Data, AI, and the Future of STR Tech with AirDNA CEO Rohit Bezewada

The STR Data Lab podcast's three-year anniversary episode brings together two influential voices shaping the future of vacation rental technology in 2025.

Jamie Lane serves as the Chief Economist at AirDNA and hosts the STR Data Lab podcast, which has become a cornerstone resource for short-term rental data insights over its three-year run. Rohit Bezewada joined as CEO of AirDNA and Uplisting just over a year ago, arriving at what he describes as "a pivotal point in its growth trajectory." His mandate: scale the business and integrate the recently acquired Uplisting property management software into AirDNA's ecosystem.

Rohit Bezewada brings a unique blend of engineering expertise and business acumen to the short-term rental technology space. His career began at the intersection of hardware and software engineering before he became an early leader at Uber, where he launched the service in 25 markets. "At Uber, everything was measured as a percentage or on a specific scale, and I still ask those questions today," Bezewada explains, highlighting the data-driven approach he's brought to AirDNA. After his time at Uber, he transitioned to Wall Street at JP Morgan, handling M&A and taking software companies public. He later scaled and sold a trucking software company before joining AirDNA to lead its next growth phase.

Data-Driven Leadership and Lessons from Uber Applied to Short-Term Rentals

The transformation of short-term rental technology in 2025 owes much to the data-centric methodologies pioneered in other tech sectors. Bezewada's experience at Uber has profoundly shaped his approach to leading AirDNA and Uplisting. "Making decisions based on data rather than anecdotes is something I've carried throughout my career," he emphasizes. This philosophy has become increasingly critical as the short-term rental industry matures and operators demand more sophisticated analytics.

At Uber, operations managers had access to data dashboards that would rival many modern platforms. Every conversation was metrics-based, every decision backed by quantitative analysis. This rigorous approach to data has become the foundation of AirDNA's evolution in 2025, where the company processes information from over 10 million listings across 120,000 markets globally. The shift from gut-feel decisions to data-driven strategies represents a fundamental change in how property managers, investors, and hosts approach the vacation rental business.

Building High-Performance Teams for Tech Innovation

Creating breakthrough technology exceptional talent. Bezewada's approach to team building draws heavily from his Uber experience, where he often felt like "the dumbest guy in the room," surrounded by brilliant minds pushing boundaries. "If you hire a few A-players who bring energy and focus to solving problems, you can achieve incredible things," Verma notes.

This philosophy has shaped AirDNA's hiring strategy in 2025. The company has assembled a team of PhD data scientists and industry experts who tackle complex problems in short-term rental data analytics. The culture emphasizes curiosity, drive, and what Bezewada calls a "get things done through walls" mentality. This approach has proven essential as AirDNA tackles increasingly sophisticated challenges in data accuracy, market analysis, and predictive modeling for the vacation rental industry.

The Evolving Role of Data for Hosts, Property Managers, and Investors

The democratization of data has transformed how individual hosts approach short-term rental investments in 2025. Bezewada's personal experience buying a property in the Hamptons illustrates this evolution perfectly. "It's helped me understand the true risks—operational costs, cash flow, carrying costs—and have informed conversations with my wife about the risks and potential returns," he shares.

AirDNA's latest tools allow hosts to customize comparable properties, analyze seasonal trends, and model different scenarios with unprecedented precision. Earlier in 2025, the company launched features enabling users to select specific comps based on amenities, location, and performance metrics. This granular approach to data analysis helps individual investors make decisions with the same sophistication previously reserved for institutional players. The platform now factors in regulatory requirements, such as minimum stay rules in markets like the Hamptons, and provides insights into mid- to long-term rental strategies alongside traditional short-term approaches.

Enhancing Property Manager Performance with Market Data

Despite the wealth of available data, many property managers in 2025 still rely heavily on anecdotal evidence when making critical business decisions. Bezewada observes a significant gap in how larger operators leverage market intelligence: "When people buy cars, they use Kelley Blue Book; they don't do the same when discussing short-term rentals."

