A family with backpacks and personal belongings approaches four cabins on a sunny day in the woods.
Airbnb hosts must compete against other properties in their area to lure guests over the summer.
  • Short-term rental hosts are facing more competition from listings on Airbnb and other sites.
  • Some hosts with large-scale operations turn to direct bookings to avoid fees and pocket more money.
  • Others hire or give free stays to content creators to post about their listings with links to book. 

Last summer ushered in a new normal for hosts on Airbnb and other short-term rental booking websites.