Property Owner 2 MINS READ

CuddlyNest is now a Preferred Partner of Avantio Channel Manager

CuddlyNest is now a Preferred Partner of Avantio Channel Manager

Property Owner 2 MINS READ

CuddlyNest Avantio Partnership Announced

Chicago, February 5 – online accommodation rental agency CuddlyNest (www.cuddlynest.com) is expanding its partnerships with vacation rental software solutions to include channel manager Avantio.

Recognizing the growing need of rental property owners to integrate with a variety of channel managers, CuddlyNest announces its newest connection to be Avantio, also a member of an international vacation rental professionals’ association VRMA.

About Avantio Channel Manager

Avantio is a global company with offices in Europe and the USA. It seeks to empower agencies managing large numbers of vacation rental properties. Besides channel manager software, the company also has an established presence in website creation. What’s more, Avantio offers other types of vacation rental software.

The success of Avantio lies in hand-picked global and local channel integrations and extremely well developed preferred partner connections, as it offers higher rankings and more prominent listing space. In addition, Avantio incorporates extra features, such as Harmony protocol automation. It also allows for the possibility to check-in online and the Guest area feature. Carefully structured automation tools allow agencies and individual rental property owners to grow. Hence, hosts can compete with other industry professionals with more success.

About CuddlyNest Avantio Partner

CuddlyNest is an innovative online travel accommodation marketplace offering any kind of accommodation for every type of traveler globally. The company’s innovative booking fee-sharing model with the lowest aggregate commissions in the market allows property managers to be in charge of their earnings while guests can book their accommodation for the lowest price possible. CuddlyNest is already integrated with Escapia, Rentals United, Ciirus, NextPax, Kigo and is looking forward to future integrations.

Contact: Ritesh Raj, COO & Co-Founder of CuddlyNest
Phone:+49 174 3726 462
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.cuddlynest.com

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Cuisine Crawl 2 MINS READ

Brunch en Barcelona #LQQCQ

Brunch en Barcelona #LQQCQ

Cuisine Crawl 2 MINS READ

¿Sabéis lo que es un Brunch? Primero de todo, nos gustaría explicaros el concepto. La palabra Brunch es una mezcla de Breakfast (desayuno) y Lunch (comida) y consiste en una comida que se da generalmente luego del desayuno y antes del almuerzo, aunque también entre el almuerzo y la merienda. Es decir, una comida entre comidas en la que casi todo está permitido.

Es por eso que este sábado mandamos a Jennifer Garcia (nuestra embajadora en Barcelona), a uno de los cafés más emblemáticos de la ciudad condal: Alsur Café. Este café con diferentes locales en la ciudad está poniendo de moda otro concepto: #LQQCQ, es decir, lo que quieras cuando quieras. Porqué, ¿quién no ha soñado con unos churronuts para comer?

¿Y que son los churronuts? Pues como su nombre indica, una mezcla entre donuts y churros, y es que en Alsur Café no dejan de innovar. Con su propio obrador en la ciudad y con un reputado equipo de cocina, estos maestros del brunch no descansan para encontrar la mezcla ideal capaz de deleitar a sus comensales diariamente. Y es que no es fácil ser una de las tendencias en una ciudad como Barcelona. Por eso mandamos a nuestra embajadora CuddlyNest para que experimentara en primera persona el concepto #LQQCQ y os hiciera llegar a todos ese sabor único de los platos preparados con amor.

Por eso, si estáis en Barcelona disfrutando de una de nuestra #CuddlyStay hacerla aún más memorable (si se puede), con una experiencia gastronómica apta para todos los bolsillos y los paladares más exquisitos del mundo. Porque en Cuddlynest intentamos que todo el mundo se sienta como en casa en cualquier lugar, porque queremos que vuestras estancias sean únicas y a medida. Porque lo importante es saber que estés dónde estés hay alguien que se preocupa por tu bienestar.

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Property Owner 9 MINS READ

Change in Luxury Travel is Greening Hospitality Industry

Change in Luxury Travel is Greening Hospitality Industry

Property Owner 9 MINS READ

Luxury travel is always changing, and this time it is for good. It is not about limousine shuttles to the airport, piles of towels, and high-pressure showers anymore.  As a customer-oriented industry, hoteliers and other travel service providers must consider the needs and wants of customers. More and more high-earning customers are aware of sustainability issues concerning the travel industry. Thus, demand from luxury travelers shapes the change in the sector – and does so with positive effects.

