As we transition into 2026, the short-term rental landscape has officially moved past the era of recovery. The 2025 cycle was defined by a new baseline of stabilizing occupancy and a surge in last-minute guest demand. For property managers, the reality of pricing resilience is no longer a future concept but a current requirement.
The shift from reactive management to strategic optimization is now complete. Success in this new market requires more than just intuition. It demands integrated tech ecosystems and a revenue-first mindset fueled by real-time short-term rental market data and agile distribution
In this article, we analyze the defining highlights of 2025 to help property managers make sense of this shift, rentals united and price labs combined their proprietary platforms to produce the most comprehensive set of vacation rental statistics available for 2026.
Download the full report here to access the complete data behind every insight in this article.
How are supply, demand, and pricing shaping short-term rentals?
The industry is entering a phase of professionalization where demand is being spread over a cooling supply of available nights.
Supply and demand dynamics
- Occupancy trends: In Q1 2025, US occupancy dropped by approximately 3% year-over-year. However, guest nights actually increased slightly by 2%, signaling that demand remains strong but is distributed across more inventory. PriceLabs data confirms active US listings grew from 1,309,870 in January 2023 to 1,600,446 by December 2025 , yet total booked nights in January 2025 still reached 13.6 million, up from 12.38 million the year before.
- Forward outlook: Pacing data for Q2 2025 shows higher performance than the previous year, suggesting that occupancies will trend back toward long-run norms over the next 18 to 24 months. The US is currently pacing at a healthy 10% on the books for 2026, with June already showing 26% occupancy secured.
Key vacation rental statistics for 2026 at a glance
- Active US listings reached 1,600,446 by December 2025, up from 1,309,870 in January 2023
- Total booked nights in the US hit 13.6 million in January 2025, up from 12.38 million the year before
- Europe generated 982,180 bookings through the Rentals United platform in 2025, a 24.3% increase worth €771.9M
- The luxury vacation rental segment saw 119% booking growth and nearly a 3x increase in revenue value year-over-year
- Properties using high-frequency dynamic pricing achieve up to 30% higher occupancy than those on static rates
- 50% of vacation rental bookings are now made on mobile devices
- Properties using Multi-Rates on Booking.com and Expedia earned 3x more revenue than single-rate listings
- The average US booking window shrank from 23 days to 22.33 days, while average length of stay grew from 4.0 to 4.42 days
- Professional property managers now control 69% of the US market and up to 72% in Portugal
Global vacation rental data: 2024 vs. 2025 booking growth
The most important vacation rental data point for 2026 is this: global demand is not slowing down, it is spreading. Using proprietary distribution data from the Rentals United platform, here is how booking volume and value shifted across major world regions between 2024 and 2025.
| Region | 2024 Bookings | 2025 Bookings | YoY Growth | 2024 Value | 2025 Value | YoY Value |
| Europe | 789,881 | 982,180 | +24.3% | €624.7M | €771.9M | +23.6% |
| North America | 248,824 | 286,190 | +15.0% | €345.8M | €401.0M | +16.0% |
| MEA | 79,210 | 97,394 | +23.0% | €58.8M | €54.4M | -7.5% |
| APAC | 75,949 | 81,502 | +7.3% | €52.0M | €48.3M | -7.1% |
| LATAM | 53,979 | 52,189 | -3.3% | €33.7M | €28.2M | -16.3% |
Europe leads on volume. North America leads on value retention. APAC and MEA are growing in bookings but facing pricing compression as new supply discounts to compete. LATAM’s regional average masks explosive localized growth.
Country-level vacation rental statistics
Zooming in further, country-level vacation rental data reveals where traveler demand is surging the fastest:
| Country | 2024 Bookings | 2025 Bookings | YoY Growth |
| Mexico | 2,552 | 4,740 | +85.74% |
| United Kingdom | 72,248 | 127,473 | +76.44% |
| Italy | 86,870 | 141,610 | +63.01% |
| France | 100,563 | 157,084 | +56.20% |
| Brazil | 12,501 | 18,722 | +49.76% |
| United States | 149,629 | 214,984 | +43.68% |
| Germany | 1,008 | 1,405 | +39.38% |
| Greece | 22,041 | 29,433 | +33.54% |
| Spain | 129,235 | 171,706 | +32.86% |
| Portugal | 30,702 | 37,080 | +20.77% |
| Australia | 16,219 | 19,014 | +17.23% |
Source: Rentals United platform data, 2024–2025
Vacation rental supply and demand statistics growth in 2025?
United States
The US short-term rental market is the most scrutinized in the world. The vacation rental data for 2025 tells a nuanced story, not a bust, but a clear maturation.
- Active listings grew from 1,309,870 (January 2023) to 1,600,446 (December 2025)
- Total booking volume through the Rentals United channel grew +43.68% year-over-year
- Total booked nights in January 2025: 13.6 million (vs. 12.38 million in January 2024, +9.8%)
- July 2025 booked nights: 20.9 million, effectively flat with July 2024’s 21.0 million
- Average occupancy dipped slightly from 53% (2024) to 51% (2025) as new supply diluted individual property performance
- 2026 forward pacing: the US is 10% on the books for the year, with June 2026 already at 26% occupancy secured
The takeaway from this vacation rental data: overall demand is at record levels, but it is distributed across more inventory. Individual property performance now depends almost entirely on pricing strategy and distribution reach.
