Ski Demand Drops 10%, Gen Z Takes Over the World Cup & Vrbo’s Rain Refund: Your Weekly STR Update

Happy Friday!

Congrats on making it through February.

In this edition, we're discussing everything (still) wrong with your listing, weather drama, sweet surprise bonuses (that don't come from your boss), and where Gen Z is staying for the FIFA World Cup.

Buckle up.

Read Time: 4-5 mins

By The Numbers
Data...and what you should do about it.

10%.

Winter is bringing the heat, and not in a good way.

Demand dropped over 10% year-over-year in popular ski destinations like Utah and Colorado last month, thanks to warm temperatures and dry conditions leading to low snow levels.

But while demand tanked in the West, the eastern slopes in Vermont, Maine, New York, and New Hampshire performed stronger with over 10% YoY growth in January.

The weather can't be your whole strategy anymore.

Creating more experience-driven amenities to expand demand through the seasons is the key to surviving unpredictable weather.

Host Headlines
The latest stories and takes in the world of short-term rentals

The World Cup Is Almost Here. Find Out Who's Booking

Demand for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is exploding.

Searches in host cities are up 80%, and over 380,000 guests are expected to stay in Airbnbs during the tournament.

But here's the surprising data from early bookings:

▪️ Families and groups account for more than 50% of reservations (75% in 2–3 bedroom listings)

▪️ Gen Z travelers make up 15%+ of bookings, nearly half traveling in groups

▪️ Trip length varies—tourist hubs like Miami see 5–10 night stays, match-focused cities like KC see 80% bookings under 4 days

The hosts who stand out and make record-breaking profits will be those who take time to understand their "new" guests and deliver exactly what they want—and more.

👉 Read our World Cup Hosting Guide to learn:

✔️ Pricing strategies to get the best rate and actually stay booked

✔️ The stadium markets with the highest demand
(Atlanta hosts are seeing 340% rate increases! )

✔️ Listing tips to position yourself as the top choice for World Cup guests

Airbnb Sweetens the Deal with a $750 New Host Bonus

Airbnb just dropped its biggest new host incentive ever:

$750 for anyone who lists an entire home in a World Cup host city by July 31, 2026.

To qualify, you need to be a new host (or have no active listings as of February 1, 2026) and complete a booking of at least $100 before the deadline.

But with World Cup demand and rates going absolutely nuclear, that $750 bonus is just the cherry on top.

Hosts have the chance to make thousands during the tournament, with some cities showing average estimated earnings as high as $5,700. Read the full story here.

Rainy Weather? Your Stay Is on the House.

Vrbo just partnered with WeatherPromise, a startup that pays guests automatically if rainfall crosses a threshold during their stay.

Here's the wild part: if the rain meets their limit, the guest gets a refund—and they still get to stay at your property for free.

And it costs you, the host, absolutely nothing.

This is a bold move from Vrbo to sway hesitant guests and make booking as convenient as possible.

👉 Read the full story to learn how it works and why this could actually help improve your Airbnb bookings in the long run.

Deal of the Week
Canon City, CO | Renovated Triplex Steps from Downtown

508-510 Greenwood Ave, Canon City, CO 81212 is a fully renovated triplex on commercial zoning, steps from downtown Canon City.

Built for STR investors who want diversification without managing scattered sites.

The Property

▪️ Purchase Price: $674,900 (with patio + hot tub)

▪️ Units: 2x 3BD/3BA + 1x 2BD/2BA (8 bedrooms total)

▪️ Zoning: Commercial (STR-friendly)

▪️ Condition: Fully renovated (electrical + HVAC upgraded)

The Strategy

Operate as three separate short-term rentals, but keep the option to bundle all 8 bedrooms for large group bookings.

The real unlock? Elevate that shared patio into a high-impact courtyard with an outdoor kitchen and fire pit to position this as the top-tier downtown Canon City product.