This disconnect creates opportunities for data-savvy property managers to gain competitive advantages. AirDNA's platform enables managers to benchmark performance at the market and submarket levels, analyze churn patterns, and have data-backed conversations with property owners. The most successful property management companies in 2025 use these tools to set realistic revenue expectations, explain performance variations, and identify opportunities for portfolio optimization. By transitioning from intuition-based to data-driven operations, property managers can improve owner retention, optimize pricing strategies, and identify expansion opportunities in emerging markets.

AirDNA and Uplisting: Product Innovations and Integration in 2025

The period from 2024 to 2025 has seen significant advancements in AirDNA's technology stack. "We've invested heavily in these areas—improving data accuracy, enriching the data set, and strengthening our processes," Bezewada explains. These improvements address specific pain points identified in seasonal markets, mid- to long-term stays, and submarket-level analysis.

The company's data science team has refined algorithms to better capture nuances in different market types. For seasonal destinations, the platform now provides more accurate predictions by analyzing historical booking patterns, local events, and weather data. The improvements extend to individual property-level accuracy, where machine learning models consider unique property characteristics, guest reviews, and competitive positioning. These behind-the-scenes enhancements have strengthened AirDNA's position as the industry's gold standard for short-term rental data, with 90% of hedge funds holding positions in OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) relying on their insights.

Integration of Uplisting and the Host Bundle Strategy

AirDNA's acquisition of Uplisting represents a strategic expansion from data analytics into operational tools. With over 10 million users visiting AirDNA's portal in 2025, the company recognized an opportunity to support customers throughout their entire journey. "We're democratizing short-term rental investing and making it accessible to the masses," Bezewada states.

The host bundle launched in 2025 combines AirDNA's research capabilities with Uplisting's property management features, including three free listings. This integrated approach addresses a common pattern: hosts use AirDNA for initial research, then return three to six months later after preparing their properties. The bundle creates continuity throughout this process, from market analysis and property selection to operational management and performance tracking. By owning the customer relationship across the entire lifecycle, AirDNA can provide more comprehensive support and generate valuable insights about host behavior and market trends.

Reaching the "Long Tail": Strategy for Individual Hosts

The short-term rental industry's "long tail"—millions of individual hosts managing just a few properties—represents both a massive opportunity and a significant challenge. Traditional property management software companies struggle with customer acquisition costs in this segment, as most individual hosts can't name even five PMS providers. AirDNA's advantage lies in its existing relationship with these users. "We want to be the co-pilot for these users, providing a stable, easy-to-use solution built by the same team that set their expectations," Bezewada explains.

Uplisting's strategy focuses on simplicity over feature complexity. While enterprise PMS solutions offer dozens of features that can overwhelm individual hosts, Uplisting provides essential functionality: multi-channel distribution, unified messaging, and AI-powered operational guidance. This approach recognizes that for someone managing one to three properties, ease of use trumps advanced features. The platform leverages AirDNA's data to provide context-aware recommendations, helping hosts optimize pricing, improve listings, and compete effectively without requiring deep technical expertise.

Education and Support for New Entrants in 2025

First-time hosts in 2025 face a steep learning curve, from understanding local regulations to optimizing listings across multiple platforms. AirDNA and Uplisting address this challenge by providing educational resources integrated directly into their tools. "The power of our data is that we can track the evolution of a property—before purchase, after improvements, and over time," Bezewada notes.

This longitudinal view enables personalized guidance based on actual performance data. For instance, if a host's property underperforms relative to similar listings, the platform can identify specific factors—whether it's pricing, photos, or amenity gaps—and provide actionable recommendations. The integration of historical data with operational tools creates a feedback loop that helps hosts learn from both their own experiences and the collective wisdom of millions of other properties. This approach transforms data from a static resource into a dynamic coaching system that evolves with each host's journey.

The Impact of AI on Short-Term Rental Technology

Artificial intelligence is poised to revolutionize how hosts and investors approach property analysis in 2025 and beyond. Bezewada envisions AI agents that guide users through complex underwriting processes with the simplicity of consumer software. "If we can make underwriting short-term rentals just as intuitive as TurboTax, that would be a huge win," he explains.

These AI-powered tools will understand natural language queries, process market data, and provide personalized recommendations based on individual investment criteria. Rather than requiring users to navigate complex dashboards and interpret raw data, AI agents will engage in conversational interactions, asking relevant questions and presenting insights in digestible formats. This democratization of sophisticated analysis tools will enable more people to make informed investment decisions, potentially expanding the short-term rental market by lowering barriers to entry.

