Updated on September 12, 2024
Networking is not about just connecting people. It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities.
– Michele Jennae
…
The industry’s fall conference season is underway. For vendors and service providers like us, that means a busy few months on the road. For hosts, however, only 6% of operators are planning to attend a national in-person conference this year, according to the 2024 State of the STR Industry Report (SSTRI).
We don’t know which way this is trending, but if social media conversations are any indication, hosts and managers are increasingly reconsidering the ROI of attendance.
It makes sense – national conferences are a big commitment of time and money, for both attendees and organizers. In recent years, attendees have expressed an appetite for more diverse speakers and relevant, actionable content, more local or regional events, more inclusive networking opportunities, and more intimate workshop-style sessions.
The theme running through all of these conversations is accessibility in every sense of the word. Not just access to education but access to destinations, budgets, and even the venues themselves. But most of all, access to other people.
The latter is why we love events most and are a living testament to their power: connection.
So much of our collective success can be attributed not to sessions or keynotes but to the people we’ve met and the relationships we’ve formed. Hosting can also be lonely, and getting together with others is simply good for the soul. To us, in-person events are invaluable.
Thankfully, the SSTRI Report showed reasons to be optimistic: In the next year, about twice as many hosts are planning on going to a local conference, and three times as many are opting for local small-group meetups. (Considering hosting one? Our Event-in-a-Box Toolkit can help!)
We’d love to see 100% of hosts attend at least one event every year because when we connect people with people, ideas, and opportunities, we all win.
Check out our event calendar to find an event big or small, near or far. Planning to attend one? Let us know!
Where we’ll be next:
- Austin, TX • Hivebrite’s HIVE Event • September 16 – 18
- Seattle, WA • Expedia Group Event • October 8 – 11
- Phoenix, AZ • VRMA International • October 14 – 16
>> Join us October 14 at the HostGPOpen Pickleball Tournament benefiting AZRT and the VRMA Advocacy Fund!
Alexa Nota,
COO and Co-Founder of Rent Responsibly
Join us in welcoming Michigan STRA to the RR Network! If you’re in Michigan and haven’t yet joined your local STR community, now’s the perfect time.
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