In the wake of many thousands of property management companies sprouting up in the worldwide field of vacation rentals, property management associations have been born into the industry framework.
These groups exist to serve property managers and short term rental suppliers with support and a common voice. As our industry has grown and taken shape, this has become increasingly relevant – take regulation for example, falling on our shoulders as a necessity for protecting the residential, longer-term rental health of markets.
And so, we have built an associations page for the short stay accommodation space to map the major bodies across the world. We hope that this page will inform you on your options and highlight the importance of these outfits and the work that they do.
Support
Whether for property management companies or short term rental suppliers, a central purpose of associations will always be operational support. Of course provision differs from company to company, but through our research we have found that support to be broad; with a common feature being legislative and financial advice. In addition to staple news and information, educational programs are another useful offering, with a spectrum of topics covered from pricing to guest services. Another component to these support systems is networking events or conferences, which become vital lines of business for suppliers, but a crucial port of learning for property managers. And a final point to talk about; human resources: many set-ups offer job posting boards for employees and employers alike to look within the field. Overall, associations act to foster an environment for healthy growth and will help with the navigation of any potential issues.
Industry Voice
Arguably, these confederations primarily exist to align the standards and ideals of our industry and communicate and lobby for them. Unified representation at governmental, national and even international levels is vital to continued conducive and equitable working conditions for our businesses. In some instances associations go beyond advocacy and into the realms of legislating for favourable operating conditions. Association boards are often composed of members of other companies in the field who have a ‘slice of the pie’ and a position to protect, and so naturally there are opportunities to represent through committees. Again, this advocacy role works towards sustaining a thriving and fair vacation rental industry.
Discounts & Offers
Offers for member to member or supplier to member services are commonplace and varied. Association websites typically advertise those companies that are members, and beyond this, many organisations provide a platform for listing advertisement for their members – particularly in the US, their sites have been frequented by guests sourcing accommodation.
Fees and Membership
As you would expect, these services tend to come with a price tag, and as with the services, fees do vary: the odd organisation offers free membership, while some climb higher than 1000€ per year. Fees are normally dependent on number of properties managed and often available in different installments or at different levels.
Associations fill a very necessary position in our ecosystem: representing and supporting companies in our industry of all shapes and sizes and advocating for beneficial, fair and safe regulations and standards. Pretty much all of these groups have a geographical catchment area and you’re likely to find more than one that you will be covered by, be it a national or more regional offering. It is worth considering which services best suit your needs as well as which you are eligible for – and you can figure out which is for you with the help of our associations page.
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