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how do you access the new airbnb channel rate tester? i see the link: https://app.ownerrez.com/ratetester but i don't see the option to choose Airbnb in the Listing Site dropdown. 

We’re pleased to announce our new integration with Aruvo, providing OwnerRez users seamless access to a plug-and-play hospitality TV solution that delivers branded, personalized in-room TV experiences for guests.

About Aruvo

Aruvo is a plug-and-play hospitality TV software for boutique destination stays. It helps you reach every guest on their in-room TVs. It brings their room alive with a branded, personalized welcome, as soon as they walk in. Tells your story, first-hand, in all its life and colors. And helps your guests self-discover various things your stay has to offer, in an undistracted environment.

Unlike other hospitality TV solutions or tablets, Aruvo is designed keeping in mind the needs of boutique destination stays. It requires no big purchases, complicated setups, or tech tinkering. It works on your existing in-room TVs, comes pre-loaded with great-looking designs and professionally crafted content that you can personalize to your liking. And lets you control your branding and the guest experience across rooms and properties, on the fly, from a single login.

With Aruvo, you can now bring the warmth and comfort of your hospitality closer to every guest, effortlessly!

Aruvo TV is available on Google TV, Apple TV, Roku TV, and Fire TV.

Pricing

Enjoy a one-month free trial on the Enterprise plan. No credit card required. View more pricing info here.

Ready to Connect?

Get started with Aruvo by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Aruvo.

I have just connected paypal business account to my payment methods and received a confirmation email from OwnerRez for each of the properties that is attached to the paypal account. However, when I went to my website to test it, I don't see paypal or venmo or paylater as an option. I only see the credit card option on the invoice after signing the rental agreement. DOes it take a day or so to kick in or do I need to configure something within the widgets themselves? Other ideas? 

This week’s roundup covers temporary short-term rental changes tied to the 2026 World Cup, a major vacation rental ban in California, ongoing legal challenges in Georgia and Nevada, and new data examining how regulated markets are performing worldwide. Let’s dive in.

On Tuesday, Lawrence City approved a temporary change to the city’s short-term rental rules in preparation for the 2026 World Cup matches in nearby Kansas City. Under the current ordinance, owners and individuals are limited to three short-term rental licenses within city limits, but that cap will be lifted beginning May 25 and reinstated in July. City officials say the temporary adjustment is intended to expand available and more affordable lodging options as Kansas City hosts six World Cup matches. Jeff Crick, director of Lawrence’s Planning and Development Services, said the city is responding to limited hotel capacity and wants to ensure visitors have “at least options” during this surge in demand.

Monterey County voted this week to ban short-term rentals in unincorporated residential areas, while continuing to allow them in commercial zones and as part of agricultural operations. The ban includes popular tourist destinations such as Pebble Beach and Big Sur. County officials said the move is intended to protect long-term housing supply, but it follows an ongoing lawsuit filed by the Monterey County Vacation Rental Association challenging rules the county established in 2024. The abrupt change in course has left many local hosts frustrated and surprised after years of working to meet strict requirements.

Tybee Island’s long-running legal fight over short-term rental regulations saw new movement this week, though a final ruling is still pending. Tybee Alliance, a group of property managers and rental owners, sued the city in January 2023, challenging ordinances that require annual permit renewals, submission of detailed booking data showing rentals are booked at full market value, occupational tax certificates, and allow city inspections following complaints. On Wednesday, a county judge heard arguments from both sides but withheld a decision, saying a ruling will be based on the arguments and briefs presented. The case centers on whether short term rentals should be treated as residential properties, as argued by Tybee Alliance, or as commercial properties subject to licensing and regulation under Georgia law, as argued by the City of Tybee Island.

Clark County decided this week to move forward with an appeal after a federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of the county’s short-term rental regulations. Commissioners authorized the District Attorney’s Office to seek review by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals following a preliminary injunction that halted fines, citations, and licensing enforcement for short-term rentals in unincorporated areas. The injunction, issued last month in a lawsuit brought by the Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association and individual homeowners, found that the county’s licensing system likely raises constitutional due process concerns tied to delays and enforcement practices. While the appeal moves forward, Clark County is unable to require short-term rental licenses, issue fines, declare rentals a nuisance, or record liens related to enforcement actions.

