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The incredible growth of vacation rentals

Whether you’ve heard of VRBO, stayed at an Airbnb, or rented a home through HomeAway, you are likely familiar with the idea: nowadays, empty properties can be transformed into mini hotels with minimal effort and massive reward. Airbnb in particular is recognized as being a major disruptor to the global hotel industry.

Independently, these vacation rental brands have seen incredible growth over the past twenty years. And collectively, they represent an innovative new lifestyle that blurs the line between business and pleasure.

The rise of the folksonomy has been built on the human need for the familiar – and the self-catering holiday rental as an accommodation type is ideally suited to benefit from this.

Which is why growth in this market currently vastly outstrips commensurate strides made in the hotel sector – a hotel is perceived as faceless and staid, whereas a home, whether you call it a holiday property, a vacation rental or refer to it as ‘an Airbnb’ (now also a verb i.e. “Let’s Airbnb it”) is seen as infinitely friendlier, more welcoming, and more human.

The average number of Airbnb units is said to be doubling year upon year, whereas hotel supply increased by only 1.1%. And remember: Airbnb only accounts for a segment of all vacation rental properties.

That said, Airbnb’s growth has slowed the last 12 months despite being valued at over 30 billion USD and now the second largest accommodation group in the world after Marriott.

Airbnb is rolling out new services aimed at attracting travelers looking for luxury accommodations and traditional hotels, the latest move to contend with this sputtering growth in its original home-renting business.

The result of Airbnb’s disruption to the global hotel industry is that the vacation rental companies are looking to offer services that can better compete with the traditional hotels and the hotels are looking to offer services and product that can compete with the vacation rentals thereby bringing the two competitors closer together while wanting to maintain their unique selling points. One thing is for sure they will have to decide how best to address these market changes to survive the evolution. Watch this space.

Airbnb % of Hotel Demand

2015 2%
2018 6% (projected)
Source: Morgan Stanley Research

Private accommodation as % of global accommodations market

2014 USD 69 Billion (16%)
2018 USD 106 Billion (19%)
Source: Susquehanna International Group Research

  • Private accommodation will account for almost a fifth of global hospitality bookings within two years – and the online travel agency giants are tipped to benefit. (Susquehanna International Group Research or SIG)
  • Private accommodation forecast to continue to grow
  • Airbnb growing its inventory far quicker than the hotel industry can add rooms
  • 3000 lodgings in 2009, 2.3M rentals in 2016. 153% compound annual growth!
  • As of 206 Airbnb most valuable accommodations company in the world valued at 30 USD billion. 25% ore than Hilton
  • Airbnb grows countries between 2009 to 2015 while Hilton took 100 years to reach 93 countries
  • The hotel industry saw its second lowest level of nightly rate growth in 2016 in 20 years, excluding the recession
  • Airbnb users also appear to be using Airbnb for longer stays as opposed to one-night stays. In its survey, Morgan Stanley found 6 percent of Airbnb stays are one night and 22 percent are for six nights or more. Twenty-six percent of hotel users, by comparison, stay for just one night.

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Jan 9

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Busy with project meetings for @beachhousesantigua and can’t wait to update you with villa 3 progress and what’s to come! 

 #antigua #antiguaandbarbuda #antiguavillas #antiguaproperties #antiguaproperty #englishharbourantigua #falmouthharbour #beachvillas #villasbythesea #beautifulvillas #luxuryhomes #elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty #elmsbridgedesign #caribbeandreamhome

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The Neem. This is our lovely three-bedroom villa design at The Gardens on Harbour Island, which comes fully furnished with optional guest cottage for a fourth bedroom, off street parking, private garden and pool. Excited to work on these first villas for our new homeowners @thegardensantigua this year. Construction has started on plots 118 and 128. Updates to follow!
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#elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty #elmsbridgedesign #elmsbridgeinteriors #newvillas #newvillasforsale #caribbeanproperties #caribbeanproperty #caribbeanlife #antiguavillaforsale #antiguavillas #antiguaproperties #antiguaproperty #luxuryvillas #luxuryhomes #antiguaandbarbuda🇦🇬 #jollyharbourantigua #vacationtime #vacationhomes

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Nov 29

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Site clearance for villas 118 and 128 started this week @thegardensantigua 

Here’s a render of the 28 interior homesites once completed, featuring 2, 3 and 4 bedroom villas. 

This collection of 36 turnkey homes inside popular Jolly Harbour on Antigua’s west coast also features 8 waterfront homesites offering direct water access. 

#antiguaandbarbuda #antiguabarbuda #antiguarealestate #antiguavillas #antiguavillaforsale #caribbeanhouses #caribbeanlife #islandvacationhomes #caribbeanvacationhomes #liveinantigua #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomesforsale #elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty #elmsbridgedesign #elmsbridgeinteriors #elmsbridgelandscaping

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Oct 24

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Luxury uber-villa being constructed now in Antigua with our partners World of Indulgence. This is the second of three large villas being developed with World of Indulgence on a bluff overlooking Nonsuch Bay on the island’s spectacular east coast, and situated in an operating resort of the same name (https://nonsuchbayresort.com). 
 
