Bill's Bountiful Blog

May I keep you posted on my thoughts, ideas, observations, and silliness?. Am I serious? Is it relevant?. Does anyone care? Probably not much.

But in today's age of everyone has something to say, why not me? And who can blame me for jumping into to the pool? For speaking up For laying it out?

"Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one." - Thomas Wiley, Journalist

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Beatles Yield Management - Lodging Newsletter December 31, 2025

Published: 12/31/25 Topics: Dynamic Rates, Lodging Newsletter, Yield Management Comments: 0

As I sat in front of the TV on New Year’s Eve of 2026, watching the midnight countdown, an old memory caused me to laugh out loud, as I remembered how something from long ago is still true today.

At the age of 13, I wandered into the neighborhood corner store. Walking to the cash register, my ear was jolted by the music on the radio. I blurted out, "Who is that on the radio?" "Oh that," said Mr. Perrini, the proprietor, "That’s some new music group called the Beatles. Define "Gobstruck" anyway you want, but that is what had hit me.

Although I was already playing (learning?) trumpet in school, I instantly wanted in on this Beatle thing. So I saved my nickels to buy a Sears and Roebuck guitar with amp in the case (still have it) and soon wanted to play bass like Paul McCartney. I wanted to be Paul McCartney (I wasn’t). But, by the age of 15, my first band was playing "gigs" around town, complete with Beatle haircuts, Beatle boots, and Nehru collar jackets. If you remember any of this, you are an old person.

We were earning big money, $40 each per night, which adjusted for inflation would be $400 per band member today. I am told that most local bands don’t earn that much today, but we had a secret weapon. In my small town there was a "Musicians Union" filled with "old farts" (their words) who had been performing for decades. They insisted we learn the ropes of the music business.

One day, a union leader asked, "How much are you guys charging for New Year’s Eve?" We did not understand the question then, but soon were charging $500 per member each on New Year’s Eve. All because there were lots of gigs and not enough bands. We charged more for Saturday, the most popular night. And far less on weekdays, if we could find gigs at all. We played at high schools, country clubs, and kids’ birthday parties.

All of this is why I found myself laughing aloud at 11:52pm this New Year’s Eve, realizing that we ignorant 15-year-olds had been employing what today is called Yield Management, Dynamic Rates, Demand Pricing, Surge Pricing, Variable Pricing, Time-Based Pricing, or, even, just Flexible Rates. At the time we children didn’t know those terms, but we did know that people were happy to pay more and we were happy to take it.

So why is it that now, some property owner clients express frustration about yield management? A tool nothing more than the ancient science of supply and demand. Thank you, Beatles.

Lodging Newsletter by William May

December 31, 2025 - Beatles Yield Management

Weary of stories about my school days? That is where we are all supposed to learn. Sometimes we do, sometimes not. And sometimes we remember far later that we knew something all along. Take the Beatles, for example.

Yield Management is not guessing. It’s not a buzz word. And it is not intuitive. You can’t judge today’s or tomorrow’s price by what was charged last week, last month, last year or when you were a kid. You can’t set rates based on what current customers tell you they are willing to pay. Because customers fool themselves and love to low ball prices, in hopes of getting a deal. (Doesn’t everyone?) You can’t decide just to be a dollar less than the competition, because that only works in the slow seasons.

You can argue that travel and smart lodging operators have always charged more in high seasons, and less in low seasons, more on holidays, or on weekends, less on mid-weeks. And you would be right, but the arduous process of spying on competitors’ rates, guessing at occupancy, and then tweaking rates was overly ambitious and time-consuming. Manual rate setting took so long that doing it daily, looking forward for weeks, months, or a year took more time than the results warranted.

Airlines re-invented yield management in the 1980’s for two reasons. They were going broke flying half empty planes, and computers had improved enough to do some of the repetitive science to adjust rates into the future and do it every day or, even, every hour.

As an example, decades ago planes to Hawaii had plenty of empty seats. Today, every seat will be filled. Some customers paid top dollar, some paid far less. Airlines make more profit than ever before. Then after airlines, hotels adopted yield management and benefited from third-party research, helping them know exactly where they sat in the hierarchy of what customers would and would not pay.

Yield Management has been in the Vacation Rental Industry for less than 10 years, when new researchers began collecting and publishing data, then offering to crunch that into new rates for months and years into the future, that could be adjusted for all such dates.

And yet we read property owners who want to insert their intuition into rates, without using the basic math skills we were all forced to learn in high school. For example, if a lodging manager were to drop rates 33%, that requires the property to secure 50% more bookings just to maintain the revenue achieved without the mark down. Lowering rates 25% requires 33% more bookings. Cut rates 50% and you gotta produce 100% more bookings.

On the other hand, not cutting rates when necessary can mean no bookings at all. Some owners let their pride of ownership fail them, when they say, "It’s not worth it to me to charge less than #XXX". That’s like saying, "I wouldn’t want to win the lottery because I would have to pay the taxes." As youngsters say, "do the math."