HospitalityNet published an article this week examining how short-term rental regulations have shaped performance in some of the world’s highest-performing vacation rental markets. Using Lighthouse data, the article looks at cities where short-term rental rules have already been implemented and breaks down how rentals are performing despite restrictions such as licensing requirements, activity caps, and primary residence rules. The article also considers broader factors influencing performance, including travel demand, economic conditions, seasonality, airline capacity, and major events. Markets examined include New York City, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Istanbul, Florence, and others.

As governments revisit regulations and major events influence demand, the vacation rental market continues to adapt. Check back next week for the latest news.

Thanks for the great information. 

We’re excited to announce our new integration with CIBO, a smart operations platform built with real-world STR experience to help vacation rental operators automate and streamline property care.

About CIBO

CIBO is a smart operations platform that helps OwnerRez users automate and streamline property care. From cleanings and inspections to maintenance and guest services, CIBO turns each reservation into a coordinated workflow, automatically scheduling tasks, assigning them to the right team members, and tracking progress in real-time. Mobile checklists, customizable automations, and clear visibility across all properties make it easy to keep every stay perfectly prepared with less manual effort. Built with real-world STR experience, CIBO includes flexible task assignment options, including both opt-in and auto-accept modes, so teams can work the way that fits them best.

Features

Learn more about CIBO’s Cleaning & Task Automation platform here.

Pricing

CIBO pricing starts at $8 per property per month, with volume discounts available for larger portfolios. Every plan includes all core features: automated task scheduling, custom task types, custom checklists, team management, and flexible automations, with no long-term contracts or hidden fees. OwnerRez users get their first 30 days free.

Ready to Connect?

Get started with CIBO by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with CIBO.

so i am deleting my business paypal account  and re establishing it again? the instructions are not clear  there is no place to actually upgrade 

Happy New Year! This is our first Industry News of 2026. We publish new posts every Friday to keep you informed on the most important developments in the vacation rental industry. We look forward to keeping you informed throughout this next year! This week’s roundup covers international short-term rental markets showing strong returns, Hawaii’s new “Green Fee,” the state of U.S. travel in 2025, Fort Myers Beach utilizing new software to enforce vacation rental rules, and Birmingham moving toward short-term rental regulations. Let’s dive in.

Realtor.com released its list of the top ten global markets for short-term rentals, highlighting destinations with the strongest demand and revenue potential. Citing AirDNA data, the article notes that affordability is playing a growing role in where investors are purchasing, as high prices in many U.S. markets push buyers to consider international options with lower entry costs and often higher returns. According to AirDNA’s chief economist, Jamie Lane, "We’ve seen more people think about it as U.S. home values soared in the (COVID-19) pandemic and afterward. Since it’s tough to find cash flow, investors have been more open to investing outside the United States." The top ten includes destinations such as Saint Barthélemy, Mykonos, Greece, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Hawaii’s new “Green Fee” went into effect January 1st, adding an additional 0.75 percent tax to vacation rental stays across the state. First passed as Act 96 and signed into law in May 2025, the measure allocates funding toward environmental initiatives, including water conservation, ecosystem restoration, and climate change mitigation. The tax also affects the hotel and cruise industries, as Hawaii continues to look for new ways to foster sustainable tourism. The move follows a related development reported in Industry News on December 19th, when Maui officials officially signed into law a decision to phase out thousands of vacation rentals in apartment-zoned districts.

Skift released an article this week examining the state of U.S. international travel in 2025. Using federal arrival data, the report found that international travel to the U.S. softened overall this year, with declines from key markets, including Canada and parts of Europe. However, some destinations outperformed the national trend, including Florida and Hawaii, which both saw modest growth in international visitors. Puerto Rico stood out as the strongest performer, with overseas visitors listing the island as their first stop, up 22.5 percent year over year. Skift notes that affordability, along with political polarization, played key roles in shaping international travel patterns to the U.S. in 2025.

Fort Myers Beach is ramping up enforcement against illegal short-term rentals after launching new software to scan Airbnb and Vrbo. The tool identified more than 500 active listings that were either not registered with the town or had not passed a required fire safety inspection, far exceeding initial expectations. The town’s public information officer stated, “We thought it was going to be 20, 30, maybe 40 rentals. It’s a very big problem, bigger than we anticipated. More than anything, this is a safety concern.” Town officials say noncompliant property owners will be notified and given a limited window to register and complete inspections before facing potential fines.