Who are the luxury travelers?

You may think of luxury travel as accessible to a selected few. Industry leaders, however, suggest the luxury traveler as we know it is just a part of the luxury travel sector, often mixed with other traveler “tribes”. As Amadeus puts it, the “Reward Hunters” or conventional luxury seekers. They prefer self-indulgent travel and seek a reward for hard work in other areas of life. Reward hunters are usually mixed with other two traveler tribes, simplicity searchers and obligation meters.

Hence, the one willing to pay for easy planning and travelling, and the ones going on business trips, family gathering or other events, such as weddings.

Regarding the regional distribution of travelers, luxury still resides in West, with North America and Western Europe accounting for 64% of outbound luxury trips, although it makes up only 18% of the world’s population. The largest growth prospects of luxury travel are being given to South Asia, Southeast Asia and Emerging Europe, with all three surpassing 8% growth in terms of CAGR in 2015 to 2025.

Why are luxury travelers’ changing preferences important?

Given the variety of luxury travel, you may already guess that the sector is not that small. Neither in terms of the number of travelers nor dollars spent on their trips.

Hard data confirms the increasing importance of luxury travel. According to Amadeus, luxury travel is growing faster than overall travel. The driver of luxury travel is not that distinct factors driving the general travel industry. The rise of travel expenditure can be explained by experiential spending positively correlating with society enrichment.

What is Luxury Travel all About?

Customer segments, age, values and attitudes are changing. Consequently, these changes manifest themselves in luxury. It is no more all about high-class dining, or a number of pools available.

“As the average consumer becomes older (as it is in Western Europe and North America), luxury becomes more about enrichment than materialism” said Ian Yeoman, Travel Futurologist. Luxury travel is traditionally defined by high service level, high product quality standards, and exclusiveness. Unique or niche services are coupled with privacy and security.

So, where is the change?

Targeting Wellness

First, the change is related to demographics. Dominating markets of Western Europe and North America constrained with aging. Thus, more and more travelers are willing to spend on wellness travel. From SPAs to sports competitions to resorts, wellness is expected to shape high-end travel.

Transformative travel was a travel trend of 2018 that continues in 2019 and beyond. Travel experiences empower people to make meaningful and lasting changes in their lives. Health-conscious travelers are simply spending more time and dedication to take care of their bodies and minds. As per Alison Gilmore, the ILTM’s Portfolio Director “every trip is expected to enhance the physical, mental and social wellbeing of the traveler, transformation is the very promise of travel(..)”

Greening Travel

The growing awareness of environmental issues and the promotion of sustainable actions in Western Europe and North America is likely to cause the emergence of luxury travelers preferring sustainable and conscious travel over mass tourism. Conscious travel, just like the previously mentioned wellness travel trend is related to and arises from transformative travel, namely the expectation of travel to change and transform traveler’s everyday life and give a new outlook on life upon returning back home. As Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of Preferred Hotels & Resorts puts it in her interview to travel news agency Skift, ”Conscious travel, I believe, is taking the idea of transformative travel to a new level (..)It’s about human rights and sustaining communities, and not just about sustainability.”  It is indeed the trend to travel with the local communities in mind. However, the accessibility to experiences that are promoting human rights, community sustainability, and others, are not always accessible to a mainstream traveler, as the gap of interconnected travel service providers still poses a problem of accessing information and making the product quality and service level available for most of the travelers.

Authenticity over Resort Pampering

The third trend of luxury travel changes is authentic travel. The authentic experience has emerged as one of the major factors defining luxury. From visiting silk factories to shopping in the local farmer’s markets and learning how to cook paella, travelers now want to taste, do, make and indulge in the authentic, local lifestyle, as well as visit sights off the beaten track, more frequently choosing to hike instead of laying in resort poolside area sipping cocktails. As per John Bevan, the COO of Spafinder Wellness, “We’re seeing a lot of luxury travelers wanting a connection with local customs and nature. People want a break from their crazy busy lives(..)