Today’s yield management, wielded in the hands of scientific managers, is how lodging property owners make maximum income. Let the pros do their magic. Let them find the Goldilocks "Just right" rate every day and then judge results on an annual basis, not on a knee-jerk daily intuition on rates.

Blog #: 1049 – 12/31/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP –

Pineapple Express - Lodging Newsletter November 30, 2025

Published: 11/30/25 Topics: Guest Behavior, Lodging Newsletter, Weather Comments: 0

The Junior High School I attended was in a very wide and large river valley, not that we really understood that as children.
The building was newer (at the time) and the floor plan was laid out in a giant "E" shape with each leg of the letter being a grade - 7th, 8th and 9th. When the wide tidal type river experienced heavy flows of water, especially when the tide was in, water backed up into the neighborhoods.

They were called a "Pineapple Express."

The school was not greatly elevated but just enough that it did not flood but the streets around it did to a depth of a foot or deeper in some places.

That meant when my father drove me to school in the morning, he could not get within several blocks of the school. So what did we do?

Having grown up on a ranch where conditions were brutal in winter, my father dropped me off down the block, and said, "Take off your shoes and socks, roll up your pants and get hoppin,’" by which he meant walk through the flood to get to school.

When we complained he said what he always said if we complained, "Hey it won’t kill you."

And guess what? It did not.

Recent floods in the Northwest are not to be chuckled at. They are dangerous, they disrupt life, and the financially ruin some people. Our hearts go out to all the familes affected.

The floods and wind storms have been disruptive for the lodging industry too. Guests want to travel and sometimes its not possible. A big thank you to all the housekeepers, maintenance people and managers who have walked through the floods and demonstrated the kind of commitment that most people seldom have to endure.

To all those great human beings, staff, property owners and even guests remember my Dad’s others words, "This too shall pass."

Lodging Newsletter by William May

November 30, 2025 - Pineapple Express

Words are strange. They attempt to explain all manner of things but can be coopted and misused. Sometimes intentionally, often not.

For example, how come "Pineapple Express" storms which can actually sound semi-kinda enjoyable are nothing of the kind. Which is why in the early 1990s MIT researchers Reginald Newell and Yong Zhu, coined the phrase "Atmospheric River." As narrow bands of intense water vapor are transported in the atmosphere, the storms are similar to how terrestrial rivers carry water. Even if you love to swim, you won’t want to do it in a wild and raging river.

Over years of managing lodging for vacation rentals to inns and resorts, a reality becomes clear. Thing happen. That’s it. Things happen. Not unexpected things always, but everything should be expected. Wind storms, floods, icy roads, land slides, bridge failures, car wrecks that block roads, forest fire closures, heat domes, and even ruined ski seasons when the snow refused to fall.

So how does a full stack lodging management company handle such things? It has been 18 months since this newsletter quoted the old Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared". But that is the secret to manage travel designations and (in fact) pretty darn important to most any other situation than can arise.

For every managed property, we start by asking every question in our 50 page fine print preparation manual. A journal that took years to develop and is constantly expanding. Property owners may think some information we corral will never be needed, and we hope they are never needed. But it is better to be prepared and not need something, than to not be ready.

Having built our own software allows us to advertise wider, manage rates better, schedule staff well, and answer questions knowledgeably. But the information we gather is recorded into our systems so it’s readily available should the need arise.

Here is an example: the prep book has reminded us to record the exact precise location of the water shut off valve in hundreds and hundreds of homes. And we have never needed to know the answers among all of those homes.

All except one. The home is in a winter cold climate town where, to avoid freezing, water valves are six feet underground, down narrow and hard fo find holes. At this very new luxury home in a planned unit resort community, one day the landscape sprinklers exploded sending geysers of water over the exterior walls, soon to flood the house.

A neighbor called in a panic asking, "Do you know where the water shut off is?" our answer, "Yes of course." We directed him to the exact spot so he could quickly find and turn off the water. Catastrophe averted.

The next day, that neighbor asked if he could hire us to manage his vacation home. It seems his manager had never even bothered to ask about the water, and failed to ask dozens of other questions all about possibilities unlikely to happen. His manager was not prepared and that convinced the neighbor he needed someone better.

Blog #: 1047 – 11/30/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP –

Thanksgiving Game - Lodging Newsletter October 31, 2025

Published: 10/31/25 Topics: Comments: 0

Twenty years ago, I found myself in a 3-day, adult-child basketball game on a college campus in Spokane, Washington. With my own then too young to attend, I tagged along with my brother and his children. Little did I know what I had gotten myself into, or how that would lead to other games conducted by National Basketball Camps. (NBCcamps.com)

In addition to non-stop basketball drills, games, lesson, discussions, songs during meals, I was introduced to Coach Fred Crowell, who I later learned had become a life-changing inspiration to the 300,000 players who would attend his camps over 50 years.

The adult-child sessions have an added component where Fred provides short talks to both kids and parents. Every year as Thanksgiving approaches I remember a profound thing he said that day.