The Numbers (Target Scenario)

▪️ Target Gross Revenue: $150,000

▪️ Expense Ratio: 40%

▪️ NOI: $90,000

▪️ Closing costs (~3%): ~$20,000

▪️ Loan amount: ~$539,920 (20% down, 6.75% 30 year)

▪️ Annual Debt Service: ~$44,000

▪️ Cash Flow (Pre-Tax): ~$46,000

▪️ Startup / CapEx Allocation: ~$50,000

(outdoor kitchen + fire pit, patio repair, branding polish)

▪️ Total cash invested: ~$204,980

The Returns

▪️ Cash-on-Cash: ~22%

▪️ DSCR: 2.0x (easily financeable)

▪️ Unlevered Yield: 12.4%

Why Our Coaches Love This Deal

✔️ Two 3-bedroom units perform better than 2BR inventory

✔️ Multi-unit structure smooths out vacancy risk

✔️ Commercial zoning means STRs aren't going anywhere

✔️ Bundling all 8 bedrooms gets you premium group pricing

✔️ Courtyard upgrade is the lever that pushes this from good to top-tier

At $150k gross, you're looking at 22% CoC and a clean 2.0x DSCR. This deal is financeable and built to perform.

View the full listing on Zillow →

Community Soundbites
Real talk (and rants) from STR hosts in the Host Camp Community

Join the discussion in the Free Community here →

Peek the Playbook
Real host strategies you can steal (tested in the wild)

3 Listing Upgrades That Stop the Scroll & Get BOOKED

Instead of focusing on one success story, this week we analyzed some of the best, top-performing listings from our community.

What were we looking for? What makes an actual listing stop the scroll, get clicked, and get booked?

Here are three strategies the best hosts swear by:

TIP #1: Your Listing's Secret Advantage? BOLD Color.

All-neutral photography blends into the background noise.

When guests are scrolling past 50 options, beige disappears and vibrant colors catch the eye.

A bold accent wall or mural. A vibrant piece of art. A colorful deck chair.

This is a trick that works on social media—and on Airbnb.

TIP #2: Nobody Cares What Your Airbnb Is Called

Your listing title is prime real estate. Don't waste it.

The top 1% of listings pack their titles with 3-4 specific amenities or features that guests actually search for.

"Hot Tub · Fire Pit · Game Room · Near Slopes" will always outperform "The Gorgeous Lake House"—because it tells guests exactly why they should book before they even click.

TIP #3: The FOMO Hack That Actually Books Guests

Lifestyle shots show guests real people enjoying your space and amenities.

When guests see this, they mentally insert themselves into that scene.

That's FOMO. And FOMO books.

Top hosts add at least 2-3 lifestyle shots to sell the experience and create emotional connections.

Want to read the rest?

👉 Read the full article for more tips, what the Airbnb algorithm loves (and hates), plus a sneaky psychology trick to get more 5-star reviews.

Airbnbs we ♥️
Our favorite listings that stop the scroll + raise the bar!

Kelsie's Cripple Creek A-frame Cabin

Check out that starry night hero shot (and take notes)!

Host Camper Kelsie's cozy Cripple Creek mountain escape features immersive mountain views and breathtaking starry nights.

This cabin getaway is perfectly located smack dab in the middle of nature and features an outdoor cinema, hot tub, and a game room.

Check it out here and give it a ♥️→

Got a Few More Minutes? Dive Deeper.

Why Most Airbnb Hosts Are Quietly Failing

Airbnb's got some skeletons in the closet—and they may explain why so many hosts are failing.

Kai breaks down the overlooked strategy that separates average rentals from six-figure performers AND the secrets that Airbnb doesn't want you to know.

▶️ WATCH THE VIDEO

The Airbnb Era Is Ending (Here's What Comes Next)

Airbnb is an incredible platform, but it shouldn't be your whole business model.

Rob breaks down building your direct booking system and the exact tech stack, platforms, and automations you need to break free from OTA dependency.

▶️ WATCH THE VIDEO

That's it from us this week!

We'll be back on Monday: A new month, a new chance to March on and build wealth and financial freedom.

(See what we did there?😉)

Have an awesome weekend,

The Host Camp Team

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