This week’s roundup covers Airbnb’s Q3 results, winter travel trends, and new and proposed vacation rental regulations in England and Maryland. Let’s dive in.
Airbnb announced strong Q3 results late last week, reporting double-digit growth in nights booked across every region, with North America seeing its fastest growth in nights booked in four years. Airbnb reported that first-time bookers increased by 13% year-over-year, average daily rates rose by 4%, and the Reserve Now, Pay Later payment option added roughly 3 percentage points to growth in nights booked, all contributing to a 19% year-over-year increase in revenue for the company. Along with these results, Airbnb shared plans to build its own AI agent to help guests plan and book trips, with a rollout expected to begin in the first half of 2027.
Pulling from internal search data, Airbnb released its 2026 winter travel trends on Thursday, highlighting increased interest in destinations such as Hunter, New York, Sevierville, Tennessee, and Kidder, Pennsylvania. Airbnb reported that searches for Christmas and New Year’s stays in these markets increased by double digits compared to 2025. The company also named Bradenton Beach and Marco Island, Florida, among its top trending warm-weather destinations this winter. With the holidays approaching, now is a great time for vacation rental operators to review market demand and adjust rates for the upcoming season.
In short-term rental regulation news, the U.K. government introduced a bill that would allow local leaders in England to charge a tourist tax on overnight stays, including vacation rentals. Under the proposal, the tax would be calculated as a percentage of the accommodation price before VAT, with operators responsible for reporting and paying the tax. The tax amount would be set and controlled at the local level, with several mayors already pledging to keep it at 5% or less if it passes. The bill is scheduled for its second reading on Monday and still requires parliamentary approval. For vacation rental operators in England, now is a great time to make your voice heard on this upcoming decision.
In Maryland, the Montgomery County Council approved Bill 42-26 on Tuesday, requiring OTAs such as Airbnb and Vrbo to verify a property’s county rental license before publishing a listing. Previously covered in Industry News on September 18th, the bill also requires annual occupancy reports from listing platforms and sets penalties for noncompliance. The county will now create a public online system for verifying licenses to help enforce the new requirements taking effect on July 1st, 2027.
As Airbnb reports strong booking growth and governments continue to reshape STR regulations, the vacation rental industry continues to change as we head towards the end of 2026. Check back next week for the latest news!