The Long Game — What 54 Years in STR Teaches You About Airbnb's Big Moves
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The Long Game — What 54 Years in STR Teaches You About Airbnb's Big Moves
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Airbnb just announced hotels, car rentals, grocery delivery, airport pickups and a clear signal that flights are coming. But what does all of that look like through the eyes of someone who's been running a family STR business since that's been operating since 1972?
Tom Goodwin, CEO of Mountain Laurel Chalets in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, joins Leo and Sarah to react to Airbnb's 2026 summer release — and to offer a perspective most operators can't. MLC is in its 54th year, runs 75-80% direct bookings, and only joined Airbnb two and a half years ago.
Tom talks about why repeat guests are the real business model, why Airbnb's expansion into ancillary services should worry operators who've built their revenue around add-ons, and why the operators who came in hot in 2021 are now calling him every week with a problem. He also makes a case that the pendulum is swinging back — that travellers are tired of the plastic fantastic and craving something real.
A grounded, honest conversation about what the long game actually looks like in short-term rentals.