According to a recent report from BirminghamWatch, Birmingham, Alabama's City Council is expected to make key decisions on short-term rental regulations during the first part of 2026. Council President Wardine Alexander said she anticipates the council will begin considering proposed rules during the first quarter. Birmingham currently has no formal short-term rental regulations in place, and city leaders say public discussion will be an important part of the process as officials weigh potential zoning, safety, and enforcement measures. Vacation rental operators in the area should look for opportunities to engage and "speak up" during the early parts of this decision process.

As international travel demand, investment trends, and local regulations continue to shift, the vacation rental market is off to an exciting start in 2026. Check back next week for the latest industry news.

Hopefully ok to ask this here of other hosts. What's the drawback to converting a personal PayPal to business. 

It's it just you can't to fee free transfers to friends to split a meal outing or wherever 

Or did business PayPal actually change how much PayPal costs and operates for general purchasing?

I have Stripe for payment processing. So should I connect Paypal thru Stripe or thru OR or both?

Connect PayPal directly to OR, not through Stripe. Then, OR will use both payment methods side by side but prefer the Stripe one for CC stuff.

I have Stripe for payment processing. So should I connect Paypal thru Stripe or thru OR or both?

This week’s roundup covers Airbnb’s New Year’s Eve anti-party measures, Expedia’s move to deepen its experiences business, rising World Cup-driven demand in Los Angeles, and a key legal ruling in Nevada that could reshape local short-term rental enforcement. Let’s dive in.

Airbnb is activating heightened anti-party technology in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the UK, France, Spain, and Australia to help reduce the risk of disruptive parties during New Year’s Eve this year. The company says the system is designed to identify and block higher-risk bookings while steering guests toward lower-risk accommodations, such as private rooms or hotel rooms. Airbnb says that last New Year’s Eve, similar measures prevented over 20,000 people in the U.S. and more than 3,000 people in Canada from booking an entire home listing. The continued rollout of this technology during holiday weekends is designed to support positive stays and help vacation rental operators protect their homes and surrounding communities during peak travel periods.

Expedia announced an agreement to acquire Tiqets, an Amsterdam-based platform for museum and attraction tickets, following an extended sales process that drew interest from multiple travel companies, including Airbnb. The deal gives Expedia more direct access to major European attractions and reduces its reliance on third-party partners as it continues to expand its experiences business. In announcing the acquisition, Expedia said the move supports its broader travel strategy. “The Tiqets integration is a key step toward our vision to build the most comprehensive, global travel solution,” said Alfonso Paredes, President of B2B at Expedia Group. For vacation rental operators, the deal signals continued investment across the travel industry in experiences as a growing part of how guests plan and book trips.

The Los Angeles Times released an article highlighting the increased pricing and demand for short-term rentals in Los Angeles ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The article spotlights one Airbnb host near SoFi Stadium who raised their rates from $1,000 to $10,000 for a two-night stay. The article notes that currently more than 70 percent of short-term rentals in the Inglewood area are already booked for June 12th, the night of the opening match, representing a 58 percent increase compared to typical reservation rates. The World Cup is also being viewed as an early test case for the 2028 Olympics, which are expected to bring an estimated 15 million visitors to the region. This surge in demand is great news for vacation rental operators in the area, presenting an excellent opportunity to maximize revenue during the global event through seasonal rates or dynamic pricing.

In a recent ruling, Nevada District Court Judge Miranda Du paused fines, penalties, and liens against Clark County homeowners for short-term rental activity, signaling that the Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association and its co-plaintiff, Airbnb, are likely to succeed in a legal battle that dates back to 2021. Judge Du ruled that prohibiting property owners from renting their homes likely violates due process protections under the 14th Amendment. Under the injunction, Clark County is temporarily barred from requiring short-term rental licenses, issuing fines or liens, and declaring short-term rentals a public nuisance. For vacation rental operators, the ruling represents a significant win amid the ongoing efforts of local governments to regulate short-term rentals.

With upcoming global events and ongoing regulatory discussions shaping the vacation rental market, expect continued changes across the rental landscape as we near the end of 2025. Check back next week for the latest news.

