Tips for successful vacation hosts
Everything you need to know for a successful tourist season — from apartment preparation, legal obligations, to commission-free direct bookings.
How to prepare your apartment for the 2026 season — complete guide
Every tourist season starts with preparation. The difference between an average and excellent host is how ready you are before the first guest arrives.
How much Booking.com really costs you — commission calculator
Booking.com charges 15-25% commission on every reservation. For an average apartment, that means €2,000 to €8,000 per year.
10 things guests notice in the first 5 minutes
The review is written in the first 5 minutes. Everything after just confirms the first impression.
How to respond to a negative review — 5 examples
Every host gets a negative review. The question is not whether it will happen, but how you react.
Flat-rate rental business in Croatia — everything you need to know in 2026
If you rent out an apartment in Croatia, a flat-rate business is the simplest legal path.
How to photograph your apartment for Booking — 10 tips
A guest decides in 3 seconds — click or scroll past. That decision depends on the first photo.
Why you need your own website alongside Booking.com
Booking.com is great for new guests. But if Booking is your only channel — you have a problem.
The ultimate pre-season apartment checklist — 25 items you can't skip
Experienced hosts don't memorise — they use a checklist. These 25 items cover every corner of your apartment, from kitchen drawers to WiFi passwords.
A welcome pack that makes an impression — what to include and what it costs
For €2-3 per guest, you can dramatically improve the first impression. A welcome pack isn't a cost — it's an investment in reviews.
Google Business profile for your apartment — a free channel for direct bookings
Google Business is free and takes 30 minutes to set up. Every guest who searches for you on Google should find your page — not Booking.
How to get a 5-star review — 7 rules the best hosts follow
The difference between 4 and 5 stars isn't luxury — it's the details. Learn the 7 rules hosts with an average above 4.8 follow.
Smart lock for your apartment — self check-in guests love
The guest arrives at 11 PM, you're 200 km away. With a key — problem. With a smart lock — "Your code is 4729, enter whenever you arrive." Review: 5 stars.
How to turn a guest into a repeat guest — 5 strategies for repeat bookings
A repeat guest is gold. No Booking commission, they already know your apartment, no surprises, and better reviews. The only question is — how to win them over.
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Tourism news
JOSÉ EDUARDO MOREIRA IS TAP AIR PORTUGAL’s NEW COO
TAP Air Portugal announces that, by decision of co-optation of the Board of Directors, José Eduardo Moreira is TAP’s new COO, following the resignation of the position presented by Mário Chaves.
Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa Elevates Meetings with Expanded Group Experiences
Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa is expanding its portfolio of group experiences with new ways for delegates to connect beyond the meeting room. Designed for meetings, incentives, conferences and c
airBaltic Marks 31st Anniversary with 70 Million Passengers Carried
Friday August 28, the airline celebrated airBaltic’s 31st anniversary marking three decades since establishment in 1995. At the same time, we celebrate another major milestone – carrying 70 millionth
Your Summer Escape Awaits at Sharjah Collection with 30% Off
The Sharjah Collection invites travellers to experience a different kind of escape, one where luxury meets nature, heritage and authentic Emirati hospitality. Guests can now enjoy an exclusive 30% sav
Wynn Al Marjan Island Introduces Townhome Accommodations
Wynn Al Marjan Island, the world’s most anticipated destination resort, today announced Townhomes, one of the resort’s most exclusive accommodation offerings, located within Enclave, Wynn Al Mar
Airbnb Is Testing Lower Fees for Hosts Who Bring Their Own Guests
Call it "direct booking" if you like, but the reservation still runs on Airbnb's platform. And Airbnb's take rate now seems variable.
How SingleThread Is Growing Without Copying Itself
SingleThread is expanding thoughtfully, leaning on translating its service culture through people and giving them bigger challenges to tackle.
Canadians Were Just Starting to Come Around to U.S. Travel. Then Came the Trade War.
Canadian travel to the U.S. had just hit its fourth straight month of year-over-year gains when tariff disputes between the two countries escalated — a worrisome development for hotel operators and de
Booking Holdings vs. Expedia in B2B: Bombshell Estimate Says Booking Leads in Room Nights
No matter how you parse the numbers, Booking Holdings' B2B business appears to be a lot larger than the travel industry previously understood. Its in-process reorganization could have significant
Webinar on Sep 10: Top Tips to Create AI Visibility for Your Hotel
Milestone's September 10 webinar covers how AI platforms select and recommend hotels, with tips on content quality, authority, and entity building to boost visibility.
What Hotelbeds’ Shrinking Margins Mean for Hotel Distribution
Hotelbeds became the dominant independent bed bank through scale. Its results now show that scale alone no longer protects the economics.
Google Ships Agentic Booking and Puts a Points Price Beside Your Rate, HVS Holds 4.5% for 2026, 98% of Ready Buyers Abandon Anyway
Friday closed the week where it opened. Google announced that US travellers can now book a hotel without leaving AI Mode, with ten launch partners including Booking.com, Choice, Expedia, Hilton, IHG,
Shiji and Rivalry Tech Partnership Reveals an Unexpected Benefit of Self-Service: More Time for Hospitality
A kiosk deployment at Hyatt Regency Savannah drove a 22% rise in marketplace orders and a 24% sales increase, while shifting 72% of transactions to self-service and freeing staff for higher-value gues
Your rate now competes with a points price inside Google's answer
Google's AI Mode now lets US travelers book hotels and compare cash rates against loyalty points in one conversation, removing the friction that previously delayed award redemption decisions.
How Hotels Create Memorable Guest Experiences
Drawing on memory science, the article outlines five design strategies, from arrival rituals to engineered departures, to help hotels create emotionally resonant moments that guests remember and share