Bad guests are a major pain point for the short-term rental industry. And AI can do something about it. Times are changing and we’re exploring the tidal waves taking the industry by storm in this episode of Minute by Minut. Host Nils Mattisson sits down with Leo Walton, Co-Founder of Truvi and Vice Chair at STAA, to explore how proactive risk management and guest screening can protect your property while scaling responsibly.

This episode is a masterclass in actionable strategies to future-proof your business and help shape a more sustainable short-term rental industry.

[11:32] Local First: Why Supply Strategy Cannot Be Standardized Like a Hotel Franchise
Supply in the short-term rental industry remains a very, very, very local game and is fundamentally different from the hotel franchise model, which maintains a "level of similarity" across locations. Property managers must "think local first" , asking what they can do to pull in "the best of my neighborhood" —be it through styling, guest focus, or local recommendations. The mistake is treating the portfolio like a standardized product when the competitive edge comes from customizing amenities (e.g., a hot tub for a forest retreat versus no hot tub for a spring break market). Operators who successfully think local first often develop a very healthy direct booking website , attracting repeat guests and tradespeople to fill shoulder seasons. Short-term rentals, more than hotels, have the ability with something really special to get people together and pull them into the town they weren't necessarily looking at.

[26:20] The Light-Touch Registration: Redefining Professionalism Beyond Portfolio Size
Being professional is not having... it doesn't matter how many listings you have. You can have one listing and be very, very professional. Every host should aspire to be a professional host, whether they rent for two weeks a year or manage 100 units as a full-time job. To elevate industry standards, governments should implement a light-touch registration scheme to understand the volume of short-term rentals and provide more protection against subpar products. This system should incorporate minimum safety standards (like carbon monoxide and smoke detectors) and work hand-in-hand with policymakers and OTAs to improve properties where gaps exist. The focus should be on dialogue and creating a minimum standard , not a "huge checklist of things that make it impossible to rent". A key part of professionalism is auditing, checking, and being professional —which includes ensuring the property has sufficient supplies like sharp knives and plates.

[33:03] The Two Objections: Linking Profitability with Cast Iron Protection
When engaging hosts, there are two primary concerns that must be addressed simultaneously: "how much money they can make" and "what happens if something goes wrong". These concerns require a "twin approach". First, you must pick a management company that "has out of hours support and does checks". Second, you need to have "cast iron protection in place in case something happens". The true risk is not just catastrophic parties, but the "day to day scuffs and breaks and mistakes" caused by "holiday brain". The number one reason that a short term rental contract is ripped up is because a bad guest gets in and significant damage happens. Dealing with this proactively is crucial; otherwise, you risk losing the contract and experiencing growth-corroding damage. The industry must level up people's perceptions of what hosting entails and what a professional host can do.

[40:38] The OTA Trap: How Direct Bookings and Selective Guest Management Will Reshape Power Dynamics
As long as guests book through Airbnb or Booking.com, they remain those platforms' customers, not yours —which means the OTA prioritizes guest loyalty over host fairness and you have minimal leverage to enforce behavioral standards. The emphasis is "all on the host to provide a service, and the guest can kinda say what they want". The future belongs to property managers who build independent brands , create repeat guest funnels , and use AI-based marketing tools and a really good direct booking website to attract guests who align with their property's values and service standards. When you're managing your own guest relationships, you can have conversations before booking and be a bit more selective about your guests. Early movers in direct-booking infrastructure will be able to turn off underperforming OTAs entirely —a move that's currently inconceivable for most managers but increasingly viable as reliance is lessened. The operators investing now in brand-building will be the ones who regain control of their business.