A good example of the authentic travel experience being a new luxury is the Italian designer’s Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A.’s cooperation with Tuscany Again, a non-profit curating a selection of luxury travel experiences. Although the owners of Ferragamo are running a hotel e Lungarno Hotel Collection for years, the incentive of luxury travel to be connected with the non-profit offering authentic experiences, such as truffle-picking, olive oil pulling, and a visit to jeweler or leather craftsman to learn and make their customer necklace or bag is something new, influenced by the growing demand from the luxury travel sector.

Apart from satisfying their customers’ needs, the incentive also tackles one of the most pressing tourism problems in European metropolises, hence the over-tourism. With experiences available to travelers year-round, in regions and rural areas as well as urban centers, travelers can now travel more comfortably, and not be concerned with the effects of mass tourism emerging of their travel choices.   In the interview to Skift, Ferragamo said, “Our goal is to create an ecosystem of the highest quality, to fight mass tourism and create meaningful journeys of discovery.”

Knowledge is the New Luxury

Apart from authentic travel experiences, sustainable choices, and other trends, one of the emerging trends is of travelers seeking not only cultural but also educational enhancement. Knowledge and personal growth are one of the main pillars of transformational travel, thus making the travel experience truly life-changing and allowing for advancement in personal and professional life.

A good example of education coupled up with hospitality is the partnership between TED talks and the Marriott hotel chain. “We are delivering a series of original content, events, and experiences that will spark travelers’ creativity and inspire new perspectives,” said Matthew Carroll, vice president, and global brand manager, Marriott Hotels. And as you may know, creativity, new perspectives, and ideas are the fast track to a permanent change in lifestyle.

How the Travel Industry Can Benefit Local Communities

While the fast growth of the travel industry is sometimes blamed for having negative impacts on local communities, the environment and other spheres, there are several potential benefits to the changes in luxury travel trends.

The travel industry, in general, can have a positive impact on local communities by educating and raising public awareness on the local environment, and the importance of protecting it. This is a case with the Great Barrier Reef, for example.

Another great and usually travel -industry promoted effect of the industry is the economic and social contributions with hospitality industry creating employment and business in the area.

Apart from the previously mentioned positive impacts, the currently built hospitality industry buildings are being redesigned to fit the needs of both residents and international visitors, including building better transport, sanitary and other infrastructure.

How the Needs Translate into Sustainable Impact

For hospitality impacts are usually divided into aesthetic, cultural social, ecological, and political effects, we are taking this approach to explore the benefits of changing the luxury travel sector.

Aesthetic Impact

Aesthetic values are often underrated, as those can almost never be evaluated in quantitative terms. Although impossible to evaluate, threats of loss of aesthetics are important to locals, as it results in economic losses due to a decline of the overall value drop of the destination.

Therefore, the damage of aesthetics, such as incompatible hotel styles from different decades with distinct architectural aesthetics is lessened by current travelers’ preferences for authentic travel experiences, more and more preferring home-sharing accommodations and less modern accommodation housing.

These preferences, in return, allow preserving the traditional housing and buildings, and not to ruin the historical areas with new buildings. Due to traveler demands, local governments tend to limit attendance of natural sights in high season.

Cultural Impact

Cultural impact is directly derived from travelers’ preferences for authentic travel experiences. As the demand for preserving cultural heritage grows, local governments tend to support sustainable tourism, especially stressing the social and cultural perspectives of it. Heritage-based urban revalorization can in return generate green employment and stimulate local development.

According to United Nations, sustainable and authenticity-seeking luxury travelers also facilitate dialogue and tolerance, building bridges amongst nations, countries and ultimately leading to less discrimination based on gender, race, religious views or other characteristics.  Thus, the change in the demand of those who usually are blamed for sustaining inequality is benefitting local communities in ways used to hurt.

Ecological Impact

Regarding ecological impact, the authenticity-seeking and sustainability-seeking travelers prefer to book sustainable and green hotels, which tend to be independent, local enterprises instead of large hotel chains. This in return allows the smaller and green, environment-friendly businesses to take off, saving water, electricity, using less polluting cleaning substances, and contributing to other factors leading to more green and ecological approach accommodation industry.

Apart from accommodation greening, positive ecological impact in the form of sustaining ecosystems is also present due to the decline in over tourism to selected nature parks in high seasons. Animals and insects can sustain their natural habitat, thus allowing the whole ecosystem to survive.

Educational and awareness-raising events, such as TED talks also allow locals to gain knowledge, which can then be applied to tackle some of the ecological problems in the area.

