VRMA Arrival

The 2025-2026 ski season brought historically low snowfall to Aspen Snowmass and put vacation rental operators to the test. But Frias Properties entered the winter ahead of pace and ultimately outperformed the broader market, relying on a strategy built around early bookings, repeat guests, thoughtful revenue management, and strong guest service. In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, Alexa...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, VRMA’s Alexa Schlosser sits down with First Chair Destinations CEO Rishi Nigam and president and chief operating officer Bob Milne to discuss what they believe is the next phase of the vacation rental industry’s evolution. Drawing on decades of experience building companies like Wyndham Vacation Rentals and Vacasa, they reflect on the lessons learned fr...

Ari Eryorulmaz didn't plan on building a career in vacation rentals. After accidentally entering the industry as a college student, he went on to become a property manager, entrepreneur, and founder of Extenteam, a company that now supports tens of thousands of units across the short-term rental industry. In this episode of the VRMA Arrival Podcast, Ari shares his perspective on the operationa...

Angie Leone, owner and CEO of Coconut Condos in Maui, joins the VRMA Arrival podcast to share how her business, family, and community were affected by the Lahaina wildfires back in 2023. She reflects on building Coconut Condos with flexibility and purpose, leading through crisis, the routines that helped her move forward, and the importance of building trust, culture, and community before they are...

What actually starts to fall apart as short-term rental portfolios grow? In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, brought to you by RealTech Webmasters , Corrine Harris, general manager at Operto , shares what she’s seen firsthand—from consistency slipping around 50 units to tech stacks becoming more of a burden than a solution at scale. Drawing on her experience as a former property manager,...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, Amber Knight, general manager at BookingsCloud, joins the show to unpack why marketing still feels intimidating for many short-term rental operators and why relying on pricing alone often falls short in today’s oversupplied markets. Drawing on her experience working inside large portfolios and competitive markets, Knight explains how OTAs have become th...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival Podcast, we sit down with Priya Khaira, editor of Short Term Rentalz, to talk about the seventh annual Shortyz Awards and what they represent for the global short-term rental industry. Khaira shares how the awards began seven years ago as a way to spotlight excellence in a fast-growing sector—and how they’ve evolved alongside the industry’s rapid professionaliza...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival Podcast, Pierre Camille Hamana, CEO and founder of Hospitable, joins us to unpack key findings from Hospitable’s newly released 2026 STR Industry Report and what they signal for hosts and professional property managers. Hamana explains why 2025 was a revealing year for the industry, marked by “stacked pressures” that included rising operating costs, softening de...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, Lance and Elaine Stitcher of Seaside Vacation & Sales share the story behind their 2025 VRMA Excellence Awards win for Best Marketing Campaign, and why the campaign was never really about Seaside at all. Celebrating both their company’s 10th anniversary and the 100th annual Chincoteague Pony Swim, the Seaside team challenged themselves to do somethi...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, we sit down with Salty Dog Vacations co-owners Kymberlee Nguyen and Krista Goodrich, recent recipients of VRMA’s Community Impact Award. Based in the Daytona Beach area, Krista and Kym share how they’ve woven service into every part of their business model—from mentoring at-risk students and serving on the local school board to supporting Daytona Dog Be...

Melanie Brown, vice president of data insights at Key Data, joins the podcast to unpack Key Data’s Vacation Rental Industry Outlook 2026 —a survey of nearly 250 US property managers that reveals what operators expect in the year ahead. According to Brown, sentiment has finally shifted toward “cautious optimism,” with most managers anticipating flat to modest gains in ADR, demand, and revenue per u...

Jessica Gillingham—CEO of Abode Worldwide and author of “Tech-Enabled Hospitality”—joins us to map the real state of hospitality tech across short-term rentals, hotels, and multifamily. Drawing on interviews with 38 global leaders, she argues that technology’s job is simple: enable better hospitality. We dig into the mindset shift from “tech as cost” to “tech as a strategic investment,” why many o...

