Vrbo demand shows “second summer” is replacing 2021 shoulder season

Vrbo demand shows “second summer” is replacing 2021 shoulder season

AUSTIN, Texas – July 8, 2021 – This year’s record-breaking summer of travel continues as the latest Vrbo® data signals a second wave of travel will replace the traditional shoulder season.

The buffer months between the peak and off-season are when travel typically tapers off after a busy summer period. Shoulder season is when rental prices drop and availability surges. This year, heightened demand for Vrbo vacation homes is continuing into the fall months with an over 30% increase in demand compared to 2019 [1].

Hawaii and Southeast beach destinations including Maui and Kauai, Hawaii; Outer Banks, N.C. and Hilton Head S.C. are popular and already experiencing lower availability levels for Vrbo homes compared to the same period in previous years.

“At this time of the year, we are normally approaching the off-season when families have a wider selection of Vrbo vacation homes to choose from and can take advantage of warm weather, fewer crowds and lower prices in top beach destinations,” said Melanie Fish, Vrbo’s travel expert. “This year, families have taken longer vacations to make up for lost time and because their work or school schedules have been more flexible. Having experienced the booking spree for vacation homes this summer, travelers may also be taking their beach or lake vacation later because they just couldn’t get the house or condo they wanted in July or August.”

Families should check for travel advisories and restrictions in their vacation destination and always follow health and safety guidance from health officials and local authorities. Visit this help article for more information.


[1]: Based on Vrbo vacation rental demand for Sept. 1 – Oct. 31, 2019 and Sept. 5 – Oct. 31, 2021 as of Jan. 1 – June 30, 2019 and Jan. 1 – June 30, 2021, respectively.

About Vrbo

In 1995, Vrbo introduced a new way for people to travel together, pairing homeowners with families and friends looking for places to stay. We were grounded in one purpose: To give people the space they need to drop the distractions of everyday life and simply be together.

Since then, we’ve grown into a global community of homeowners and travelers, with unique properties around the world. Vrbo makes it easy and fun to book cabins, condos, beach houses and every kind of space in between.

Vrbo is part of Expedia Group and offers homeowners and property managers exposure to over 750 million visits to Expedia Group sites each month. To learn more, visit www.vrbo.com.

© 2021 Vrbo, an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Vrbo, HomeAway, the Vrbo logo, and the HomeAway logo are trademarks of HomeAway.