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This week in STR: Airbnb Q1 results, TikTok moves into travel bookings, shifting demand patterns, and Lodgify’s new AI tools reshape direct bookings.

This week, we step away from AI headlines to focus on the human side of hospitality. From Lake.com’s new subscription model to STR advocacy and community-led stories, the sector proves it’s still driven by people, not platforms.

As Middle Eastern conflict disrupts global travel with 23,000+ cancelled flights, Spain sees a surge in bookings from displaced travellers. But regulatory chaos threatens the country's ability to capture both leisure demand and Dubai's relocating corporate events. Why SCALE España matters more than ever for Spanish operators navigating unprecedented opportunity amid legislative uncertainty.

This week in STR: Airbnb appoints a new global operations chief, AI search emerges as a powerful discovery channel for direct bookings, and Q4 earnings reveal shifting momentum across major OTAs. Plus industry moves from Hospitable, Holidu and Key Data.

Italy's new law forces property owners to become registered businesses or hand over management—creating one of Europe's largest opportunities for professional operators. Plus: Barcelona doubles tourism taxes, Airbnb tests airport pickups, and Awaze invests £45M in AI search. This week's regulatory shifts and platform moves reshaping the STR landscape.

A data breakdown of global vacation rental listings across Airbnb and Booking.com, and what it means for property managers choosing where to list.