In this episode, VRMA Board Chair Jodi Refosco and Executive Director Anne Gardner explore how VRMA supports its members every day—not just during conferences. They share exciting updates about modular training programs, safety certifications, and upcoming webinars, including one on ADA compliance. Plus, they discuss VRMA’s reinvigorated advocacy efforts, growing supplier community, and a special...

In this episode, VRMA Arrival podcast host Alexa Schlosser sits down with Molly Reardon, head of short-term rental growth at PointCentral and a short-term rental owner herself. Reardon offers a unique dual perspective on how technology can enhance—not replace—the human side of hospitality. She shares firsthand experiences installing smart home hardware, discusses how the pandemic accelerated tech...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, David Stephens, lead data scientist at TravelNet Solutions , cuts through the AI hype to share what short-term rental operators really need to know. From guest messaging and marketing to revenue management and sentiment analysis, Stephens explains where AI adds true value and where it still needs a human touch. He also offers key questions to ask before...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, VRMA Board Chair Jodi Refosco sits down with Tiffany Edwards of Weatherby Consulting to discuss the formation of VRMA’s new Government Affairs Council and what it means for the vacation rental industry. They explore why the council was created, how it consolidates previous advocacy committees, and what major regulatory challenges it aims to address, inc...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, Onita Mihaly, senior director of brand marketing at Ooma, discusses the company's role in improving short-term rental (STR) safety with its VoIP-based landline service.

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, host Jodi Refosco, VRMA Board chair, is joined by Tim Cafferty (Sandbridge Blue & Outer Banks Blue) and Tyann Marcink Hammond (Branson Family Retreats) to preview VRMA Foundations, taking place April 14-15 in Savannah, Georgia. Unlike traditional conferences, Foundations is a brand-new event built from the ground up to deliver hands-on, targeted tra...

In this VRMA Arrival podcast episode, Marcus Rader, CEO of Hostaway, shared the company’s impressive growth since 2022, which is the last time we had Rader on the podcast, including securing a $365 million investment and expanding its product offerings. Hostaway has evolved into a multiproduct, all-in-one solution for short-term rental property managers, driven by customer feedback and innovation....

On the latest episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, Bart-Jan Leyts, the 25-year-old founder of Otamiser , shared his insights into optimizing OTA rankings for short-term rentals (STRs) and hotels. Based in Ghent, Belgium, Otamiser has grown rapidly since its launch three years ago, recently introducing a cutting-edge tool called Autorank. Designed specifically for STRs, Autorank automates listing u...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, Matthew Gurley, director of sales and partner integrations at Lynnbrook, discusses the growing issue of credit card fraud in the vacation rental industry and the strategies property managers can implement to protect themselves. Gurley explains how fraudsters target vacation rental companies, especially smaller or independent operators with less robust s...

In this episode, David Angotti, chief evangelist at Guesty , discusses the evolving landscape of the vacation rental industry. He explores the rise of unique, high-end rental properties popularized by Airbnb and how property managers can differentiate themselves by delivering personalized guest experiences. Angotti highlights the importance of leveraging technology, empowering staff, and maintaini...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, we delve into the journey and insights of Pierre-Camille Hamana, the founder and CEO of Hospitable. Hospitable is a company dedicated to providing software solutions for property managers and hosts in the short-term rental industry. In the episode, Hamana shares his background and journey to founding Hospitable. Originally trained as a lawyer, his entry...

In the latest episode of the VRMA Arrival Podcast, VRMA publications editor Alexa Schlosser interviews Tommy Ciaccio, head of business development for Avantio in the US and Canada. Ciaccio shares Avantio’s journey from its beginnings in Spain to its expansion into North American markets, highlighting their focus on innovation and local expertise. Avantio, founded 22 years ago in Spain, successfull...

In this episode of the VRMA Arrival podcast, Shahar Goldboim, co-founder and CEO of Boom, discusses how Boom is revolutionizing the property management industry through AI integration. He explains that Boom supercharges property management systems (PMS) by providing comprehensive solutions that integrate AI for business analytics and operations management. Shahar describes the origin of Boom, stem...