Find Vacation Rentals: September 2012

Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

Posted: 19 Sep 2012 12:35 PM PDT

We have been conducting in-depth research of travel data collected on FlipKey, and it’s time to start unveiling the results. In an effort to extend the summer, we bring you travel trends from the Aloha State: Hawaii vacation rentals offer great value for groups of all sizes, but we discovered that Hawaii truly sparkles as a top spot for romantic rendezvous. 45% of all travelers planning Hawaii vacations travel in groups of two, and the short romantic getaway is a surprisingly popular option for islands that are a few thousand miles from… everything.

Want the Hawaii Travel Trends infographic on your site? Copy and paste the HTML below:
<a href="http://www.flipkey.com/blog/2012/09/19/travel-trends-hawaii/"><img src="http://www.flipkey.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/TT-Hawaii-infographic-v02.png" alt="FlipKey Travel Trends: Hawaii Infographic" width="600" /></a><br /> <a href="http://www.flipkey.com/blog/2012/09/19/travel-trends-hawaii/">FlipKey Travel Trends: Hawaii</a> by <a href="http://www.flipkey.com/">vacation rentals</a> site FlipKey.com

Hawaii’s romantic appeal doesn’t exactly come as a surprise. Between honeymoons, destination weddings, and anniversary trips, couples have countless excuses to escape to the islands. It is interesting that the love birds of paradise flock to the islands around Valentines Day: mid-February is peak travel season, and the nightly rates spike right during that period.

The good news: the spots where you will find love are also spots where you can find deals – none of these romantic hideaways are among the most expensive locales in the state. A deeper look at the data revelas the top five couples destinations:

Honolulu, Oahu
Haleiwa, Oahu
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
Lahaina, Maui
Kihei, Maui

The other good news: Now is the time to travel. Forget Valentine’s Day, with its crowds and the pressure to be romantic. If you’re thinking of traveling to the islands, consider a fall escape. It’s still summer in Hawaii, and the best rates can be had before the holidays. Nothing heats things up like a quick jaunt to Paradise right when the weather is getting colder back home.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

FlipKey Joins VRMA Holiday Rental Professionals Seminar in Barcelona

Posted: 11 Sep 2012 10:42 AM PDT

Registration is now open for the inaugural Holiday Rental Professionals Seminar, to be held in Barcelona on December 4-5. Sign up today!

Are you a professional rental agent looking to grow your business? Would you like to interact with some of the most influential minds in the holiday rental industry for professional development and networking? Could you benefit from the opportunity to share best practices that promise to make your business greater than the sum of its parts?

Join FlipKey representatives and other industry professionals from Europe and beyond at the inaugural Holiday Rental Professionals Seminar on 4-5 December in Barcelona, Spain.

Photos used with permission of VRMA. Copyright the Turisme de Barcelona

Hosted by the international Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA) based in North America, this two-day event will feature knowledgeable holiday rental professionals from across Europe and the United States who will present industry-specific education. The Seminar will provide a collaborative environment to promote the value of the holiday rental experience and foster professionalism within the industry.

The Holiday Rental Professionals Seminar is expected to draw an attendance of 150-200 holiday rental agents and industry supporters with products/services for rental professionals. Current sponsors of the event include FlipKey and VacationRentPayment.

A preliminary schedule of events and other information about the Seminar can be found here. Click here to register for the event.

Attendees network during the 2011 organizing event held in Rome

In 2011, an organizing event was held in Rome, bringing together approximately 40 holiday rental professionals from Europe. This event prompted the development of the inaugural Holiday Rental Professionals Seminar this year in Barcelona. Marie Pistinier, an attendee of the 2011 organizing event, is enthusiastic about the upcoming seminar:

"Being part of the Summit in 2011 was a great and fun experience. I met up several European companies working as we do in Paris, as well as meeting several members of VRMA. We had some time to learn, share and network during and between sessions. Europe was, of course, one of the main subjects, but exchanges worldwide and links between continents were also a big part of it. The sessions were very interesting and I am glad we have 2 full days this year."

-Marie Pistinier, Paris be a Part of It

Join your peers for this inaugural event that promises to enrich your business and professional growth. Register today!
For more information on the VRMA, please visit www.vrma.com.

For more information, feel free to contact Jill Curtis, VRMA Director of Membership, in the U.S. by phone at +1 (317) 454-8315 or by email.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

Back to the Future of Family Vacations

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 01:10 PM PDT

Remember climbing into the back of your parents’ old station wagon for family vacation? Remember all of the preparation surrounding claiming ‘spots’ and jockeying with your siblings to ensure you got the best seat? Remember the amazing destinations and the can’t miss roadside attractions along the way? Those were the days of no air conditioning, when seat belts were usually an after-thought to comfort. It was was the era of the great American road trip.

Today, you ask most kids where they go on vacation, and odds are it won’t include driving across the country with their entire family in a station wagon. These days, low-cost carriers and an over-abundance of flight options have made airlines the Greyhound of the sky. Now, vacations usually entail stressed-out parents trying to send last minute emails before they are out of the office for 3 days (even though they’ll still check their email throughout the vacation) and kids who would rather be home playing video games. Where has the spirit of vacation gone?

To try and recapture the glory that vacation used to be, FlipKey has pulled together the top vacation spots of the last century that are still hot family destinations today. Take deep breath, and take yourself back to the real era of vacations with these nostalgic gems:

Century of Vacations [see the SlideDeck]