World of Indulgence have a well-developed international luxury villa rental and concierge service business established and are able to manage the property if desired by an owner while not in use.
 
The asking price for the villa is $3.95M US and it is currently 1/3 of the way through construction. Finishes and furnishing can be customized at the Elmsbridge Design office in Antigua.

 #antigua #antiguaandbarbuda #antiguavillas #antiguaproperties #antiguaproperty #englishharbourantigua #falmouthharbour #beachvillas #villasbythesea #beautifulvillas #luxuryhomes #elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty #elmsbridgedesign #caribbeandreamhome #villamoonridge #paradise

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Oct 20

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Not too long until we can show you villa 3 @beachhousesantigua 😍 #antigua #antiguaandbarbuda #antiguavillas #antiguaproperties #antiguaproperty #englishharbourantigua #falmouthharbour #beachvillas #villasbythesea #beautifulvillas #luxuryhomes #elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty #elmsbridgedesign #caribbeandreamhome

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Oct 15

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Ralph Lauren 😍 #designicon #ralphlauren #ralphlaurenhome #classicstyle #classicdesign #elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty

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Oct 2

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Last flowers of the season in the home of a favourite Insta account @buildingwalnutfarm . Such a beautiful, cosy home! Embracing colour this year, especially green.

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Sep 24

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Appreciation post for @lauren_nelson_design 🤩

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Sep 8

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Rest in peace dear Queen Elizabeth II. We are forever thankful for your service. ❤️

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Aug 22

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Beach vibes.. number 3 @beachhousesantigua coming together. #beachhouse #beachvillasforsale #elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty #antigua #falmouthharbourantigua #englishharbourantigua #luxuryvilla #luxuryvillas #luxurylifestyle #antiguaandbarbuda🇦🇬

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Aug 14

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Summer mornings @beachhousesantigua 😎❤️. #beachhousesantigua #beachhousedecor #beachhouseantigua #elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty #newvillaantigua #falmouthharbour #englishharbour #antiguavillaforsale #antiguavilla #caribbeanhome #villasinantigua #antiguaandbarbuda #dreamvilla #beachvilla

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Jul 5

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Summer progress @beachhousesantigua villa 3. We’ll be working over the summer to finish this one. Doors and windows are next! 👀 @beachhousesantigua @elmsbridge #elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty #elmsbridgedesign #beachhousedecor #beachhousestyle #antiguabeachhouses #antiguarealestate #antigualuxuryhomes #caribbeanlife #luxurylifestyle #luxuryvillas #constructioupdate #antigua #englishharbourantigua #falmouthharbour #falmouthharbourantigua #antiguaandbarbuda #antiguadigitalnomad #antiguaresidency #movetoantigua #antiguaandbarbuda🇦🇬

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Jun 1

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Render of a master suite @thegardensantigua three-bed villa. We’ve taken some Japandi, some Skandi and will sprinkle liberally with island vibes, so these tropical homes feel zen and cosy. #elmsbridge #elmsbridgedesign #antiguavillaforsale #antiguavillas #antiguahomesforsale #antiguarealestate #caribbeanvibes #caribbeanlife #caribbeanrealestate #mastersuitedesign #japandiinterior #skandidesign #nordicbeach

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May 25

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The new @thegardensantigua project sales office. It’s a little sanctuary at the commercial centre in Jolly Harbour so pop in and see us if you’d like to know more about the 36 plots and turn key villas on Harbour Island recently released. We’ll be starting on two show villas this summer and can’t wait to show you some of the progress!
#elmsbridge #antiguarealestate #luxuryproperty #luxuryhomes #antiguaandbarbuda #antiguarealestate #thegardensantigua #antiguavillasforsale

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Apr 30

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Glimpses of Antigua’s spectacular west coast close to The Gardens. Construction updates coming soon! @thegardensantigua #thegardensantigua #elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty #luxuryvillas #antiguarealestate #antiguaandbarbuda #antiguarealestate🇦🇬 #antiguavillasforsale #jollyharbourantigua #jollyharbour

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Apr 30

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Sailing Week starts this weekend and it’s the 53rd year of the event! Good luck to all those who have come back to Antigua for one of our favourite events of the winter season, and also the grand finale of our winter period! @sailingweekantigua

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Apr 29

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Instagram post 17919858218268881

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Apr 29

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New project alert! The 36 last remaining plots on Harbour Island at the heart of Jolly Harbour are now available for purchase. 

The sales office is open at the Jolly Harbour Commercial Centre if you’d like to find out more about these lovely new-build vacation homes on Antigua’s beautiful west coast. Or drop us a line hello@thegardensantigua.com 

Happy weekend all! 🌴🌴🌴
@thegardensantigua #elmsbridge #elmsbridgeproperty #elmsbridgedesign #elmsbridgeinteriors #jollyharbour #jollyharbourantigua #antiguaproperty #antiguaandbarbuda #antiguaandbarbuda🇦🇬 #caribbeanhomes #antiguarealestate

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Apr 8

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Morning site visit 😍 @beachhousesantigua #beachhousestyle #beachhouses #beachvibes #antiguabeachhouse #elmsbridge #falmouthharbour #falmouthharbourantigua
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