2026 Agenda

Looking beyond the headlines - defending the value of the short stay sector in Britain’s tourism economy. How strategic distribution protects communities, preserves heritage, and powers regional prosperity

As our sector faces unprecedented regulatory scrutiny, it's time to shift the narrative from problem to solution. While Edinburgh grapples with 1.2 million guest nights in short-term lets in just one quarter and London absorbs 70% of international visitors, rural tourism accounts for 70-80% of all domestic UK tourism and contributes £14.56 billion to England and Wales' economy. Drawing on evidence from across Europe and the UK's emerging policy frameworks - from Scotland's licensing regime to England's forthcoming registration reforms - this session explores how professionally managed short-stay accommodation, properly distributed and thoughtfully regulated, represents one of the most powerful tools for inclusive, sustainable economic growth. The panel will discuss how to position our sector as essential partners in solving over-tourism through geographical and seasonal dispersal, while articulating our irreplaceable contribution to the regional economies, job creation, and preservation of rural and coastal communities that depend on tourism for survival.

Host: Joss Croft OBE, CEO, UKInbound

Speakers: Andy Fenner - CEO STAA, Chris Webb - Chair, APPG Hospitality & Tourism, Kate Nicholls OBE - Chair, UKHospitality

Global Pulse 2026: The Short-Stay Accommodation Economy

A fast, data-first briefing from AirDNA’s Chief Economist on the macro and inventory forces shaping short-stay performance worldwide, giving context to UK performance.

Host: Rohit Bezewada, CEO, and Martha Wilson, New Business Manager, Airdna

UK State of Play: Benchmarking Performance and Data Insight

- UK demand and supply overview
- Regional booking patterns and trends
- Length of stay trends
- Lessons from 2025

Host: Sally Henry, VP of Business Development, Key Data

Making sense of data and decoding the guest: pricing, operational and strategic responses to evolving trends

The panel will respond to the key questions posed by the global and uk-overview given by Airdna and Key Data, looking at the implications for the sector, optimal responses and maximising revenue and cost-saving given the data insights. Contributors will consider what’s missing from our data picture and how to fill in the gaps, the implications of trends like shorter booking times and how to hold our nerve and hold prices in volatile markets.

Host: Sally Henry, VP of Business Development, Key Data

Speakers: Maria Flores Portillo - CRO Beyond Pricing, Martha Wilson - New Business Manager, AirDNA, Vered Raviv-Schwarz - President & COO, Guesty, Thibault Masson - Head of Product Marketing, PriceLabs

Beyond borders - global opportunities for short term rental businesses

As regulation tightens in parts of Europe, short-stay businesses are increasingly looking to global markets where demand is growing rapidly. This panel explores where the strongest opportunities now exist — including Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, South East Asia and the United States — and what it takes to operate successfully in these environments.

With perspectives from Airbnb, Marriott Homes & Villas and Under the Doormat, the session examines how different business models identify opportunity, adapt to local conditions and meet the expectations of new guests and governments.

Host: Emily Goldfischer, Editor in Chief and Founder, hertelier

Speakers: Chris Stephenson - VP, Homes and Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, Merilee Karr - Founder and CEO, UnderTheDoormat Group

Beyond booking: Reimagining the future of flexible living

Mixed-use developments, co-living, Branded Residences and the evolution of how we define our sector
As flex lets, co-living spaces, and hotels with Branded Residences all grow in popularity and hybrid models blur traditional boundaries, the short-term rental sector faces fundamental questions about its identity – are we hospitality, real estate, or something entirely new? This session explores the forces reshaping our industry's edges and expanding its possibilities, examining emerging models, new asset classes, and investment opportunities. We'll trace how far the sector has come—from holiday cottages to a sophisticated ecosystem, and look ahead to what will define its future, exploring how developers are designing for flexibility, what this means for short term rental businesses, and how we ensure we're positioned to shape the next chapter rather than simply react to it.

