Software-as-a-service [SaaS] startup Hostfully has published the sixth edition of its annual vacation rental industry trends report.

Behind the Scenes: Success Stories from Vacation Rental Property Managers, Including the Industry’s 26 Most Common Challenges and Solutions

Short-term rental property management platform Hostfully has released its eight annual hospitality report, providing actionable data for hosts and property managers of all portfolio sizes.

As vacation rental bookings boom, so does smart tech. But what’s next for this smart revolution? Will this upward trajectory in tech adoption continue?

Startups and companies in this list are selected for exceptional performance in innovation, growth, societal impact and management.

Hostfully has launched an AI-powered itinerary planner, described as a “first-of-its-kind” feature in the digital guidebook industry.

The study by Hostfully reveals that while there were more than 115,000 companies managing vacation rentals in 2018, this has now grown to more than 140,500.

Brian Chesky, the chief executive, acknowledged tensions with hosts but said the relationship had improved over the last year.

Hostfully, a San Francisco-based startup that helps professional short-term rental property managers maximize distribution and guest experience, has raised $4 million in a seed funding round, bringing its total funding to date to $7 million.

The short-term rental market has fared better than most segments of travel during the pandemic, although it has faced a different set of challenges.