To our valued partners,

As we move through the heart of summer, I want to thank all of you who took the time to complete our recent Owner Satisfaction Survey. These results are being thoughtfully cascaded to our internal teams, and I’ve also taken the time to personally read through each and every response. Your feedback is not only appreciated; it’s actively shaping the investments we’re making, and initiatives we take to serve you better. 

This past week served as a humbling reminder of nature’s unpredictability, as the high-magnitude earthquake in Russia prompted tsunami warnings and advisories across Hawai‘i and parts of the Pacific Coast. We’re incredibly thankful that these events resulted in minimal impact. Our team acted swiftly to inform both our in-home guests and owners, while continuing to support those affected by travel delays. Situations like these underscore the importance of agility, clear communication, and the heart of hospitality: the people we serve.

Across the industry, there’s a growing trend of restrictive OTA policies, changes that, in our view, increasingly favor guests at the expense of hosts, owners and property managers. This makes it even more important for us to continue investing in our brand and direct booking sources, because that’s how we set the terms, control the guest experience, and ultimately protect your revenue. In July, 54% of Gather’s booking were done through channels where we are the merchant of record, and thus dictate booking terms such as payment schedules and cancellation policies. Our goal is to keep increasing that number in all of our markets, and to slowly but surely diminish our reliance on OTAs. 

In this edition of our newsletter, we’ll highlight several initiatives and partnerships that reflect our investment in guest experience, owner support, and portfolio performance. From refreshed marketing strategies to expanded services for high-value travelers, we continue to make progress with clarity and care.

Thank you, as always, for your partnership.

Until next time,

Marketing & Distribution 

Instagram Relaunch: Sneak Peek

Social media channels continue to be a top source of inspiration for today’s traveler, which is why we are gearing up to relaunch our Instagram feed.  We're thrilled to give you a first look! This refreshed lifestyle-driven content is designed to build brand visibility and drive more interest in your properties. In anticipation of the official launch, here’s a sneak peek at one of the teaser reels that will lead up to our new “About Gather” video next week.

August/September Promo Performance

Launched at the end of June, our August/September promotion is already proving to be our most successful campaign to date, generating over $299,000 in direct bookings in just over a month. Strategic email marketing, social content, and Google ads all contributed to the strong performance, bringing in valuable bookings during what are typically slower months.

We’ll continue leveraging what’s working to keep the momentum going and deliver even more value in the weeks ahead.

Legislation & Compliance Corner

90 vs 30 Day Minimum Stay Enforcement on Oahu

Many of our Oʻahu homeowners have reached out regarding the County’s intent to begin enforcing a 90-day minimum rental period starting in September. We want to share a few key takeaways from the Department of Planning and Permitting’s (DPP) information briefing held on January 16, which support our position:

Until administrative rules for Ordinance 22-7 are formally issued, and a process for obtaining nonconforming use certificates is established, we will continue to operate under the status quo, with a 30-day minimum rental period.

Under the federal court's ruling, the City can only enforce ordinance 22-7 prospectively.  

• STRs established prior to Ord. 22-7 must be treated as nonconforming uses and allowed to operate in the same manner as prior to Ord. 22-7. 
  
  
• To enforce at 90 days without violating the court's order, DPP would need to identify all STRs operating before Ord. 22-7 and what kinds of rentals they were doing. 
  
  
• DPP could then only cite them for rentals and advertisements that are shorter in term as compared to their pre Ordinance 22-7 operations. 
  
  
• This would take substantial resources and create more ZBA appeals.
  
  
• To enforce the 90 day rule would shift resources from enforcement to administrative tasks, rulemaking and appeals defense.

Here is a copy🔗 of the DPP’s presentation with their argument to keep the 30 day minimum beginning on page 6. 

We are working with OSTRA and Council Member Tupola to obtain an update statement from the DPP on this matter, and will keep all of our Oahu owners informed with any updates.

Transient Accommodation Tax Increase

Governor Green signed into law a 0.75% increase to the Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) recently. This change raises the statewide TAT from 10.25% to 11%, effective January 1, 2026. As a result, the total tax on transient stays of less than 180 days will rise to 18.712%.