Social Impact

Positive social effects are closely intervened with economic effects, in most cases referring to the lower unemployment and higher business activity. While lower unemployment can be attributed to the whole hospitality industry, higher business activity is usually traced to a higher number of small local businesses or individuals taking advantage of tourist inflows. The business activity is directly correlated with travelers seeking authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences, staying far from tourist hotspots.

Better local facilities, preserved heritage, and organization of frequent social events are amongst other positive effects, which can, however, be traced back to luxury travelers mostly in cases of smaller towns.

Conscious Travel is the New Luxury with its Perks for All

As seen in the previous years, luxury travel is turning from cocktail-sipping by the pool and limousine shuttles to diamond hotels into the authentic, conscious, and self-growth-oriented sector. Transformational travel, a megatrend already in 2018, is taking it to the next level in 2019, demanding authentic, environmentally-friendly experiences concerned with physical wellness and stimulating mentality through workshops and conferences.

The change of perception of luxury, communities, and nature in travel destinations can benefit in ways it could not before. Increased awareness of customer demands makes governments preserve natural sights, restrict construction to appeal aesthetically. In terms of positive cultural impacts, exposure to different attitudes towards race, religious views, gender equality, and others, allow building a less discriminatory environment, bridging nations, and states. The ecological preferences directly stimulate hoteliers to offer sustainable hotels, whilst social impact goes hand in hand with economic developments and political action to attract more tourists to less populated, rural areas.

Overall, travel is still one of the major sources of negative impacts, but with the ongoing change of perception from high-spenders, the whole offering to any kind of traveler across America, Europe, and Asia is expected to change, ultimately improving the sustainability of travel.

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Luxury Travel is Greening Hospitality Industry

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Property Owner 3 MINS READ

A Practical Guide to US Rental Income Taxation: Expense Claims for Rental Properties

A Practical Guide to US Rental Income Taxation: Expense Claims for Rental Properties

Property Owner 3 MINS READ

Although tax refund claim filing system has been open for filing via mail from January 1, 2019, you as a rental property owner are most likely to not to delay your refunds for 8 weeks just by filing it earlier via postal mail. We, along with IRS, suggest you to e-file all income and loss statements on April 15 instead. As every year, there are tax deductions available for you, no matter if you are a rental property owner claiming your rental income, or you are filing an income report on your income from your own personal residence.

To help you out with filing the tax deduction forms, we are going to explain just what can be deducted, from which income, and what are the limitations and forms to be filled in by the Tax Day 2019.

Rental Properties: What Is Taxed and What’s Not

To shine a light on what exactly classifies as a rental property, we are going to remind you of both classifications, as well as statuses of rental activity.

A personal residence is one which is rented out for no more than 14 days or 10% of the total time of your time in the property, whichever is greater. Rental property, on the other hand, has exceeded the previously mentioned rental cut-off and classifies as a property mainly used for further renting. Both are taxed, and you shall claim your rental income using Tax form. You only have to report your income and loss on the previously mentioned property types via Schedule E from Form 1040. The tax-free rental, which is rented out or booked for 14 days or less, does not require an income claim.

What Income is Taxed

Income of the rental property is most likely to be the total booking price your guests pay to you. Rent income need to be reported, as well as any other payments, such as advance payments. Advance payments may include pre-payment or security deposits which are kept after the guests are already checked out. In any case, all the income shall be reported and accounted for.

What Losses Can Be Deducted

As for tax deductions, it is in your advantage to deduct rental expenses and losses from your rental income. These expenses may include mortgage interest, property tax, operating expenses, depreciation, and repairs, both ordinary and necessary expenses.. You are not entitled to deduct expenses associated with improvements, such as construction works, but you can recover some of those using the tax form No. 4562.

What Form Shall I Use

All income and losses are reported on Form 1040, Schedule E, Part I.  However, in a case with 3 or more rental properties, you must fill in as many E schedules as needed, only skipping the Total part on parts after the first filled form. In case your properties qualifying for residential rental property, you may have a look at Publication No. 527 for tax deductions instead, whereas to gain more information on rental property in use in general, you may consult Publication No. 415.

Conditions and Limitations

You must note that the limitations for tax deductions are subjected to the status of the rental business activity. You can consult the limitations in detail on Form 8582, Passive Activity Loss Limitations, and Form 6198, At-Risk Limitations, or alternatively skim through the main points in the following paragraph.