Coach explained that we all fail to say "thank you" as often and as vociferously as we should. To do better, he invited us to learn "The Thank You Game." Here is how it works:

Whenever your family, or friends, or even co-workers get together, start the meal or meeting with the Game. Going one by one, each person is to explain just one thing they are thankful for. After all have spoken, each person is asked again for another thanks to give.

The game continues until all have exhausted their thoughts. That means the game can go on a very long time. Eventually, the comments become fun or even silly. But that is OK, because by then comments have become heartfelt compliments that are treasured and remembered for a lifetime.

So how about this, as we all are traveling to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving, or while cooking up a storm, or while sitting at a table covered with the great food that we all take for granted, start the Thank You Game. Every person will appreciate it.

Lodging Newsletter by William May

October 31, 2025 - The Thank You Game this Thanksgiving.

The first comments in the game will be big and boisterous, such as thanks for safety and security and sustenance. Eventually, they will become tiny or even trite, but those are the ones remembered forever.

Clients - Thanks for allowing us to manage your homes. Thanks for friendship in the demanding lodging industry. Thanks for the compliments, feedback, and patience when the work load is busy.

Guests - Thanks to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who have chosen to stay with us. Thanks for reminding us you are having a great time on vacation.

Lodging Managers - Whooping big thank you for being committed to the success of every property. Your can-do attitude is not often seen, but we know how valuable it is.

Housekeepers - Thanks for cleaning homes so rigorously and reliably, often on weekends and even holidays. Be proud of yourselves.

Maintainers - Here is our thanks for keeping each and every home up and running, from hot tubs to repairs. We could not operate without you.

Guest Services - Thanks for answering hundreds of calls, answering thousands of questions, and processing accurate bookings. You are well mannered even in stressful times.

Accounting - No one comprehends else the thousands of transactions, channel bookkeeping, payroll, taxes, reimbursements, and more. Thank you for keeping on schedule without fail.

Yield Gurus - Thank you for mastering the science to achieve the highest rates during high season and good income in shoulder and off seasons. You have astounding insight.

Production - Thanks for ensuring each detail of each property is up to date and accurate. Onboarding and rebounding require you to be quick and careful. Thank you.

Graphics - It is easy to say thank you for the great logos, graphics, print products, and sales materials you build of such quality. Our competitors don’t do it because they can’t do what you do. Very good.

Photography - The quality of our photos, videos, 3D tours and websites is higher quality than competitors could ever do. Thank you for your skill and creativity.

Software - Thanks for your science-based engineering that enhances reservations, accounting, and the hundreds of websites we operate. You do it at the highest quality.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
Here is a comment from that first Thank You Game, 20 years ago: "You are not going to believe this, I am thankful there is a restaurant that serves pancakes for dinner."

Blog #: 1046 – 10/31/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP –

Don’t Just Sit There - Lodging Newsletter September 30, 2025

Published: 09/30/25 Topics: AirBnB, Booking.com, Expedia, Guest Behavior, Lodging Newsletter, Radio, Television, VRBO.com Comments: 0

The phrase "Don’t just stand there. Do something!" is often associated with the 19th-century character. the White Rabbit, from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

For two decades, consumer vacation rental adoption has continued to climb, not withstanding the interruptions by 9-11, the 2008 real estate depression, and then Covid. Growth can be shown on a graph as a steady increase, but factors jostling vacation rentals have also increased.

The advent of online travel agencies (OTAs), like VRBO, AirBnB, Booking.com and others, certainly disrupted things, sometimes for the better, but not always The increase in consumer demand, resulted in an increase in homes offering their place for rental. That means more competition. Plus, Cities, Counties and States have stepped in to restrict property rental rights and, of course, charge taxes and fees, and impose unnecessary regulations.

All of the above does not mean that property owners are to avoid short term rentals. To the contrary, the niche is still a great way to buy a home you love, where you love, and outfit it as you love.

It does mean that property owners and managers are now tasked with hundreds of new duties, tasks, and requirements. Once the home is safe and sound for visitors, the new big step, is how and where to advertise. Plus, the marketing requirements of rates, onsite services, customer service and guest results.

We borrowed the word "Full Stack" from the software industry, where is means an engineer who has a complete, 100% command of all technology needed to build great applications. It explains what we do and how we do it. Very few other managers are Full Stack.

But with the industry now flat in many (but not all) destinations, property owners need a manager who says, "Don’t just stand there. Do something!" This newsletter is about what we are doing (and what others are not) to gain maximum bookings and income for property owner clients.

Lodging Newsletter by William May

September 30, 2025 - Don’t Just Stand There, Do Something.

