Spring is officially here and with it, a renewed energy and purpose from all of our teams to continue to improve on our services to owners and guests. We have a host of initiatives in the works to do just that, from the new Track Owner Portal mobile app for easier access to key reports, to doubling down on our paid advertising campaigns and partnership with travel agents.
On the numbers front, as we wrap up March, we’re pleased to report that our booking pace is recovering after a brief Spring Break lull. We’re on track to surpass this month’s booking goals—extending our streak to 5 consecutive months! Q1 performance remained strong, with a 12% increase year-over-year in Average Daily Rate (ADR) and a 20% rise in adjusted Revenue per Available Night (RevPAN). Early indicators for Q2 show even stronger markers: with ADR up 17% and RevPan up 31% over the same period last year.
The luxury vacation rental market is poised for significant growth, with projections estimating it will reach $82 billion by 2031. This surge is driven by affluent travelers seeking exclusive, private accommodations that offer unique and personalized experiences. We’re focused on capitalizing on this trend, securing high-end bookings through specialized platforms, and enhancing your properties with bespoke services.
As always, we deeply appreciate your trust in Gather. Keep reading to discover how our teams are working passionately to elevate your property's performance.
Andreea
CEO, Gather Vacations
The Gathering: What's New!
Tax Season
Tax season is here, and Gather has been proactive in helping ensure a smooth filing season. The 1099-MISC & 1042-S tax forms have been timely filed with the IRS as of January 30, 2025. Additionally, your 2024 1099 Summary and Annual Statements are now available in the Owner Portal for your reference. Please note: the 1099 Summary will be located in the Document Center and the Annual Statement will be located under Statements.
For our Hawaii-based owners, the Annual Hawaii Tax Reconciliation TA-2 & G-49 filing reports can also be found in the Owner Portal Document Center, alongside your TA-1 & GE-45 monthly/quarterly filing reports. If you require assistance accessing your portal, please align with your Property Manager.
Track Owner Portal App- Coming Soon!
We’re excited to announce that our Property Management Software, Track, is launching a brand-new Owner Portal mobile app in mid-2025! Owners will enjoy instant access to detailed financial reports and several key features designed for ease and efficiency, including:
Informative metric tooltips for better understanding of your data
Combined availability and reservation display for streamlined planning
Visual check-in/out indicators for a quick overview of your property's status
An interactive reservation calendar for real-time updates
Catch a sneak peak below, and stay tuned for additional updates. We look forward to empowering our owners with this new tool.
Exclusive Savings for Gather Homeowners with HostGPO
As a Gather homeowner, you can save up to 75% on top products through our partnership with HostGPO, a members-only Group Purchasing Organization. HostGPO leverages the buying power of over 300,000 properties to secure the best prices on brands like Helix, Schlage, and Crate & Barrel. Discounts apply to furniture, home decor, smart home tech, and more for your vacation rental and personal use.
Your HostGPO membership also includes access to a user-friendly portal for easy savings, which you can access by clicking the button below.
If you're not enrolled yet, contact your Property Manager to activate your complimentary account today!
As we shared last month, we are delighted to now be live with distribution through American Express Travel, Google Vacation Rentals and soon Capital One Travel’s Premier Collection. This is the result of our consistent effort to maximize visibility for your properties by forging partnerships with both long-standing and emerging players in the space. Since our recent launch, we've accumulated $30,000 in bookings across Amex and Google VR.
Diversifying our sources of bookings remains a priority. At Gather, we’re fortunate to have a well-balanced mix of bookings, with Airbnb and VRBO combined representing 40% and direct bookings through our websites and sales outreach making up around 45%. Our relationship and visibility with specialist Travel Agents have been a source of focus for our Reservations specialists in the last 18 months, and we are pleased with the progress made: this past quarter saw us exceed our Travel Agent bookings goal by over 53%, beating our Q1 2024 result by 63%.