AI Co-Host and Automation for Hosts

The operational burden of managing short-term rentals often overwhelms individual hosts, leading to burnout or suboptimal performance. Bezewada sees AI as the solution: "An AI co-host agent that acts as a virtual assistant, leveraging data to make decisions, could be transformative." This vision extends beyond simple automation to intelligent decision-making that adapts to each property's unique circumstances.

In practice, this means AI systems that monitor market conditions, adjust pricing dynamically, identify maintenance issues before they become problems, and even craft personalized guest communications. The AI co-host won't just execute predetermined rules but will learn from outcomes and refine its approach over time. For hosts managing properties part-time or from a distance, these AI assistants will provide peace of mind and professional-level management without the associated costs.

AI-Native Solutions for Revenue Management and Listing Optimization

Looking toward 2026 and beyond, AirDNA plans to develop AI-native solutions specifically designed for revenue optimization in smaller markets. "With our data and software capabilities, we can build AI-native solutions that make these processes seamless for individual hosts," Bezewada states. These tools will go beyond traditional rule-based pricing algorithms to incorporate complex market dynamics, seasonal patterns, and competitive intelligence.

The AI systems will analyze millions of data points to identify optimal pricing strategies, suggest listing improvements, and predict demand fluctuations. Unlike current solutions that require manual configuration and constant adjustment, these AI-native tools will operate autonomously while remaining transparent and explainable. This approach will be particularly valuable in markets where professional revenue management services are unavailable or cost-prohibitive, leveling the playing field for individual hosts competing against professionally managed properties.

Industry Consolidation and the Future Competitive Landscape

The short-term rental technology landscape in 2025 mirrors the evolution seen in hotel software over previous decades. "I expect significant consolidation, driven by unit economics," Bezewada predicts, drawing on his M&A experience. The current ecosystem, with hundreds of companies offering point solutions, isn't sustainable given customer acquisition costs and pricing pressures.

Software in the short-term rental space typically sells for $10 to $30 per listing—a price point that makes profitability challenging when customer acquisition costs are factored in. This economic reality will drive consolidation along three primary paths: geographic expansion through acquiring regional players, vertical integration by combining complementary solutions, and horizontal consolidation within specific categories like pricing or channel management. "Investors and operators should look for companies with top-of-funnel advantages, data moats, and differentiated customer access," Bezewada advises.

The winners in this consolidation wave will be platforms that control customer relationships, possess unique data assets, or offer genuinely differentiated solutions. Companies relying solely on marginal feature improvements or price competition will struggle to survive independently. By 2026 and beyond, expect to see the emergence of several dominant platforms that combine multiple point solutions into comprehensive operating systems for short-term rental businesses.

OTA vs PMS: Who Will Own the Host Relationship?

The battle for host mindshare between OTAs and property management systems will intensify through 2025 and beyond. Bezewada's perspective is clear: "If an OTA cuts you off, customers will go directly to the OTA. The power lies with the OTAs." This dynamic reflects the fundamental difference between demand generation and operational efficiency.

OTAs like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com excel at demand capture and guest experience—competencies that PMS providers struggle to replicate. While PMS companies can facilitate direct bookings, they lack the marketing budgets, SEO expertise, and brand recognition to compete with OTAs for guest attention. Bezewada notes that for individual hosts, "Airbnb is our biggest competitor for a downmarket PMS" because it provides an excellent single-channel management experience.

The future likely holds a symbiotic relationship where PMS providers focus on operational excellence across multiple channels while OTAs continue to dominate demand generation. "Anyone trying to win individual hosts must match that experience across platforms, maximizing revenue and providing a clean, user-friendly solution," Bezewada explains. Success for PMS providers will come from seamlessly integrating with OTAs rather than trying to replace them, creating value through multi-channel optimization, operational automation, and data-driven insights that OTAs alone cannot provide.

As the short-term rental technology landscape continues evolving in 2025, the convergence of data analytics, AI automation, and platform consolidation promises to reshape how millions of hosts and property managers operate their businesses. The companies that successfully navigate these changes by providing comprehensive solutions that span from initial investment analysis through daily operations will define the industry's future trajectory.