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This Week’s News & Insights
Instagram can now help get you more direct bookings + The latest news in the vacation rental industry, curated for you
Good morning,
Here's what's going on in the vacation rental world this week:
Instagram’s new changes can help drive even more direct bookings, Whimstay opens its doors to independent hosts to help fill unsold nights, and gas prices just gave road-trippers a reason to drive farther and stay longer this summer.
This week in the markets: Barcelona gave Airbnb 48 hours to purge illegal listings, Beverly Hills is fast-tracking a full STR ban with year-long lease minimums, and courts in Wisconsin and California are actually siding with hosts to roll back STR restrictions.
Lets dive in.

NEWS
Headline Roundup
Whimstay Opens Platform to Independent Hosts for Last-Minute Bookings (The Host Report)
Hospitable Launches the First Fully Automated Security Deposit Feature for Hosts (The Host Report)
Keeping an Eye on the Long Tail of Luxury Travel, “Aspiring” Luxury Travelers (PhocusWire)
Summer Gas Prices Hit 4-Year Low, Offering Travel Cost Relief (TravelPulse)
PMS Fees Are Stifling STR Innovation, Says 89% of Tech Vendors (Travolution)
Tensions Rise as Mexico City Residents Protest Short-Term Rentals (Daily Journal of Commerce)
Capital Vacations Acquires Gatlinburg Resort Ops (Capital Vacations)
Travel Chapter Acquires Beach Retreats (Business Cornwall)
INTERESTING INSIGHTS
Instagram’s Google Integration Is a Game Changer for Vacation Rentals
As of July 10, 2025, public posts from professional Instagram accounts can now appear in Google search results.
Instagram content is now competing directly with traditional websites in Google Search. For hosts and property managers, this means optimizing your Instagram strategy can play a huge role in driving direct bookings.
Why this matters:
Vacation rentals are inherently visual, and visual content drives travel decisions. With Instagram posts now indexable by Google, your best content can act as a search-optimized funnel to drive more direct bookings.
How Hosts Can Take Advantage & Get More Bookings:
1. Turn Posts into Search Optimized Landing Pages
Treat every post like a mini webpage. Captions should answer specific questions guests are likely to search for.
For example, instead of posting a sunset photo to your vacation rental’s Instagram with the caption "Amazing sunset views from our balcony," a host should create content that answers search questions like: “Looking for the best places to stay in [your city]? [Vacation Rental Name] has one-of-a-kind sunset views!”
That way, the next time your future guest Googles “places to stay in [your city],” a beautiful instagram photo of your vacation rental could show up at the top of the google search results, enticing the guest to click, fall in love, and book directly with you.
2. Optimize Your Profile for Search
Your Instagram username, display name, and bio should include key search terms relevant to your vacation rental, along with a link to your direct booking website.
3. Publish Content Guests Are Searching For
Think like a traveler planning a trip. Create educational, value-rich content that answers common questions. This boosts your chances of ranking high on google searches, provides value, builds trust, and increases direct bookings in return. For example:
“What to pack for beach days in [destination]”
“Best hiking trails to explore in [destination]”
“Top restaurants within walking distance of [Vacation Rental Name] in [destination]”
The takeaway: Instagram is no longer just a social platform. It can be used to build visibility, authority, and get direct bookings from a much wider audience.
MARKET INSIGHTS
Mortgage Rate Snapshot

Mortgage rates dipped early in the week but held mostly flat until rising slightly on Friday ahead of the CPI report. Despite softer headline inflation, tariff-driven price pressures in key categories rattled bond markets, causing rates to move higher.
Regulations Update
Barcelona demanded Airbnb remove illegal holiday rentals within 48 hours and plans to eliminate all tourist apartments by 2028, creating a hostile environment for short-term rental investments
Beverly Hills, California, is drafting regulations to ban short-term rentals, requiring minimum lease terms of 12 months for single-family homes and six months for multifamily properties
Atlanta, Georgia, continues struggling to enforce regulations on its estimated 10,000 short-term rentals, creating uncertainty due to inconsistent policy application
Newport News, Virginia, now enforces a law requiring short-term rental owners to use the property as their primary residence for over half the year, effectively blocking non-resident investors
Wisconsin courts overturned restrictive ordinances in both Summit and Neenah, opening those markets back up for non-resident investors
Hermosa Beach, California, received a preliminary injunction preventing enforcement of its short-term rental ban against one resident, though the city maintains strict permit limits with only two dozen permits issued for 346 active rentals
Lewis County, Washington, is considering new regulations including permit systems, safety inspections, and neighborhood caps
Londonderry, Vermont, proposed a one-year wait for new short-term rental registrations and a 50-night cap for recently purchased un-hosted properties
See this weeks full regulations report here: (The Host Report)
