to
operate on a level playing field is to dismantle the traditional barriers
imposed by the PMS model. This means embracing an open, flexible approach to
software integrations and data accessibility – one where hosts have
unrestricted access to the market and the freedom to customize their tech stack
according to their needs.

The way to turn this archaic
PMS model on its head is to give all added-value service providers, point
solutions and tech vendors access to all the resources they need to perform
their work, without requiring either vendor or host to be a PMS user.

The only way for online travel agencies and
vendors to achieve a truly liberalized industry is to give all tech vendors
access to online travel agency data, regardless of whether they or their customers work with a
PMS.

By giving tech vendors access to OTA data,
the sector can challenge the belief that hosts — the lifeblood of the industry
— need a PMS subscription to develop a sophisticated tech stack. Hosts can
access the tools they need – for example, a digital guidebook that
automatically syncs Airbnb reservation data – without jumping through the hoops
of a PMS subscription.

OTAs have the power to make this change themselves, but PMSs that value the
professionalization of hosting don’t have to wait for that. They can do it
themselves today using open APIs.

The only way for online travel agencies and vendors to achieve a truly liberalized industry is to give all tech vendors access to online travel agency data, regardless of whether they or their customers work with a [property management system].

Pierre-Camille Hamana – Hospitable

It’s a win-win for the industry: Software
providers can tap into their hosts’ short-term rental data without building
their own OTA integration or forcing their customers to also subscribe to one
of their PMS partners. Building a direct connection to an OTA is
time-consuming, and even then it often demands extensive functionalities
beyond just data access. Breaking down such barriers allows tech vendors to
access only the essential data required to power their software.

This changes everything. Hosts using
industry tools or platforms, like a guest communication app or operations
platform, can seamlessly sync their short-term rental data.

Removing integration barriers radically
redefines the “single source of truth” myth that PMS systems have
perpetuated for far too long. Individual hosts, owners and self-managers are no
longer the losers in this situation – quite the opposite. They gain access to a
wider range of tech tools than that enjoyed by even the largest property
managers, who are still typically limited by the integrations their PMS chooses
to accept.

The ripple effect of this disruption will
be monumental. No longer can PMS vendors dictate who gets to access what. The
days of onboarding fees, annual commitments and a closed ecosystem of
third-party integrations are numbered. We’re fast moving toward the
democratization of technology in the STR industry – a change that is long
overdue.

Seamless data exchange and integration
across diverse platforms must, and will, become the norm. We must work to
create a paradigm shift that refocuses the industry for millions of hosts.

Everyone in the ecosystem stands to gain from this shift. Tech vendors,
previously blocked by prohibitive barriers to entry, now have the green light
to unleash their full potential across a previously untapped market. OTAs can
anticipate a surge in success, efficiency and profitability as hosts gain
access to a broader toolset, driving greater listings and bookings.

The stranglehold of the traditional PMS as the industry’s gatekeeper is
over. We’re on the cusp of a more inclusive, innovative and equitable STR
landscape where technology serves as a bridge, not a barrier, to operational
excellence. In this landscape, there is no longer a clear divide between “professional” property managers and self-managers.

The future of the STR industry is clear: It’s time for a host-centric
approach that prioritizes access, innovation and fairness.