How access to OTA data is democratizing short-term rental tech

For far too long, a significant segment of the short-term rental (STR) industry has been starved of the tools necessary to professionalize and scale.

The majority of the STR market is made up of individual hosts and self-managers. Yet these critical players are being sidelined and denied access to the cutting-edge tech they need to stand toe-to-toe with the big players. Why? Because traditional software connections have demanded that everything routes through the property management system (PMS), placing unwarranted barriers between hosts and the tools they need.

The promise of a PMS has always been to streamline operations and simplify the complexities of professional property management. But the traditional model – which has practically mandated integration with specific third-party tools – has created a captive system. Hosts lacking the finances or time to adopt a PMS are unfairly excluded from the competitive arena, unable to access the tech they need to compete.

Historically, hosts have been left with two choices: Either invest in expensive and complex systems that may not align with their scale and needs or operate at a disadvantage. By impeding access to tools that can enhance operational efficiency and revenue potential, the current model stifles the very things it aims to promote: innovation and growth.

The idea that hosts need to be tethered to a PMS to access vital tech tools is not just outdated; it's ludicrous. The only way for hosts of all sizes to operate on a level playing field is to dismantle the traditional barriers imposed by the PMS model. This means embracing an open, flexible approach to software integrations and data accessibility – one where hosts have unrestricted access to the market and the freedom to customize their tech stack according to their needs.

The way to turn this archaic PMS model on its head is to give all added-value service providers, point solutions and tech vendors access to all the resources they need to perform their work, without requiring either vendor or host to be a PMS user.

The only way for online travel agencies and vendors to achieve a truly liberalized industry is to give all tech vendors access to online travel agency data, regardless of whether they or their customers work with a PMS.

By giving tech vendors access to OTA data, the sector can challenge the belief that hosts — the lifeblood of the industry — need a PMS subscription to develop a sophisticated tech stack. Hosts can access the tools they need – for example, a digital guidebook that automatically syncs Airbnb reservation data – without jumping through the hoops of a PMS subscription.

OTAs have the power to make this change themselves, but PMSs that value the professionalization of hosting don’t have to wait for that. They can do it themselves today using open APIs.

It’s a win-win for the industry: Software providers can tap into their hosts’ short-term rental data without building their own OTA integration or forcing their customers to also subscribe to one of their PMS partners. Building a direct connection to an OTA is time-consuming, and even then it often demands extensive functionalities beyond just data access. Breaking down such barriers allows tech vendors to access only the essential data required to power their software.

This changes everything. Hosts using industry tools or platforms, like a guest communication app or operations platform, can seamlessly sync their short-term rental data.

Removing integration barriers radically redefines the "single source of truth" myth that PMS systems have perpetuated for far too long. Individual hosts, owners and self-managers are no longer the losers in this situation – quite the opposite. They gain access to a wider range of tech tools than that enjoyed by even the largest property managers, who are still typically limited by the integrations their PMS chooses to accept.

The ripple effect of this disruption will be monumental. No longer can PMS vendors dictate who gets to access what. The days of onboarding fees, annual commitments and a closed ecosystem of third-party integrations are numbered. We’re fast moving toward the democratization of technology in the STR industry – a change that is long overdue.

Seamless data exchange and integration across diverse platforms must, and will, become the norm. We must work to create a paradigm shift that refocuses the industry for millions of hosts.

Everyone in the ecosystem stands to gain from this shift. Tech vendors, previously blocked by prohibitive barriers to entry, now have the green light to unleash their full potential across a previously untapped market. OTAs can anticipate a surge in success, efficiency and profitability as hosts gain access to a broader toolset, driving greater listings and bookings.

The stranglehold of the traditional PMS as the industry's gatekeeper is over. We're on the cusp of a more inclusive, innovative and equitable STR landscape where technology serves as a bridge, not a barrier, to operational excellence. In this landscape, there is no longer a clear divide between "professional" property managers and self-managers.

The future of the STR industry is clear: It's time for a host-centric approach that prioritizes access, innovation and fairness.