For decades we have explored, adopted, tested, and innovated successful new marketing techniques to grow vacation rental income. Although we are a small personalized service, here are things we innovated, usually first:

Advertise on all Major OTAs and hundreds of other websites.
Local Branding websites for each destination.
Full booking website for every home.
Perfected High Dynamic Range (HDR) web-optimized photos.
Mastered panoramic and 3D tours online.
High quality in home and in community sales materials.
Significant Search Engine Optimization.
First (and still the only) to create watercolor floor plans.
Applying hotel-like yield management research and techniques.
Invest in staff who stay here decades to give stability.
Constant staff training and collaboration.
Cross advertising and selling between markets.
Include local merchants, shops and restaurants to gain readership.
Answer phones, emails, and chats long hours every day of the year.
Collect reviews from all websites to analyze, appreciate, and respond.
Local & regional tourism websites to gain bookings.
Electronic signatures on every site for easy booking.

In most industries that hustle would be plenty. But in light of the current economy, if your manager doesn’t do all those things, you lose. Plus, we add new initiatives that those other managers can’t even dream of.

Radio - Partnering with stations for direct response bookings.
Forwarding - Automating reviews to cleaners, managers, and reservation staff.
Proctoring - Directing good reviewers to Google, etc. to repost.
Canvassing - Telephoning prior guests regularly.
Orphans - Inviting before and after guests to pick up extra dates.
Boosting - Personally inviting guests back to the rental they loved.
Interviewing - Creating blogs from appreciative guests and emailing them to the world.
Outreaching - Regular meeting and greeting all businesses in the area.

These new ideas are made efficient with technology, but they spring from leaders with decades of advertising problem solving. No one else has that. So if your managers is doing most of the things in the first list above - good. You’ll make bookings and profit. But if you want more for your property, it’s time to, as the White Rabbit says:

"Don’t just stand there. Do something." (Call us today.)

Blog #: 1045 – 09/30/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – We have one mission - to train and support the top lodging managers offering a variety of Resorts & Vacation Rental homes. Our support services provide world-class marketing, advertising, reservations, administration, accounting and training. All combined along with onsite local managers and staff. – VortexVIP.com

Guests Say the Darndest Things - Lodging Newsletter August 31, 2025

Published: 08/31/25 Topics: AirBnB, Booking.com, Expedia, Guest Behavior, Lodging Newsletter, Radio, Television, VRBO.com Comments: 0

From 1959 to 1969, host Art Linkletter’s TV show, "Kids Say the Darndest Things", was a staple on CBS television. It was based on his previous radio series with the same name.

Every business person who speaks with customers knows that the general public can say some doozie things. Retailers can’t remember every person who comes to the cash register, but they can certainly remember those who ask too much, demand too much, and sometimes pay too little.

The vacation rental and lodging industry is no different. If you want to make a meeting of hospitality people cry from laughing, just get them started on their stories. Most are funny, some are silly, and occasionally even a little sad.

Having a customer become irritated may be undesirable if a property fails in some way - a freezer that won’t freeze, and key that won’t turn, a hot tub that is warm. What is not decipherable is when they lose their tempers over things on one could anticipate.

Although the advent of online advertising services such as Expedia, Booking.com, VRBO, AirBnB and many other "channels" increase occupancy and profit for property owners, they also encourage consumers to demand more. Guests on AirBnB are 500% more likely to be difficult than if they booked on VRBO. They are 700% riskier than if they booked directly with the management firm.

This newsletter is not to complain about those guests. It is to thank the dozens of hard working staff who must deal with the 5% of guests who are finicky, while finding joy in the wonderful thank yous they get from 95% of the public who love what they do.

Every day the attitude must be uplifting, helpful, and even overly kind to every person they come in contact with. There must be smiles and slow explanations, non-stop assistance, and downright kindness in all we do.

It’s not easy. But one small reward helps. When we look back at the darndest things guests say, we get to smile and, after further thought and reflection, we get to see that difficult guests are just another way we service the property and property owners.

Here are a few anecdotes that would have made even Art Linkletter wrinkle his nose.

Lodging Newsletter by William May

August 31, 2025 - Guests Say the Darndest Things

To book thousands and thousands of nights for vacation rental houses, condos and rooms, staff member are always on the phone answering questions, providing clarity and taking bookings. We must remember the hoards of people we are making happy with wonderful vacations and holidays. But we also remember the arcane, bizarre, and just plain crazy words some people say. (Along with answers we would think, but not say loud.)

Q: Can we use the neighbor’s boat? How would they even know? (We would tell them.)

Q: I am not putting my female parts into a hot tub after my children use it. (Nice kids.)

Q: Why does the lake go up and down twice a day? (Can you spell O-C-E-A-N?)

Q: The dates I wanted are booked. Can you cancel the other people? (We like them better.)

Q: Can I bring a trailer with 10 more people to use the bathroom? (Mr. Septic will not like that.)

Q: Why is there a pet cleaning fee? My dog doesn’t pee that much. (Did you measure it?)

Q: I had to rearrange all the furniture to be feng shui. You’ll love it. (No, we won’t.)

Q: Am I allowed to use the water? (Yes and electricity, too. Kinda like magic.)

Q: Is there a nearby store where I can buy a large bra? (Bras R Us.)

