
The Future of Vrbo: How Creator Marketing, One Key, and Expedia’s Demand Engine Will Redefine Vacation Rentals
For the final episode in this special Future of Travel series, I sat down with someone who has quietly shaped more of the vacation rental industry than almost anyone working in it today: Tim Rosolio, VP of Vacation Rental Partner Success at Expedia Group.
If you’ve ever wondered how Vrbo evolved from a subscription classifieds site to a global e-commerce engine—or what the next decade of supply, demand, and distribution will actually look like—this is the conversation insiders will be talking about.
Tim has spent the better part of a decade helping lead Vrbo through some of the most dramatic shifts the category has ever seen: the end of inquiry-based booking, the rise of instant book, the professionalization of hosts, the explosion of supply post-2020, and now, the dawn of a new era where quality, trust, and distribution matter more than raw inventory.
In this conversation, we get into:
- When vacation rentals truly went mainstream
- Why Vrbo is prioritizing quality over raw supply
- The rise of branded portfolios and social-led demand
- Expedia Group’s distribution advantage
- How One Key changes the funnel
- The real take on OTAs vs. direct
Apply to join the Journey Alliance
Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.
Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.
Welcome to the
Behind the Stays Podcast
The stories behind your favorite stays — and the hospitality entrepreneurs who’ve made them memorable.

Episode 339
This Week in Hospitality: Uber Becomes a Hotel Platform, TikTok Outperforms OTAs, and Hotels Still Don’t Own the Customer

Episode 338
He DJ'd for Jay-Z and Kanye — Now He's Rewiring Sound for Aman, Hyatt, and Jose Andrés

Episode 337
This Week In Hospitality: Hospitality’s Muddy Middle Is Breaking — With Bashar Wali

Episode 336
The Vrbo Where George Washington Stayed and the Operator Turning Savannah Into a Luxury Destination
Recent Episodes
View All Episodes
Episode 339ListenThis Week in Hospitality: Uber Becomes a Hotel Platform, TikTok Outperforms OTAs, and Hotels Still Don’t Own the Customer
Episode 338ListenHe DJ'd for Jay-Z and Kanye — Now He's Rewiring Sound for Aman, Hyatt, and Jose Andrés
Episode 337ListenThis Week In Hospitality: Hospitality’s Muddy Middle Is Breaking — With Bashar Wali
Episode 336ListenThe Vrbo Where George Washington Stayed and the Operator Turning Savannah Into a Luxury Destination