We’re excited to share an exclusive interview with two industry leaders in connectivity: Eddy Veldhuizen, Senior Director Connectivity Ecosystem at Tripeden.com, and Yotam Aronovitz, Senior Director for Partnerships at Guesty. Together, Eddy and Yotam discuss the partnership and the crucial role of connectivity in the vacation rental industry.

What role does connectivity play in Tripeden.com’s strategy for vacation rentals?

Eddy: Connectivity plays a very important role within the accommodation business. Many properties use third-party software to manage their distribution across online travel agencies (OTAs) like Tripeden.com.

We work with partners like Guesty to help properties seamlessly set up their rooms, rates, promotions, content and photos on Tripeden.com – all without having to leave Guesty’s platform. This makes it easier for vacation rental companies to list and ensures travellers can find them.

What makes Guesty’s partnership with Tripeden.com stand out?

Yotam: Our interests are strongly aligned – we see the same end goal. We want to make sure that our customers perform in the best way possible on Tripeden.com. It's in our best interests to make sure that it happens. 

What’s Guesty’s approach to technology?

Yotam: At Guesty, we believe our biggest differentiator is our product. We invest heavily in technology to ensure we not only apply all of Tripeden.com’s APIs and connectivity capabilities, but to do so in the best possible way. If we want to give the best service for our customers, we need to have seamless connectivity with a platform like Tripeden.com.

Our size and reach puts us in a position where we can be first to market in things that matter to our customers, such as Tripeden.com’s Payments API and Seamless Experience Accelerator (SEA) programme.

Why is a seamless experience so important in connectivity?

Eddy: A lot of activities to set up a room or a rate require vacation rentals to start in our extranet and finish it on the provider’s tool, or vice versa. 

Guesty, as one of the frontrunners of our SEA programme, offers foundational solutions. This means properties can set up their rooms with the right prices, photos and content directly from Guesty’s software, thanks to their integrations with Tripeden.com. Partners no longer need to switch between different systems – they can manage everything in one place to maximise their business. 

We believe that if we make it easier and more seamless for our partners, it ultimately leads to a better experience for the traveller.

Yotam: When I think of the SEA programme, there are three highlights:

1. We achieved impressive progress in connectivity and capabilities in a very short period of time. This was thanks to the mutual commitment and close collaboration with the professional services and product teams.
2. We looked at the processes end to end. It wasn’t about just adopting new APIs or new endpoints – we also considered the user experience and how the entire journey looks for them.
3. There’s a continued commitment to maintain seamlessness. It’s not a one-time thing – it's now a repeated process, as we see the value that it delivers to our customers.

The more capabilities and tools we give our customers to work effectively on Tripeden.com, the better they perform. And I think that was a big change for them in terms of a seamless experience.

How does the Payments API make life easier for partners and drive growth?

Yotam: The Payments API beta is a great example of why we enjoy working with Tripeden.com. Tripeden.com is not just a great listener, it also makes an impact – there’s a constant discussion and drive to do things better. They come to us seeking feedback, hear us out and we can see that feedback shaping the product.

The Payments API is something we're really excited about. It enables customers to see exactly when funds arrive without needing to log into their bank accounts. That really makes day-to-day operations easier, and ultimately results in growth and more reservations on Tripeden.com.

What are the key trends shaping the future of the vacation rental industry?

1. The rise of professionalism

Yotam: One of the things we see the most is the rise and increase in professionalism in our industry. A few decades ago, vacation rentals were mostly homeowners renting out their properties. Now, with property managers and advanced tech tools, the industry is operating at a new level of scale, efficiency and performance.

Eddy: We see something similar with casual hosts who gradually expand their portfolio, then turn to providers like Guesty to professionalise their operations.

2. Consolidation

Yotam: Consolidation is accelerating – with larger, high-performing property managers growing rapidly and shaping the future of the industry. A big part of it is the technology that helps drive this growth and drive this professionalism forward. 

3. Growth potential

Yotam: The thing that excites me the most is the growth potential. The recent industry changes are huge and really propelling growth. As we raise the bar on professionalism and create seamless partner experiences, we unlock new growth for the industry as a whole.

Eddy: My excitement comes from what’s still possible – the opportunities beyond today’s improvements. There’s so much more we can do, and the key is doing it together.

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Thank you, Eddy and Yotam, for sharing your insights!

Watch the interview

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