Q: For max occupants do you count young people AND old people? (None over 100.)

Q: How thick is the toilet paper? (Do you have something special in mind?)

Q: Can you block all political news on the TV? (Would if we could.)

Q: Why is there no garbage disposal in the bath tub? (I have no kind answer.)

Q: Can you ship me the devices I left in the bedroom? (Only if we don’t have to touch them.)

Q: Can you guarantee it will be snowing? (In summer years, we can.)

Q: Can I bring guns for target practice? (Book that room at the jail.)

Q: Does your Internet provider allow porn? (That is more than we want to think about.)

Q: Don’t tell my wife I am renting with my girlfriend. (There are extra charges for infidelity.)

Q: Do you have a bed bigger than a King. My wife is coming with me. (You have us confused.)

Q: Can you tell me where I can get a lap dance? (Ah ah ah, no.)

Q: I see checkout is 11AM. Can I leave earlier? (No, you must stay every minute.)

Q: Can you pick me up at the airport? It’s only 3 hours away. (Rush hour, or?)

Q: I arrived late, do I get a discount? (Try that at McDonalds.)

Q: If the listings says no dogs, does that mean no pit bulls? (No bulls of any kind.)

Q: If I stay three times do I get one free? (One what?)

Q: Can you guarantee it won’t be raining? (Yes, if there are no clouds.)

Q: Can you arrange for a porta potty for my uncle. (Not that uncle.)

Q: Can the bathroom be locked from the inside so my kids don’t come in? (Odd children.)

Q: I am only 51, but can I get the senior discount anyway? (Do you look old?)

Q: My dog is not a service animal, can I just say it is? (How nice of you to ask, no.)

Q: Do you provide free jello mix? (What flavor? No.)

Q: Can you introduce me to friends while I am there? (We’ll be your friend.)

Q: Do you guarantee the toilet seat will be comfortable for a long sit? (Spelling?)

Q: Does the door lock? (Yes.) Does the refrigerator lock? Does the TV lock? (No.)

Q: Can I get a discount if I book last-minute? (Sure, it it’s only for one minute.)

Q: Can you put a framed picture of Sylvester Stallone on the night stand? (Is it for your wife?)

Q: When we depart can we take all the soaps and paper products home? (If you are that poor.)

Q: Is that garage tall enough to put my travel trailer in? (Sorry, no trailers allowed.)

Q: Can you meet me when I arrive at 1AM, to explain where to eat? (Too early for breakfast.)

Q: Can you waive the fee if I clean up before I depart? (Promises, promises, promises.)

Q: Where do bears go in the woods? (Please rephrase that.)

Blog #: 1040 – 08/31/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – We have one mission - to train and support the top lodging managers offering a variety of Resorts & Vacation Rental homes. Our support services provide world-class marketing, advertising, reservations, administration, accounting and training. All combined along with onsite local managers and staff. – VortexVIP.com

Ozzy Osbourne Vacation Rentals - Lodging Newsletter July 31, 2025

By Wm. May
Published: 08/26/25 Topics: Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

You don’t have to be a John Michael Osbourne fan to know who the name Ozzy refers to.

Never far from the headlines, even those who feel symphonic music is far superior, must admit they know of him and his music. After a life filled with countless substances and shenanigans, he later intrigued viewers who watched him, his wife Sharon and two of their children frolic around their mansion acting like (somewhat) like normal people.

There have been many bands in Ozzy’s genre, but everyone agrees he was first. In every generation there have been musicians who grab the attention of young listeners. But as Ozzy’s original fans aged, new groups of adolescents (In particular males) found him, embraced his music and found an emotional attachment that may be hard for us older folks to appreciate.

Sadly, Ozzy passed away on July 22nd, 2025 at the age of 66. A legion of fans mourned.

So why would a newsletter like this one lead with a story about the Prince of Darkness? Simply because he was, by intention or not, a master marketer. He had many different stage personas including:

The Madman
The Great Ozz
The Prince of Darkness
The Godfather of Heavy Metal
The Wizard of Ozz

It is unlikely that Ozzy owned a vacation rental home. But if he did, it surely would have been in his unique "Prince of Darkness" motif. Oddly enough, this points out an idea that some vacation rental home owners have latched on to.

No not heavy metal - but heavily memorable concepts. There are rentals with cowboy themes, others with boat themes, 101 Dalmatians rooms, Disney characters, jungle wall paper and much, much more.

Ever since people started traveling for leisure and becoming "Tourists" they have longed for something new, unique and unusual to separate them from the mold. Concept homes offer that to a growing audience. They generate fawning reviews and great content for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other channels where standing apart from the crowd is the challenge. But it is also the opportunity to generate more customers.

Although I am not a heavy metal devotee myself, it hurts me to say that those of us who are (shall we say) follically challenged, damn the guy who had better hair on the day he died than most other men have on their 16th birthday.

Rest in peace, Ozzy. I would have liked the chance to know you.

