Holidu Host Survey Reveals Key Trends for the 2025/2026 Autumn and Winter Seasons

Munich, November 2025 – Holidu has published new survey findings highlighting host sentiment and booking behavior for the autumn and winter season. The results, drawn from more than 3,000 hosts across Germany, Spain, Italy, and France, offer a detailed look at regional satisfaction, guest interactions, and adaptation to evolving market dynamics. The survey also explores the impact of recent regulatory changes in Spain.

Positive Sentiment Among Hosts

The 2025 summer season brought high levels of satisfaction among hosts. Germany (84 %) and France (80 %) reported the highest approval rates, while Spain followed closely at 78 %. In Italy, 60 % of hosts were satisfied, a figure that may reflect regional challenges such as new regulations or tax-related pressures.

Most hosts reported modest booking increases of up to 10 % compared to last year. The share of hosts seeing such growth was highest in Italy (39 %), Spain (36 %), and France (33 %). In Germany, 27 % reported similar growth, while 46 % were unsure or unable to assess their numbers.

However, a significant share experienced stronger results: bookings increased by more than 10 % for 35 % of hosts in France, 25 % in Italy, 32 % in Spain, and 27 % in Germany. Uncertainty remains notable, with 46 % of German and 37 % of Italian hosts saying they were unsure about their exact growth, compared with 32 % in France and 26 % in Spain.

Flexible Stays and Shifting Booking Behavior

Shorter stays were the most commonly reported trend across all markets, led by Germany at 58 %. France (52 %), Spain (48 %), and Italy (44 %) followed. Last‑minute bookings were most frequent in France (36 %) and Germany (32 %), but were less common in Spain (22 %) and Italy (17 %). Italy also stood out for having the highest cancellation rate at 26 %, along with a notable increase in international guests at 28 %.

Adaptation to Guest Preferences

Hosts are responding to changing guest behavior with increased flexibility. The most frequent adjustment was a reduction in minimum stay requirements, seen most in France (28 %) and Spain (26 %). French hosts were also the most likely to update listing descriptions or photos (23 %). Dynamic pricing was applied more widely in Germany (17 %) and Spain (15 %) than in Italy (10 %) or France (8 %). Compared to France and Spain, a larger share of hosts in Germany and Italy reported taking no specific measures in response to market trends.

Confident Outlook for the Off‑Season

Expectations for autumn and winter are largely positive. France leads in optimism, with 67 % of hosts expecting more bookings than last year. Spain (58 %) and Italy (55 %) also anticipate growth. In Germany, 36 % of hosts foresee an increase in bookings, while 45 % expect numbers to remain stable.

Guest Gestures at Checkout

Many hosts experienced thoughtful gestures from guests at the end of their stay. Small tokens of appreciation, such as thank‑you cards or flowers, were most frequently reported in Germany (59 %) and France (40 %). In Spain and Italy, around one‑third of hosts received similar gestures. Cash tips were less common overall, but were mentioned by 25 % of German hosts, compared to lower rates in Spain (9 %), Italy (8 %), and France (4 %).

Handling of Leftover Food and Guest Behavior

Approaches to food left behind by guests vary widely. Italian hosts are the most cautious, with 31 % stating they throw everything away and only 18 % saying they take any items home. In Germany and France, about 28 % to 32 % of hosts keep select items for personal use. France also stands out with 11 % of hosts leaving opened but clean products for future guests, a higher figure than in Germany (7 %), Spain (3 %), or Italy (2 %).

Host perceptions differ as well. In Spain and France, one‑third of hosts view leftover food as helpful or considerate. In contrast, only 15 % of German hosts and 16 % of Italian hosts feel the same. Germany also shows the highest share of hosts who find this behavior disturbing or unclean at 27 %, while only 10 % of Spanish hosts report feeling bothered.

Navigating New Regulations in Spain

In Spain, host awareness of the new Rental Registration Number (NRA) system is high. A total of 77 % feel well or very well informed, and 78 % have already received their registration number. However, hosts still face several challenges. These include the complexity of the application process (38 %), uncertainty about how regulations will be enforced (34 %), and technical difficulties during submission (23 %).

Despite these issues, only a small share of hosts plan significant changes. 4% say they will stop renting or switch to long‑term rental. Many see benefits in the regulation, such as reducing illegal listings (49 %), promoting fairness and transparency (31 %), and encouraging professionalism in the market (26 %). Nearly half of the respondents (48 %) said Holidu has been very helpful in keeping them updated on these changes.

Opportunities of AI in South Tyrol

In South Tyrol, hosts are already exploring the role of artificial intelligence in holiday rentals. The main opportunities include time savings (46 %), easier communication with guests (43 %), more bookings (29 %), and increased revenue (19 %). At the same time, concerns remain. The most frequently cited risk is a potential loss of personal touch (54 %), followed by worries about incorrect decisions made by AI (24 %), technical issues (21 %), and data privacy or fraud risks (20 % each).

Looking ahead, most hosts believe AI will play a growing role in the industry. Eighteen percent strongly agree, and 67 % partly agree with this outlook. Interest in support is also high. The most requested types of assistance include practical implementation tips (56 %), general information (41 %), news on developments in the sector (30 %), and educational formats such as case studies or webinars (24 %).

About the survey: Between September 9 and 23, 2025, Holidu surveyed a total of 3,199 holiday rental hosts in Germany, Spain, Italy, and France. The sample included 1,475 hosts in Germany, 598 in Spain, 501 in Italy, and 625 in France. Across all markets, more than 94 % of respondents were private owners. The breakdown: Germany 1,475 hosts (99 % private, 1 % managers/agencies), Spain 598 (94 % private, 6 % others), Italy 501 (96 % private, 4 % others), and France 625 (96 % private, 4 % others). In addition, a separate question set on the use of artificial intelligence in holiday rentals was conducted with 98 hosts in South Tyrol. Of these, 98 % were private owners, 1 % were property managers, and 1 % represented agencies. For some questions, multiple responses were possible.