If your rental activity can be described as an actively participating in business, namely making decisions on whom to allow to book your property, taking care of maintenance and terms of a lease, then the loss from your rental properties can be netted over losses and incomes of your other properties.

If you, just like most CuddlyNest hosts are taking the passive route, then your losses can be deducted in a maximum of $25.000. However, if the loss exceeds the limit, it can be carried over to the next year.

All in all, there are some points you need to consider before filing the Form 1040, Schedule E and reporting your rental income and loss for the tax year 2018. First of all, you must know in which class your property falls into to know if you need to claim your income at all. Secondly, you shall determine the status of your business activity, account for all income, and them for all losses, according to Schedule E, and limitations imposed by active or passive participation in a rental business activity.

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Europe 3 MINS READ

How to Blend in as a Tourist: Visiting Northern Europe

How to Blend in as a Tourist: Visiting Northern Europe

Europe 3 MINS READ

Let us tell you a little secret. Wherever you travel, trying to blend in is a good idea. It may not always be possible, as you visit a country inhabited by a different race or just the opposite complexion to yours, but it is always valuable. But let’s get back to it in a minute.

Have a moment and bring yourself back to the place you visited the last time. Was it comfortable to step out fro touristic spots, hotel, airport, and walk right into the crowd of locals? How did you feel? Were you watched, or were you blending in like a chameleon?
Whether you are visiting Stockholm in Sweden, Copenhagen in Denmark, or Oslo in Norway, or Helsinki in Finland, or Tallinn in Estonia, there is a certain way people communicate, appear and respect each other. To blend in is hard; the least you can do is to appear less different just walking by.

Why Should you Blend in?

If you ever visited Islamic countries as a woman, you will know. If you ever wore a white dress to someone’ s wedding, you will know, too. There are unspoken rules on people’ s manners, and attitudes arising from not following those rules. For travelers, it is certainly advisable to blend in, not only for better treatment but also for safety and respect.

Less Attention – More Authentic Experiences

First, you will not be stared at. It feels good, trust me. You will be able to walk the street without feeling anxious and out of the place. You will be able to get closer to locals, not bringing all the attention onto yourself.

Avoid Criminals by Keeping it Safe

Second, you will be safer and the chances of getting pickpocketed will decrease. If you are wearing khaki shorts and a baseball cap in Milan, it is a sure proof you’ re American, and thus a clear target for pickpockets and scam artists. Especially, if you are going to swim in the sea on Barcelona beach and hope no one takes your phone in meanwhile.

Show Respect and Get the Favour

Third, you will show respect to locals, and in return be more respected yourself. It means locals will treat you better, from not trying to rip you off at farmers’ markets and not giving you catcalls on the street.

Blend in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, and Helsinki: What to Wear when Visiting Northern Europe

Watch Locals… And See no Color

First things first, North is all about the minimalism. Less color, fewer prints. You will not see locals walking with red scarves around their necks, or wearing sparkly dresses in the daytime, unless you visit Copenhagen during the fashion week, of course.
Go with a washed and less attention-grabbing look, yet nothing too baggy. In Europe, people favor fitted clothes, and it is generally not an exception for Northern Europe, either.

Walk as you Have Somewhere to Be

We understand. You may not always know where the statue is located, or what side of the central market stall did I just enter from. Relax. Only use your Google Maps when you absolutely have to. Remember the route and.. Off you go! Catch a glimpse of the sites, rooftops and the beautiful Nordic Art Noveau, but beware the wandering tourist look. It gives off too much.

Talk at a Softer Voice or Keep Quiet

Northern Europeans are not Southerners, nor do they speak as loud as Americans do. Keep your voice low, and you will see how much less attention and looks you get. As for English, locals speak the language perfectly, but still, you should learn Hej, Tack and Tilgi (Hi, Thank you, and Sorry in Danish, Swedish and Norwegian) to show respect and not to have an instant tourist badge.

We hope your next trip to Stockholm, Oslo or Copenhagen will be awesome! Just remember that it is in your good to acts as a local. Not only you will get less unwanted attention, but you will also respect locals, keep it safe and get a chance to enjoy the authentic vibes of your Northern Europe travel destination.

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