Lodging Newsletter by William May

June 31, 2025 - Ozzy’s Vacation Rental

Last month’s newsletter listed ways other managers lose bookings (and we don’t). This month is a list of how property owners lose bookings.

Hand Me Downs - Using cast offs (even good ones) from your primary home is a way to alert guests that you don’t care enough to keep furniture, fixtures, or equipment up to date. Doing so is cheaper than buying new, but you lose bookings and far more income.

Upgrades - Successful homes get more use and more use means more upgrades over time. Last year’s amenities may work, but keeping up appliances, table wares, TV’s and all other aspects of the home is required. Penny pinching costs more than it saves.

Ring Cameras - For primary residences, security cameras may be fine. But the advance of cams that confront arriving guests in the face make them feel spied upon and impersonal. Using the alert to speak to guests will scare the buggers out of them. They may speak nicely to you, but will savage the property in reviews that scare off future bookings.

Criminal - Lodging property guests have "an expectation of privacy" and it has been in the news where property owners find themselves in court defending their peeping tom equipment. There have been stories of property owners being thrown in jail when a guest reports (and probably exaggerates) how they were surveilled. Door bell cameras are not worth the risk.

Exterminators - Even in popular markets, second homes are not occupied every day of the year. That is a perfect opportunity for mice, bugs, and even bats to invade. Owners who avoid the cost of regular inspections lose out when just a single tiny ant appears. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish. Paying for regular inspections is being prepared.

Improper Rates - Even taught in high school math classes, pricing is primarily based on supply and demand. For decades, there were more guests than rentals. Today, especially since the post-Covid surge, as vacation homes proliferate, the market defines what guests will pay. Dictating rates to the manager will dictate lower income for the property.

Risky Amenities - Offerings like bikes, kayaks, or other seemingly attractive amenities sounds good. Such things are attractive in photos, but they require constant care and maintenance. And cost more to maintain than the few extra bookings.

Hot Tub - There is an exception. Modern hot tubs, carefully maintained by professional managers do attract guests. Hot tubs are said to be the most requested amenity worldwide, including in the tropics (go figure) and should increase rental income each year, up to double the installation cost. That means a 200% return on hot tub investment, for years.

Required - Skip these amenities, if you dare. Vacation homes must have internet, of course, but they still need basic cable TV, and in areas where mobile service is funky, a telephone. These ingredients, if missing, can "wreck" the stay for guests. Having a streaming TV service is fine, but it does not yet replace cable, if, of course, you want great reviews.

Landlord - Not every homeowner can or should be a vacation rental landlord. The experience is not what most owners imagine. This may not happen, but be prepared - someday a guest will criticize the home you love, the area where it’s located, the weather, the neighbors, the manager, the cleaner or your personal taste.

Author: Wm. May
Blog #: 1038 – 08/26/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – We have one mission - to train and support the top lodging managers offering a variety of Resorts & Vacation Rental homes. Our support services provide world-class marketing, advertising, reservations, administration, accounting and training. All combined along with onsite local managers and staff. – VortexVIP.com

Jewelry Store Mentors - Lodging Newsletter June 30, 2025

By Wm. May
Published: 06/30/25 Topics: Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

Seasonality dominates the lodging industry. But there are business categories that have greater ups and downs. Take the retail jewelry market, for an example, where stores make 30% of their annual income in just the four-week Christmas holiday season. It’s make it or break it.

Store owners like to say - Jewelry is the only object you may keep your entire life, not furniture, or houses, or cars. Jewelry fits the bill even if you can’t afford the bill. Right now, you might have the watch grandpa gave you, the bracelet your husband bought for you, or that engagement ring.

In 1947, the DeBeers diamond syndicate proclaimed that "A diamond is forever". And it worked, even though (surprise) those shiny white pieces of glass-like rocks are not as rare as good old Cecil Rhodes, founder of DeBeers would like you to believe. An engagement ring has become the almost required sign of love between two people.

As a young man, I stumbled into a small chain of jewelry stores. My tiny advertising agency was anxiously looking for clients. Gordon - an executive there - thought I might have a splashy, new idea to help them.

The stores were already doing everything else extraordinarily well. Beautiful products, preferable locations, smiling sales people, and credit for young couples to buy that ring. The third generation family members running the stores had learned from their parents how to take care of customers, operate honorably, and pay attention to the details.

In a jewelry industry publication, I found statistics saying most people buy jewelry their entire lives from the store where they made their first purchase - usually an engagement ring. So with unusual ideas, I ran ads on youth-market top-40 rock-and-roll radio stations, with scripts and actors who treated listeners like they were important, appreciated, and wanted. Soon new custumers entered the stores singing the "The diamond people" jingle.

But when phoning the store owner during the holiday seasons, he said politely, "Please call me back after the holidays. I must keep my eye on the road."

During the lodging industry seasons, I have tried to find away to explain that to property owner clients. "Right now the store is full of customers (Travelers) and I have my eye on the road to making you money. Can we talk when things are slow?"

