025: Guests Aren't Googling Anymore: AI, OTAs & the Future of STR Distribution | Shaun Stewart
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What is the biggest disruption facing short‑term rentals today?
If you're a vacational manager with ten homes, like you're listening to this and you're like, What the hell am I supposed to do?
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Surge is changed. And and you're old
enough to remember that was an incredibly controversial statement.
I would put my money in the same color and number as you in terms of how this is gonna evolve.
I think you nailed it with the Europe to North America comparison that if that's just wild to me. That's a Harvard business study on like monopoly impact on innovation.
So there is a big question, if AI becomes the new top of funnel, is that gonna happen? You are listening to STR Global Unlocked, brought to you by AGL Atelier, the show where I speak with the leaders shaping short-term rentals worldwide. I am Simon Lehman and after two decades buying, selling, advising and investing, I've built a network that spans continents and categories. This podcast brings that network to you. Real conversations, global insight, no PR fluff. Let's get started. What if the biggest disruption to short term rentals is not regulation, not supply growth, not even capital compression, but distribution itself? What if Google disappears as a top of funnel? What if AI agents decide where your guests book?
And what if the real power in travel was never the brand, but the inventory? Today's conversation is about infrastructure control and the next great reshuffle of distribution power. Today I'm joined By an old friend And amazing person shon stюart. Sean has spent decades at the highest levels of travel and technology. From leadership roles inside Expedia and Airbnb to building self-driving cars at Waimo to now building infrastructure at Stabhop. He has seen how distribution power is created, consolidated, and disrupted. What makes this conversation particularly interesting is that Sean is currently working on a rebuilding distribution infrastructure in the life events industry. An industry that evolved very differently from travel.
And that contrast gives us powerful insight into what may happen next in short-term rentals and hospitality. Sean, it's a great pleasure to have you on the show. Good to see you, son, and always uh always appreciate our time together. Likewise. And you know, you and I were sort of thinking, what are we gonna do together on STR Global Unlocked? And and I was like, Sean, we have plenty of things to talk about. So Sean, let's start with rapid fire for you, short answers, Sean. Um AI increases platform power or decreases it?
You're probably right. You probably give it an increase that it that now the source of supply becomes even more important. The user experience diminishes, potentially the brand even diminishes where it's now just who has the best inventory to buy, even regardless. So you're right. No, I I give that an increase in platform power.
Will OTAs be stronger in five years?
I would argue yeah. I think still having the aggregated power of supply means they're they're still very well positioned for this evolution.
Direct booking strategic or romantic?
Uh strategic. I I I see direct bookings as a dial. You're at one percent, what can you do to get to five? doesn't mean th that's b a bad place to be. The goal of direct transactions is always growth. You're at five percent now, great. How do you get to seven percent direct transactions, eight percent, ten percent? You're doing leave behinds. Anyone who books some Airbnb is getting an email from you after recommending they sign up for loyalty programs. That never to me is a waste of invested time and effort. They there's always a stronger cost of distribution and cost of of relationship ownership coming direct. I I think you should always be strategically investing in the power of direct. I think you should not romanticize getting to a hundred percent.
The only time I question people is when they're like, we're gonna be a hundred percent direct. The Saunder S1 of IPO is like it's gonna be seventy percent direct. And we all knew that wasn't realistic, but it's an area that you should be investing in monthly.
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Chapters
2 chaptersSpeakers
1 identifiedMore from STR Global Unlocked with Simon Lehmann
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