{"podcast":{"title":"STR Data Lab™ by AirDNA","slug":"str-data-lab-by-airdna-5726793","podcast_index_feed_id":5726793,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/1080bf4d8/podcast/rss","website_url":"https://www.airdna.co/","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/44199686/7a1f2e5a8b6040a7.jpg","author":"Jamie Lane","episode_count":190,"summary":"Whether you're on your first property or your 100th, having the right market data is crucial to starting and scaling your short-term rental business. Join Travel Economist Jamie Lane as he provides trusted insights and delves deep into the numbers that drive this multi-billion dollar industry.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-30T16:18:14.470495+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/str-data-lab-by-airdna-5726793"},"episode":{"title":"The 2026 Travel Outlook: AI, Affordability & What Today’s Traveler Really Wants","slug":"the-2026-travel-outlook-ai-affordability-what-today-s-traveler-really-wants","published_at":"2026-02-26T08:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/str-data-lab-by-airdna-5726793/the-2026-travel-outlook-ai-affordability-what-today-s-traveler-really-wants","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/str-data-lab-by-airdna-5726793","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/airdna2/episodes/The-2026-Travel-Outlook-AI--Affordability--What-Todays-Traveler-Really-Wants-e3fgbs5","audio_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/1080bf4d8/podcast/play/115928389/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-1-23%2Fef199287-9782-7d32-8f9b-d78cd682a870.mp3","summary":"Travelers say they’re worried about the economy — but they’re still packing their bags. In this episode of The STR Data Lab, AirDNA Chief Economist Jamie Lane sits down with Seth Borko, Head of Research at Skift, to unpack the 2026 travel outlook and what it really means for short-term rental hosts and property managers. The headline? Travel remains the world’s top discretionary spending priority — even in an uncertain economy. While consumers are price-conscious and navigating a “K-shaped” recovery, they’re not cutting trips. Instead, they’re choosing cheaper flights, exploring more affordable destinations, and prioritizing accommodations and experiences over everything else. For STR operators, that’s a powerful signal: the right property in the right market, positioned around the right experience, is still incredibly compelling. The conversation also dives into the rapid rise of AI in trip planning. Nearly half of U.S. travelers are already using AI tools for discovery and inspiration. While booking behavior hasn’t fully shifted (yet), personalization is accelerating — and that could reshape loyalty, distribution, and direct booking strategies in the years ahead. You don’t want to miss this episode. Practical Takeaways for STR Hosts & Managers Travel is still the #1 discretionary spend. Even in uncertain times, consumers want to travel — they’re just adjusting how they do it. Guests are saving on flights — not stays. Survey data shows travelers are cutting airfare costs first while prioritizing accommodations and experiences. Your property still matters. Experiences drive the trip. Today’s traveler starts with “What do I want to experience?” and back-solves into destination and accommodation. Design and market your STR as part of that experience — not just a plac…","meta_description":"Travelers say they’re worried about the economy — but they’re still packing their bags. In this episode of The STR Data Lab, AirDNA Chief Economist Jamie…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2822,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/str-data-lab-by-airdna-5726793/episodes/the-2026-travel-outlook-ai-affordability-what-today-s-traveler-really-wants/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/str-data-lab-by-airdna-5726793/the-2026-travel-outlook-ai-affordability-what-today-s-traveler-really-wants.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}