Hotelier Weekly Roundup: 30/05/25

Another exciting week in Australian vibrant and dynamic hotel industry!

May 30, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

What’s on my mind this week: Early this year, a notable short-term rental sell-off is unfolding in Mornington Peninsula, and similarly in the United States and Japan, where large volume of former Airbnbs are being offloaded due to rising costs, tighter regulations, and owner fatigue—creating a clear buyer’s market.

Then there’s Airbnb’s Q1 earnings: revenue rose 6% year-over-year, driven by an 8% increase in Nights & Experiences booked. However, net income plunged 42%, down to $154 million. In response, Airbnb has announced a bold shift—transforming into a broader travel and lifestyle platform. Beyond stays and experiences, the app will now offer bookable services like chefs, personal trainers, massage therapists, and stylists. They’ve also redesigned their website, introducing group chats for guests to discuss experiences tied to listings.

This move signals a departure from pure accommodation focus. Notably, Airbnb’s revenue growth has decelerated over the past four years: 77%, 40%, 18%, and now 12%. Are we witnessing the beginning of the end of the STR boom?

More importantly—what should hotels take away from this pivot? Should we double down on delivering high-quality core offerings, or evolve to integrate curated local experiences into the guest journey?

🏨 Top 6 Hotel Industry News You Need To Know

  • Next Five-Star Resort Approved for Noosa (LATTE Luxury News) 

  • IHG to Add Regent & InterContinental Properties in Major AU Conversion Deal (Business Traveller)

  • The Sebel Canberra Civic Hits the Market for $50M as ACT’s Largest Hotel Offering (Region Canberra)

  • Byron Bay’s Iconic Beach Hotel Sells for A$140 Million (AFR)

  • Expedia Report: What’s Driving Aussie Travellers’ 2025 Hotel Choices (eHotelier)

  • Melbourne a “Sporting Chance” of Delivering Accor’s Best Annual Performance since 2019 (Hospitality Net)

🏆 Story of the Week

Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast

🎧 Recommended Episode:
"Beyond the Brand: Insights from Curator Hotel Collection's Jennifer Barnwell"
In this episode, Jennifer Barnwell, President of Curator Hotel Collection, dives into how independent hotels can compete with big brands by leveraging flexibility, creativity, and deep local character. She also shares insights on partnership models, operational standards, and what makes a boutique hotel experience thrive in today’s market.

A must-listen for anyone involved in hotel branding, asset management, or independent operations.

🔗 Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

🗓️ Upcoming Industry Events

🛠️ Tool of the Week: Navan - Where Corporate Travel Meets Seamless Spend Management.

Navan (formerly TripActions) is an all-in-one travel and expense management platform designed for modern businesses. It combines corporate travel booking, expense reconciliation, policy compliance, and real-time reporting in a single, AI-powered platform. Saw this one popped up on my feed very frequently these days, I wonder if there’s any partnership opportunities for accommodation providers?

Did You Know? The historic Corbett Arms Hotel, located in the seaside town of Tywyn, Gwynedd, is facing demolition, despite its significant place in music history. In the summer of 1969, newlywed John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent a holiday at this Georgian Grade II Listed building, a time when The Beatles were riding high with their final number-one hit before their breakup. The couple’s stay at the Corbett Arms marked a period of both personal and professional turbulence for the band, making the hotel a symbol of an iconic moment in rock history. Now, as plans for demolition loom, there is a call to preserve the property as a tribute to the couple’s lasting cultural impact.

Till next time,

Hotelier Roundup

Disclaimer: This content is carefully curated from publicly available sources and is provided for informational purposes only, while we try our best to verify all information presented, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy or completeness.