STR host conferences and meetups worth attending in 2024-2025

Category: Off-Topic & Lounge

By: Chris Nakamura

Posted: 2026-01-08T00:47:55.810Z

I learn so much from connecting with other hosts in person. What conferences, events, or local meetups have you found valuable? Planning my 2025 conference schedule. Particularly interested in events that are practical (not just sales pitches for expensive courses).

Reply by Kevin O'Brien:

Here are the conferences I've attended and my honest reviews: **Large Conferences:** 🏢 **VRMA International** — The industry's biggest event. Great for networking with property managers, PMS vendors, and tech companies. Very professional but skews toward larger operations (10+ units). Expensive ($700-1,500 ticket). 🏢 **DARM Conference (Data and Revenue Management)** — THE conference for revenue optimization nerds. Deep dives into pricing strategy, market analysis, and data-driven decision making. Highly practical, no fluff. Smaller and more intimate than VRMA. 🏢 **Airbnb Open** — Airbnb's official host conference. When it happens, it's excellent for learning platform updates, networking with Airbnb staff, and meeting hosts globally. **Local/Regional:** 🏘️ **STR Wealth Conference** — Focused on the investment side. Good speakers, practical content about scaling and acquisitions. 🏘️ **Local host meetups** — These are often the MOST valuable. Search Facebook for "[your city] Airbnb host meetup" or check Meetup.com. **What I look for in a good event:** ✅ Speaker lineup includes actual operators (not just gurus selling courses) ✅ Networking time built into the schedule ✅ Sessions on operations and systems (not just motivation) ✅ Vendor expo (discover new tools — this is how I found PriceLabs and Minut) ❌ Avoid events where the main pitch is a $5,000+ coaching program. Those are infomercials, not conferences. **Pro tip:** The hallway conversations and dinners are more valuable than the talks. Budget for 2-3 extra networking dinners beyond the conference schedule.

Reply by Omar Hassan:

I'll plug local Facebook group meetups as the best ROI networking. Zero cost, highly practical, and you meet hosts in YOUR market who share local tips, vendor recommendations, and regulatory updates. Our local Austin STR host meetup happens monthly at a brewery. 20-30 hosts show up. Last month I learned about a new cleaning team, got a recommendation for an STR-friendly CPA, and heard about a regulatory change 2 months before the general public. Can't put a price on that intel. If your area doesn't have a meetup, START ONE. Post in local Airbnb host Facebook groups: "I'm organizing a casual meetup at [bar/coffee shop] on [date]. Anyone interested?" You'll be surprised how many hosts want community but no one has organized it yet.