Gather Vacations has proactively updated our property management system (Track) to ensure full compliance and transparency. The updated 11% TAT rate will be applied to all short-term reservations with stay dates on or after January 1, 2026. 

For reservations that span both 2025 and 2026, our Track software will accurately allocate the tax rate based on the actual room nights - applying the correct tax per date of stay.

As a result, your owner statements will include the following tax descriptions for added clarity:

• HI: TAT through 12/31/2025 (10.25%) for nights in 2025
• HI: TAT (Begins 1/1/2026) (11%) for nights in 2026

OSTRA is working with the platforms to understand the tax liability when they receive the funds in 2025 but do not remit to the host until 2026.

Gather is fully committed to ensuring a smooth transition and accurate reporting. If you have any questions regarding this change or how it may affect your statements, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Market & Revenue 

As part of our continued efforts to better understand guest behavior and booking patterns, Gather has been closely analyzing where our guests are traveling from. We shared some insights in our last Owner Newsletter, and wanted to take that a step further and highlight some emerging trends.One key insight is the noticeable decline in Canadian origin bookings in a few of our markets. Historically, Canada has been one of Gather’s largest guest origin markets, particularly for mid-term winter rentals. However, this year we’ve seen a meaningful shift, a trend that’s not isolated to Gather, but reflective of a broader market movement across the U.S. According to the State of Travel Skift Report🔗, sentiment for international travel to the US is down by 14% for 2025, while domestic travel remains steady (+1% YoY) .Furthermore, Canadian travelers are opting for Mexico over the U.S., with a 15% increase in flight bookings to Mexico year over year. This shift is being felt across several of our key markets:

• Big Island: Last year, Canadian travelers made up 3.7% of total guest origin, ranking among the top six sources of bookings. This year, Canada has dropped out of the top six entirely, reflecting a clear pullback in this demographic.
• Oahu: Canada remains the third highest guest origin, but its share has declined from 8.1% to 6.8%, showing a notable drop even within a still-relevant position.
• Washington: Perhaps most striking, Canada previously represented 8.2% of bookings and ranked among the top three guest origin markets. In 2025, it has completely fallen off the top six.

Understanding this trend is critical and in response, our marketing team has launched targeted campaigns aimed at our top guest origin markets, efforts that are already showing positive traction in driving revenue.

In parallel, the revenue team is taking a more granular approach by conducting deep dives into each individual property, rather than relying solely on broader, portfolio level strategies. This unit level focus allows us to fine tune pricing, optimize positioning, and ensure each listing is competitively aligned within its specific market. Drilling down to the property level has proven essential in capturing bookings and maximizing performance in this evolving travel landscape.

The Gathering: What’s New!

Epicurate Now Live Across All Gather Markets 

Crisis Communication in Action: Tsunami Response 

This week’s tsunami warning was a powerful reminder of how essential clear, timely communication is during emergencies. Thanks to strong planning and our new guest messaging platform, Akia, the Gather team was able to respond quickly, sharing critical information with all impacted guests, including evacuation maps, local authority contacts, and instructions to follow guidance from local and resort officials. When the warning was later downgraded, we followed up with updates on safety measures and what guests could expect next.

We’re incredibly grateful to our on-the-ground teams, who supported and reassured guests while managing their own evacuation plans. Their dedication and calm under pressure were invaluable. Most importantly, we’re relieved the tsunami’s impact was minimal. This experience reaffirmed the importance of our communication tools and emergency protocols, and we remain committed to keeping your guests safe and informed in any situation.

Bi-Annual Gather Owner Survey

A couple of weeks ago, we sent out our bi-annual Owner Satisfaction Survey. If you haven’t had a chance to participate yet, we’d love to hear from you!

Feedback about your experience partnering with our Core and in-field teams is incredibly valuable and helps us continue refining the service and support we provide.

Please take a brief moment to share your thoughts, if you haven’t already.

Helpful Owner Resources

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.