Lodging Newsletter by William May

June 30, 2025 - Jewelry Store Mentors

There are ten (or more ways) to lose a booking. In no particular order. But we want to avoid them all.

Phone Numbers: Businesses spend millions of dollars to create commerce websites, build traffic, but then hide their phone number, to decrease employee hours. In lodging, refusing a phone call is a sin. Our phone numbers are memorable and posted throughout the websites and marketing materials.

After Hours: If a guest can’t reach a human being with questions or for help, they never come back. Our phones are open 24/7/365, with live humans for after hours services. If you call, we answer or call back lickity split.

Yakity Yak: Speaking of phoning, does your manager do outbound phone calls to past guests? If not, your property is losing bookings. We do it religiously. Personal interaction is the most powerful sales tool.

Goldilocks: Prideful owners lose bookings when they refuse market demands. It is necessary to pursue high rates in the high seasons and be competitive other times. Wise owners authorize our secret S2D2 yield management experts to get the highest annual profit for every home

Magnanimous: Like it more not, some shoppers want to negotiate. Refusing to justify rates or haggle a bit, turns them off, killing bookings. Significant discounts are are rare. If you never offer a bit more for a bit less, you lose. We find it’s better to help guests find what they want at price they can afford.

Square It: Offering more than can be delivered is easily detected by guests and bookings are lost. It is necessary to fully explain the property, even if it has negatives. Guests appreciate the candor. We provide clear, concise information which comforts guests into staying with us.

Channels: While some find advertising on VRBO, AirBnB, Expedia, Booking.com and other advertising "Channels" is costly and unwieldy, failure to advertise widely loses bookings. In fact, we advertise properties on hundreds of websites, including our own.

Tourism: Falling to advertise on regional traveler websites hides properties from guests who want to give owners money. We even developed our own tourism websites and get guests the competition doesn’t even know exist.

Creativity: Terrible photos are a quick way to turn off bookings. If you don’t have drone photos, 3D tours, floor plans, and more on the website, your property loses. We have all of that and more.

Guest Services: The guest may be 100% in the wrong when they lose a key, or break a lamp, but accusations or violating the golden rule loses bookings when guests chargeback on credit cards or secure a channel discount. Keeping the booking (income) is as important as getting the booking.

Bonus (#11): Property owners who interrupt managers while they pound away at sales, lose bookings. We ask clients to let us do our job answering guest phone calls, emails, online chats and text non-stop. Those jewelry stores owners, who caught the idea, are now in the 5th generation of ownership with six profitable stores, because they kept their eye on the road.

Author: Wm. May
Blog #: 1032 – 06/30/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP –

Tale of Two Countries - Lodging Newsletter May 31, 2025

By Wm. May
Published: 05/31/25 Topics: Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

The August 2024 newsletter, "Frozen Guests", focused on how consumers have always pulled back on discretionary spending for a few months before the U.S. Presidential election, because every candidate harangues voters that voting for the other candidate will be "The end of the world."

This is nothing new. It happens every election cycle. When consumers are scared, they sit on their wallets. Travel is one of the first things to be cut. Everyone must eat, but no one must go on vacation immediately. They can wait.

Usually, soon after the votes are counted, the negative campaigns stop and families began to travel again. Contrary to my optimism, it didn’t happen that way last November. The uncertainty continues and consumers are sill frozen. Travel varies some here and here, but is lagging all across the U.S.

Having had several business partners from Canada over the years, the differences between the two North American countries usually seem small, but not always. Our friends like to joke that Canada and the U.S. are children of a common mother, England, divided by a common language, English.

In the world famous Whistler Ski Resort on British Columbia this week, the effect of U.S. uncertainty is everywhere. For sure, Canadian vacation rentals, too, are affected by the general economic malaise affecting most countries.

Surprisingly, there are still plenty of Americans in town for hiking, biking, culture, canoeing, and if the clouds cooperate, a ride up the Whistler Gondola, a vertical rise of 5,000 feet. Bring a warm coat.

Plus the restaurants are varied and packed. Bars do big business. Stores are busy. If you have never been to Whistler, its underground parking leaves it feeling like a prestigious village in the Alps. Except that it can accommodate 30,000 overnight visitors. A cap that government officials imposed years ago.

Non-skiing readers may be surprised that summer is said to actually create more economic benefit to the Whistler Valley, than winter, mostly because it is a longer season. But officials report that Canadians, accustomed to visiting the U.S. in summer, are staying home. In droves, actually. That produces more visitors and the village center bustles even more than usual.

Shopping for a home to rent in town differed greatly from the markets where our firms operate in the Northwest U.S. There are dozens of vacation rental management companies in Whistler, all of whom seem to be prospering. This month’s newsletter outlines why.

Lodging Newsletter by William May
May 31, 2025 - Tale of Two Countries

Although urban areas like Seattle attract visitors for different reasons, travelers to most of the Northwest U.S. go to relax and vacation. Most guests drive to their destinations. Northwest visitors know where they are going before they go, and what they hope to do and see. Only a very few travelers are international.

