Vacation rentals have been around “forever,” but Skift's recent feature The Definitive Oral History of Short-Term Rentals tells the story of short-term rentals as they transitioned from classified ads in newspapers and Craigslist to rudimentary websites and the momentous Airbnb IPO of December 10, 2020 — and a full-blown industry that disrupted hotels and traditional hospitality models. 

This is a primer in the evolution of an industry, as told through the reminisces, anecdotes and insights of key people who made it all happen and, in some cases, are still doing it today. This history of short-term rentals is a tale of both risk-taking and cold feet.

For today's podcast episode, Skift's Dennis Schaal is joined by RVshare's Jon Gray, UndertheDoormat Group's Merilee Kar, and HomeAway's Carl Shepherd to discuss their experiences.

Read "The Definitive Oral History of Short-Term Rentals" here.