This week’s roundup covers Airbnb’s Instacart rollout, AirDNA’s "Hidden Gem" markets, discussions around the future of OTAs, and Airbnb’s new Farm to Stay grants. Let’s dive in.
On Tuesday, Airbnb announced the U.S. rollout of in-app grocery ordering through its partnership with Instacart, continuing its push to add more services to the platform. Guests on eligible trips across the U.S. can now place an order up to three weeks before check-in, with the property’s address automatically populated and no separate Instacart account required. In Phoenix and Orlando, hosts can also opt in to receive and put away groceries for guests before they arrive. Airbnb says it wants groceries to feel like a “natural part of a stay, not another errand,” and plans to bring the service to Canada in the coming weeks.
AirDNA published an interesting article this week that ranked the top short-term rental submarkets in the U.S., calling them “hidden gems.” Using data from more than 15 million listings across over 120,000 markets, AirDNA identified submarkets with 400 to 1,000 active listings, positive growth in supply and RevPAR, and a small percentage of professionally managed properties. Topping the list were Rockford, Illinois, with a 14% gross yield, followed by Akron, Ohio, at 13% and Warner Robins, Georgia, at 12%. These yields compare potential annual revenue with average home values, giving investors a good starting point for researching smaller markets to invest in.
Shares of Airbnb, Expedia Group, and Booking Holdings all fell on Wednesday as investors reacted to Meta’s new AI agent, Muse. Muse can help travelers book trips without visiting an OTA site, raising questions about how AI tools could change the way guests book travel in the future. Expedia Group also announced plans to offer hotel bookings through Muse, with Expedia still handling the transaction and acting as the merchant of record. The launch date for this integration has not been announced, and the integration does not currently include vacation rentals.
Airbnb announced a new grant program this week in partnership with American Farmland Trust. The Farm to Stay Grant Program will offer U.S. farmers and ranchers up to $10,000 to help prepare their properties for guests and to help create farm-based experiences. Airbnb reported that hosts who categorized their listings as “Farm Stays” in 2025 earned around $8,000 and wants to help more farmers earn extra income. Applications open in November, and Airbnb will host free online workshops over the next couple of months covering how to start a farm stay or experience.
As Airbnb continues to expand its services and new AI tools raise questions about how travelers may book in the future, the vacation rental industry continues to shift in 2026. Check back next week for the latest news!