Europe
- Europe now hosts over 4.34 million vacation rental properties
- Rome inventory grew +23%, Athens +22% year-over-year
- Spain and Portugal both averaged 60% occupancy across 2025
- Girona, Spain achieved 73% occupancy, among the highest of any European hub
- APAC is on track for a 14.2% CAGR through 2030, with guest capacity surging 22% YoY and adding 350,000+ new spaces in a single year
Source: PriceLabs proprietary occupancy data, 2025
Australia stands out as the strongest-performing market globally, with 66% average occupancy and Q2 2026 already 36% booked. At the other end, Mexico and Brazil sit at 38%, but compensate with explosive booking volume growth, driven by short booking windows and last-minute demand.
Vacation rental channel statistics: Where bookings are coming from
The vacation rental data on channel performance is unambiguous: multi-channel distribution is no longer optional. Here is how the major platforms grew in 2025 on the Rentals United network:
| Channel | YoY Growth |
| Booking.com | +48.74% |
| Airbnb | +48.88% |
| Expedia | +53.48% |
| Vrbo | +36.65% |
| Marriott Homes & Villas | +25.31% |
| HomeToGo | +187.28% |
| Plum Guide | +40.12% |
Source: Rentals United platform data, 2024–2025
Booking.com and Airbnb dominate by volume, but Expedia is growing faster than both. HomeToGo’s 187% surge is the most dramatic story in this year’s vacation rental statistics — signaling that niche aggregator platforms are capturing meaningful share from the major OTAs.
Additional channel vacation rental data points worth noting:
- Airbnb exclusive listings dropped 11.05% while Booking.com exclusives rose 10.6%, reflecting a broader diversification trend among hosts
- Expedia reported a 12% increase in booked room nights in late 2024, with vacation rentals playing a central role
- Urban inventory is climbing again, with visibility on hotel-oriented OTAs doubling in some markets
In every single market measured, dynamic pricing adoption delivers materially higher occupancy. In Italy, the gap reaches 30 percentage points. Even in the relatively mature US market, dynamic pricing users outperform static-rate properties by 13 points. By end of 2026, dynamic pricing is expected to be the industry baseline, meaning the window for competitive advantage through early adoption is closing.
Vacation rental segment statistics: luxury vs. mid-term vs. standard
One of the most important stories in this year’s vacation rental statistics is the performance divergence between property segments. Not all rentals are growing equally.
| Segment | 2024 Bookings | 2025 Bookings | YoY Booking Growth | 2024 Value | 2025 Value | YoY Value Growth |
| Luxury Apartments | 9,724 | 21,354 | +119.6% | €12.57M | €33.83M | +169.0% |
| Mid-Term Apartments | 6,334 | 6,998 | +10.5% | €42.32M | €41.55M | -1.8% |
| Short-Term Apartments | 1,241,509 | 1,492,457 | +20.2% | €1.07B | €1.26B | +17.7% |
Source: Rentals United platform data, 2024–2025
The luxury segment is the clearest winner in 2025 vacation rental data. A 119% increase in booking volume combined with a 169% increase in revenue value represents a near-complete realignment of where premium traveler spend is going. Airbnb reported a 30% year-over-year increase in demand for luxury properties, and Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy projects 25% booking growth, with a forecast of 40% luxury revenue growth industry-wide by end of 2026.
Mid-term rentals (30+ days) remain a strategically valuable buffer. While booking volume grew modestly, the value-per-booking metric is revealing: mid-term stays average roughly €6,000 per booking compared to ~€845 for standard short-term stays.
How property managers use AI to increase revenue
2026 is already proving how AI will revolutionize the short-term rental industry. In 2025, strategic application of AI transformed the industry. Technology moved from a simple convenience to a core requirement for operational excellence and revenue protection.
As a revenue-first channel manager, we’ve witnessed first-hand how property managers are no longer just “testing” AI, they are harvesting real-world results that scale their portfolios without adding complexity.
Strategic shifts with AI and data
- Predictive analytics for vacation rentals: High-performing portfolios now use predictive models to develop long-term market forecasts rather than just reacting to current trends. This allows managers to identify high-yield investment opportunities and anticipate shifts in guest demand before they happen.
- AI-powered content optimization: Visibility in the AI era depends on structured, machine-readable property content. AI tools now audit listings to identify content gaps, ensuring your properties are visible to the next generation of conversational trip planners used by major OTAs.
- Automated guest mastery: AI has revolutionized communication by automating up to 90% of routine guest interactions. By using AI-driven systems that integrate directly with your PMS, managers can deliver instant, 24/7 multilingual support that builds the “Automated Trust” necessary for high search rankings.