Some additional points of clarification:

What the "upgrade" langage means

The "upgrade" language simply means to upgrade the connection, not the PayPal account itself.  You can use the same PayPal account you already connected with before. You only need to re-connect it.  Nothing different is needed on the PayPal side.

Using your existing credit card processor side by side with PayPal

To repeat what Bri said - your existing other credit card processor (Stripe, Lynnbrook, Authorize.Net) will continue to work side by side with PayPal and will be the top preferred option, if you have both.  PayPal and Venmo will work beside it, and the internal PayPal credit card fields will not be an option if you have your own. So no worries on that.

Security deposits (RDD and holds)

Yes, these both work with the new PayPal. It was one of the final pieces of work we did in recent weeks to be able to release this. There are new guest forms for taking payments and security deposits/holds that are both out and working.  So you are good to go on that end.  If you have a standalone credit card option, it will offer that as an option as well, or just use the CC one for cards that are already on file, just like before.

What about security deposits? Can PayPal do these? If we disconnect stripe?

I'd be interested in how others have solved an upcoming and growing dilemma.  How do you handle a deposit (or Hold)?  Using these non-traditional gateways means we do not get the cc info to do a hold.  Or we burden the guest with an added step or submitted more than one real payment method in the process.  Have most moved away from deposit holds? Moved to an actual deposit and refund? or none?

"Please be aware that all accounts using the current PayPal connection must upgrade to gain access to the new PayPal. The upgrade is easy! All you need to do is connect your PayPal account again if you connected previously, and if you've never used PayPal, it's never been easier. More details on how to get connected here."

This language is confusing to me.  I currently have a Paypal account.  It says all I need to do is to "connect to my Paypal account again".    I just need to open the account?  The blog post says I must upgrade my current account.  Upgrade to what?  I already have a business account and I don't see any button or link that says "upgrade".  Can you be more specific about what I need to do and how to do it?

Thank you for clarifying

This is a great podcast for folks thinking about joining the short term rental business, already in the business or a veteran of the business such as me and husband since 2011.  It is a validation of my experience....the ups and downs....and can be quite successful IF you know what it takes.  I appreciate having the point of view from the creators of the OwnerRez and knowing that one of you (something about 'dogging it'...I got it with the explanation!) has their own short term rentals/management. I am a big fan of OwnerRez; it literally changed my work life for the better!

Hi everyone! Wanted to jump in here and answer what questions I could.

PayPal accepts businesses with a business address and bank location in the following locations.

They offer short-term, interest-free payments that allow guests to buy now and pay later, while hosts receive payment upfront. You can read more on that topic here.

As for credit card processing, if you have a processor configured we will prefer that over PayPal during the checkout process. This is to say that if your guest chooses to pay by card and you have (let's say) Stripe configured as well as PayPal, Stripe should be the credit card processor in use at the time of checkout. If no credit card processor is configured, we fall back to PayPal.

We use Lynnbrook for CC processing. They offer Venmo, Paypal pay later, apple pay, etc.  Can OwnerRez please enable their wallet function so we can use these payment methods?  Lynnbrook already offer it to PMs on Streamline and other PMS software providers.  We have friends on Streamline and they've been using it for months. Please enable "wallets" for Lynnbrook. Thank you! :)

THIS!!!!! Please enable wallets for your preferred partner, Lynnbrook!

https://www.ownerrez.com/forums/requests/mobile-pay-w-digital-wallet-apple-pay-venmo-zelle-crypto

This week’s roundup covers Lisbon reversing course on short-term rental restrictions, the Spanish government fining Airbnb, Maui finalizing its vacation rental phase-out after months of debate, and Anchorage voting down a proposed vacation rental tax. Let’s dive in. 

Lisbon has recently rolled back tightened short-term rental restrictions after city officials determined that the rules failed to reduce housing costs or improve overall affordability. Airbnb welcomed the decision this week, saying the policies limited hosting opportunities for residents without addressing the city’s underlying housing challenges. According to Airbnb, since Lisbon began imposing restrictions in 2019, the annual growth rate of home prices in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area has nearly doubled, while annual rent increases accelerated from 5.7 percent to 9.2 percent. Over the same period, hotel prices climbed sharply, rising by 30 percent between 2022 and 2024 alone. Under the revised policy, short-term rentals will be allowed to increase from 5 percent to 10 percent of the local housing supply as the city looks to better balance housing needs with tourism demand.