Targeted Promotions
In response to softer demand for Oahu’s 30-day rentals, a trend echoed by our Airbnb representation, we’re launching a targeted campaign to boost bookings in this segment. We are also preparing a Pay 6 Stay 7 promotion which will launch in April and aim to boost properties which are pacing behind last year’s results.
Advertising Growth
Our paid advertising strategies, across both paid social and paid search, are continuing to perform, with our campaigns overall yielding over 300% over the last 30 days. Given these strong results, we are increasing the advertising spend to maximize the visibility of targeted promotions, re-targeting campaigns for past guests, and our geographical keyword-based paid ads.
Market & Revenue
The year continues with strong booking momentum across our portfolio. February booking revenue ended up 32% ahead of last year and 26% ahead of budget.
Hawai'i
Our short-term rental performance in February reflects a positive trajectory in our stay statistics: average daily rates (ADR) rose by 3.1%, and adjusted paid occupancy improved by 1.2% compared to 2024. These gains contributed to a notable 4.3% increase in RevPAR. In addition, mid-term rental revenue saw an 8.7% year-over-year lift for February, further supporting our positive start to the year.
Mainland
On the Mainland, market dynamics are mixed. In San Diego, adjusted paid occupancy rose by 3.8%, though ADR was 6.9% lower than last year, resulting in a modest 3.3% decline in RevPAR. Meanwhile, our Washington portfolio delivered standout results, with ADR increasing by an impressive 38.7% and adjusted occupancy jumping 53.9%, driving RevPAR up by over 100% year-over-year.
Market Outlook
While we’re currently seeing some softening in demand due to broader economic uncertainty, we believe this is a temporary pause as the market adjusts to evolving conditions. Encouragingly, we’ve already secured solid occupancy for the remainder of 2025, which puts us in a stronger position should the trend persist.
The broader market continues to trail slightly behind 2024’s performance, but we remain proactive and strategic in our pricing approach at Gather. We also recognize that performance varies by property. Please rest assured that we’re collaborating closely with property managers, our sales, and our marketing teams every week to identify opportunities and drive results across the portfolio.
Travel & STR Industry Digest
The Surge in Luxury and "High-Touch" Vacation Rentals
Despite the recent dip in demand, longer-term trends show that upscale travel continues to ride high! Thanksgiving 2024 saw a record-breaking number of daily TSA screenings. Upscale cruise lines are experiencing unprecedented advance bookings, and Marriott has announced plans to add 260 new luxury properties—nearly a 50% increase to its current portfolio. With luxury travel on the rise, Gather is ready to deliver unforgettable vacation experiences for our guests.
As more travelers seek luxury, new trends are emerging. Guests are increasingly looking for deeper connections with their destinations, sparking a demand for authentic cultural and culinary experiences. "Slow travel" is also gaining popularity, with more guests opting for immersive group vacations that prioritize quality over speed.
We’re so excited to partner with wonderful local vendors like Chef Jason Paul, who brings the freshest ingredients directly from Hawaii’s farms, and the amazing team at Maui’s Aloha Life Massage, who will share the healing touch of Lomi Lomi massage with our guests in the comfort of their own space. Through these partnerships, we not only offer unique, personalized touches but also support and enrich the vibrant communities surrounding our homes.
Whether it’s curating a gourmet seasonal meal for a family of ten or arranging in-home therapeutic massages, Gather’s Concierge team collaborates with our guests every step of the way, offering tailored assistance and white-glove service for bookings.
The Gather Resource Center is a comprehensive collection of articles designed to provide valuable information and help homeowners quickly find answers to common questions.
The Track Owner Portal allows homeowners to view reservations, access monthly statements, generate reports, and retrieve important documents like tax forms, ACH forms, and invoices.
We'd love to hear from you...
As a valued owner and key stakeholder at Gather, your feedback is essential in shaping our services and ensuring our shared success. We’d love to hear your thoughts on what we're doing well, and where we can improve. Please take a moment to share your insights, and help us grow!
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