Host: Jessica Gillingham, Founder and CEO, Abode Worldwide

Speakers: Maxime Leufroy-Murat - Founder and CEO City Relay , Rebekah Tobias - Managing Partner, Propela Ventures

Inside the platforms: Exclusive insights from OTA leadership

Product roadmaps, strategic priorities, and what's coming from Airbnb, Booking.com, and VRBO

With speakers from Airbnb and Booking.com to be announced

Host: Graham Donoghue, Group Chief Executive Officer, Forge Holiday Group

Speakers: James Cassidy - Sr. Director, Partner Success, Vrbo, part of Expedia Group

Fireside chat and LIVE podcast recording

The future of hospitality: balancing the human touch with a tech revolution

With 82% of short-term rental guests now comparing hotels with short stay accommodation rentals when planning trips, the pressure is on to evolve whilst maintaining authenticity. This session seeks to map the future of hospitality across four essential pillars: standardisation, technology and AI, operational excellence, and human connection. Our panellists will explore how these pillars work in concert to elevate the entire guest journey, using innovation not as an end in itself but as a means to empower hosts to deliver the memorable, personal experiences that define exceptional hospitality.

Host: Alex Husner and Annie Holcombe - The Real Women of Vacation Rentals

Speakers: Tim Rosolio - VP of Vacation Rentals Partnerships, Expedia Group

The Next Frontier: A deep dive on AI strategy for short-stay accommodation innovation

AI is becoming one of the most critical drivers of operational efficiency and revenue growth in the short-stay accommodation industry today. This session brings together the pioneers in the business who are implementing cutting-edge AI strategies for an unfiltered discussion on how they are moving beyond theory to deliver measurable results. The panel will unpack the fascinating strategy, execution, and ROI of groundbreaking AI initiatives; from out-of-the-box experimentation and team buy-in, to optimisation and hyper-personalised guest experiences. This session is essential for executives, property managers, and owners looking to drive success by embracing the technological innovation that is reshaping the future of short-term accommodation.

Host: Kate Cox, CMO, Guesty

Speakers: Graham Donoghue - Group Chief Executive Officer, Forge Holiday Group and CEO, Sykes Cottages, Steve Schwab - CEO, Casago/Vacasa

The New Search Revolution: LLMs, social discovery and the future of travel visibility

How AI assistants and social platforms are redefining brand visibility, guest discovery, and what accommodation providers must do to stay relevant
The rules of discovery are being rewritten. Younger travellers increasingly begin - and complete - their booking journey on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, bypassing Google entirely in favour of creator-driven recommendations and visual storytelling. Simultaneously, AI-powered assistants and Large Language Models (LLMs) are emerging as the next generation of search, curating personalised itineraries without traditional SEO logic - and threatening to become destination sites themselves rather than referral channels. With $500bn invested annually in AI and platforms like ChatGPT launching travel SDKs (Expedia, Booking.com), the question is urgent: will brands exist in the future, or will they be absorbed into AI-curated experiences? This session explores what Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) means for accommodation providers, whether AI models will cross the trust threshold to become true agentic booking agents, and - most importantly - the practical steps operators can take now to build a defensible moat around their visibility, relevance, and direct bookings in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Host: Mallory Kuenzi, Global Head of Influencer and Creator Marketing, Expedia Group

Speakers: Bo Xian Ye - VP, Alternative Accommodation, Trip.com

To sell or not to sell, that is the question...

Strategic choices for property managers: business model evolution, M&A dynamics, and pathways to sustainable growth
Every property management business eventually confronts the growth question: do we scale beyond where we are now, and if so, how? This session brings together founders and leaders who've successfully navigated these strategic crossroads to examine the business models actually working today, from positioning as operator versus platform, pursuing mergers or acquisitions, balancing direct booking ambitions with OTA realities, to exploring adjacent segments like corporate housing. Whether you're a single-property owner contemplating expansion or a mid-sized operator planning your next phase, you'll gain frameworks, cautionary tales, and success principles from those who've made the difficult decisions and invested in growth infrastructure – or the insight to recognise when staying focused and thriving at your current scale is the smartest move of all.

Host: Simon Lehmann, CEO and Co-Founder, AJL Atelier

Speakers: Alexander Limpert - Founder and CEO GuestReady, Jennifer Day - Head of Growth, Awaze, Constantin Schroeder - Co-Founder and CEO, Arbio