The Spanish government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros, or about $75 million, after regulators said the platform advertised a large number of short-term rentals without valid licenses or accurate registration information. Officials said some of the affected listings also included properties in popular tourist destinations that were banned from being rented altogether. An Airbnb spokesperson said the company has been working in collaboration with the Spanish government since new short-term rental rules took effect in July and plans to challenge the decision in court, despite the Consumer Affairs Ministry stating that the fine cannot be appealed.

In continued coverage of Maui County’s vacation rental phase-out, previously reported in Industry News on June 6th, June 13th, July 4th, August 1st, August 29th, and October 17th, Bill 9 has now been officially signed into law by Mayor Richard Bissen following final approval by the Maui County Council. This hotly debated decision will phase out thousands of vacation rentals in apartment-zoned districts, starting in West Maui in 2028 and expanding countywide by 2030. Supporters argue that the law will reintroduce housing units to the long-term market, making things more affordable. At the same time, opponents continue to raise concerns about property rights, real economic impacts, and potential legal challenges. With implementation still several years away, uncertainty remains around how the law will ultimately reshape Maui’s vacation rental market.

The Anchorage Assembly in Alaska voted this week not to advance a vacation rental-specific tax to voters as a ballot measure. The proposed five percent tax on short-term rentals was introduced in September and would have been added to the existing 12 percent room tax that already applies to hotels and short-term rentals. A majority of Assembly members said it was not the right time to pursue an additional tax. While the proposal was rejected, the Assembly approved a separate ordinance requiring short-term rental owners to register their properties with the city, which officials say will improve tracking and help inform future policy decisions.

As governments continue to revisit and refine short-term rental restrictions, the vacation rental landscape continues to evolve. Check back next week for the latest news.

What is the adoption rate they are seeing with those other payment methods?

We use Lynnbrook for CC processing. They offer Venmo, Paypal pay later, apple pay, etc.  Can OwnerRez please enable their wallet function so we can use these payment methods?  Lynnbrook already offer it to PMs on Streamline and other PMS software providers.  We have friends on Streamline and they've been using it for months. Please enable "wallets" for Lynnbrook. Thank you! :)

We need the option to direct standard CC payments to our primary processor and use PayPal to only process PayPal and Venmo. 

I don't see the option to configure it that way.  Our primary credit card processor is way cheaper than PayPal for standard cards, but offering the Venmo/PayPal option would be great.

This is key.

Prefer default stripe processing to reduce fees. PayPal is 1.4% + 10p more expensive for a GBP payment & 2.64% + 10p more expensive for an international payment.

Will we get funds right away if guest selects PayPal pay later?

Can PayPal do security deposits? Stripe is failing for scheduled security holds right now.

Is it available in UK?

How will Apple and Google pay stack up against other options!

We need the option to direct standard CC payments to our primary processor and use PayPal to only process PayPal and Venmo. 

I don't see the option to configure it that way.  Our primary credit card processor is way cheaper than PayPal for standard cards, but offering the Venmo/PayPal option would be great.

Exactly 3% is pricey but Venmo would be great

We need the option to direct standard CC payments to our primary processor and use PayPal to only process PayPal and Venmo. 

I don't see the option to configure it that way.  Our primary credit card processor is way cheaper than PayPal for standard cards, but offering the Venmo/PayPal option would be great.

if we don't want to upgrade or personal PayPal to a biz account (therefore I will delete my PayPal payment option) will that effect our ability to keep taking Venmo?

I believe the old/existing PayPal connection also required business PayPal accounts, so nothing should have changed on that front. It will work with the same PayPal account you had in place already, just have to connect it again. 

Venmo is only available with this new PayPal connection. There is no Venmo-only type of connection unfortunately. Generally speaking, Venmo does not connect with merchants directly outside of PayPal except for native mobile apps.

Can the new Paypal be used for security deposit holds?

Also, is it available to UK customers?

if we don't want to upgrade or personal PayPal to a biz account (therefore I will delete my PayPal payment option) will that effect our ability to keep taking Venmo?