Harvesting operational excellence
The “final frontier” of AI isn’t just about speed , it’s about efficiency and cost reduction.
- Efficiency boosts: Integrating AI into guest communication and service coordination has resulted in a 30% boost in overall operational efficiency for professional property managers.
- Proactive reputation management: Using AI to automate and personalize host reviews saves hours of manual labor every week while increasing response rates and property visibility.
- Smart distribution: AI-driven dashboards now signal exactly where pricing elasticity lies across multiple channels, allowing managers to apply surgical incentives that fill gap nights and protect RevPAR.
The new distribution reality: where bookings are exploding
The message from 2025 is crystal clear: multi-channel distribution is not just an option, it is the only way to conquer the market. Simply listing your property is no longer enough; success demands a strategic approach to channel diversification and feature utilization.
While Booking.com (+48.74%) and Airbnb (+48.88%) continued to lead by sheer volume on the Rentals United network, the real story is the explosion happening around them. Expedia surged ahead with 53.48% growth, outpacing its major competitors. The most dramatic result, however, belonged to niche aggregator HomeToGo, which posted a staggering 187.28% increase in bookings. This proves that specialist platforms are rapidly capturing meaningful share from the biggest OTAs. Similarly, Plum Guide, catering to the premium traveler, grew 40.12%, a direct reflection of the booming luxury travel segment.
This diversification trend is shifting the entire landscape:
- Hosts are spreading their risk: Airbnb exclusive listings dropped 11.05%, while Booking.com exclusives rose 10.6%, confirming a broader move away from single-platform dependence.
- The urban comeback: Urban inventory is climbing again, often at premium price points, with property visibility on hotel-oriented OTAs doubling in some markets.
- Connectivity wins: Expedia reported a 12% increase in booked room nights in late 2024, with vacation rentals playing a central role in their platform growth.
What this vacation rental data means for property managers in 2026
The numbers above point to a single strategic conclusion: the vacation rental market is rewarding professionalization and punishing passivity. Here is what the data says you should do:
- Diversify your distribution. With HomeToGo up 187% and Expedia up 53%, the platforms growing fastest are not the ones most property managers are prioritizing. Ensure your listings are active across Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb, and high-growth niche sites like HomeToGo and Plum Guide.
- Adopt dynamic pricing immediately. The occupancy gap between dynamic and static pricing is as large as 30 percentage points in some markets. With dynamic pricing forecast to become the industry standard by the end of 2026, the cost of waiting is measurable.
- Target the luxury segment. A 119% booking surge and 169% revenue growth is not a coincidence, it is where traveler spend is migrating. Investing in premium amenities (hot tubs, dedicated workspaces, experiential design) now positions properties ahead of the curve.
- Prepare for shorter booking windows and longer stays. In most markets, guests are booking closer to their travel date. Deploy last-minute pricing strategies rather than blanket early discounts. In the US specifically, capitalize on the length-of-stay growth by incentivizing 4–7 night bookings with targeted discounts.
- Use AI to scale without adding headcount. With operational efficiency gains of 30% documented among early adopters, AI-powered communication and review management tools are the most accessible route to margin improvement available in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions: Vacation rental statistics 2026
How big is the vacation rental market in 2026?
Vacation rental booking value on the Rentals United platform alone reached over €1.3 billion in 2025 across all regions, with North America contributing €401M. The US active listing count hit 1.6 million by December 2025, with 13.6 million booked nights recorded in January 2025 alone.
What is the average occupancy rate for vacation rentals in 2026?
Average occupancy varies significantly by market. Australia leads at 66%, followed by Spain and Portugal at 60%, the UK at 56%, France at 54%, Germany at 53%, the US at 51%, Italy at 50%, and Greece at 49%. Mexico and Brazil both sit at 38% but compensate with high booking volume growth.
Which vacation rental platform is growing fastest?
HomeToGo leads platform growth with +187.28% year-over-year booking growth. Expedia (+53.48%), Airbnb (+48.88%), and Booking.com (+48.74%) are growing at broadly similar rates, while Plum Guide (+40.12%) and Marriott Homes & Villas (+25.31%) are the fastest-growing in the luxury segment.
How many vacation rentals are there in the US?
Active US listings reached 1,600,446 by December 2025, up from 1,457,197 at the start of 2024. Supply growth is slowing after a period of rapid expansion, meaning competitive advantage will increasingly come from pricing and distribution strategy rather than inventory alone.
How many people use vacation rentals?
The number of global users continues to climb as market penetration deepens, with more travelers choosing rentals for immersive experiences over traditional hotels.
How much is the vacation rental industry worth?
The global market cap has surpassed previous projections, with demand in North America exceeding pre-pandemic levels as of late 2024. Booking value across the Rentals United platform in North America alone reached €401M in 2025.
Data sources: Rentals United proprietary platform distribution data and PriceLabs industry pricing and occupancy analytics. All figures reflect 2024 vs. 2025 performance unless otherwise noted.
Ready to turn this data into revenue? Rentals United provides the technology and expert coaching you need to grow your business without disruption.