Whistler on the other hand, is a world destination, repeatedly voted top ski-resort in North America, and, sometimes, the world by prestigious publications.

Not just that guests love what it offers, but because people come from all over. You hear many languages as thousands of folks stroll through the village every day.

With 30,000 people looking for those 30,000 "beds", lodging operators can count on the insatiable demand that the resort as a whole builds. They do much right, but they don’t have to convince people to come. They don’t have to be as comprehensive as we must be to find every possible visitor.

We borrowed the term "Full Stack" from the software industry, where it means software engineers who possess the fullest set of skills. Our staff have learned to do that in the vacation rental and lodging management industry.

Here is what Whistler managers do, as do we:

Quality properties.
Clean and well maintained.
Friendly customer service.
Good websites.
Decent reservations technology.

But here are the things that Whistler managers skip:

Websites - Hard to shop. No rates-on-dates.
Quotes - Slow to generate, compare and save.
Photos - Good, but not great. Too few.
3D tours - Most don’t have them.
Floor plans - Where exactly do the kids sleep?
Resort Maps - Where is this place in the town?
Email - Seldom and few. No reminders.
Phones - No outbound sales calls or follow up.
Seasonality - Snow photos in summer, don’t show summer beauty.
Advertising - Not on all websites, like VRBO, AirBnB, Booking.com , etc.
Rates - No intricate changes for last-minute, early booking, etc.

On one hand, we are envious. Must be nice to open the store and have the shoppers always arrive. But most vacation rental markets we cover require us to do every little thing to get the best results.

Our competitors make the same mistake Whistler managers make by not mastering everything

But ours managers do anything and everything to take care of homes, advertise aggressively, maximize rates, and increase income for every home. That is especially required when the economy is slow, like now. If your manager doesn’t do all we do, just give us a call to fix it.

Author: Wm. May
Blog #: 1026 – 05/31/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Actual Intelligence AI - Lodging Newsletter January 31, 2025

By William May
Published: 05/04/25 Topics: Comments: 0

It is the news topic du jour. The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to have the tech world salivating. But has it gone too far? Is it real? Or is it hype and hysteria? The answer is yes, yes and yes.

A hotel in Las Vegas has just opened the “first, truly AI-powered hotel,” said Philippe Ziade, developer of the hotel. "The whole floor is interconnected.” Before guests come to the hotel, they are "onboarded" to capture information, scrape the internet about them, and track their behavior.

If you want more towels, you just push a button and someone puts them in a two-way closet, so guests don’t even have to see the staff. Mr. Ziade has himself convinced this is the future of hospitality. But, maybe, it is the end.

The specialty lodging industry, that consists of vacation rentals, bed and breakfast properties, inns, guest ranches and more, has exploded over the past decades, especially vacation rentals. But why?

Practitioners find that a growing segment of travelers are looking for something new, something different. They are looking for "Experiences" which can be as elaborate as cruising on a freighter, to as simple as finding a cute cabin in the woods to hunker down with family, dogs and a glass of wine.

Impersonalization is the opposite. Of course, when traveling on business, or for short stays, usually without children, guests want a comfortable bed, sparkling clean bathroom, a TV, and reliable internet. Those travelers might love their AI cubicle.

But for managing specialty lodging, another kind of smarts is required. Let’s call it "Actual Intelligence." Use computers to record, evaluate, and automate. But use humans to do what humans can do: be personable, helpful, kind and provide quality lodging.

In a recent Artificial Intelligence conference, an expert fessed up saying, "We have a long way to go," which was explained by a question he asked Chat GPT (the AI wunderkind):

"If it takes 3 towels on a clothes line 3 hours to dry. How long would it take 9 towels to dry?"

To which ChatGPT answered, "Nine hours."

Lodging Newsletter by William May
January 31, 2025 - Actual Intelligence AI

And now, on with the news. First there was Covid. Then, a remarkable surge in vacation rental occupancy and rates, followed by a slow return to "normal seasonality," - occupancy such as in 2019 and before. Toward the end of 2024, as occupancy declined in most markets, rates held steady. But in recent months, competitors have dropped rates, in an attempt grab a share in what is currently a smaller share of bookings.

Over recent decades, vacation rentals have become an ever-increasing segment of the lodging market. Nothing seems to stop that, but there have always been ups and downs, followed by ups. Here is some recent news - local, national, or even international.

Hawaii. Recently, vacation rental tourism in Hawaii reported 52% drop in occupancy (unrelated to the 2023 Maui fires). At first, rates stayed high, but are now dropping. Some blame the excessive tourism taxes that now hover at 18%. But Maui County is considering a 55% tax on rental cars.

Beaches. Washington Ocean areas' winter occupancy has been lower than in many years. Some say similar to 2008. The number of vacation rentals in Grays Harbor County, as well as the towns of Ocean Shores and Westport have doubled in recent years. Research we buy shows a far lower number of total bookings, spread among a larger group of properties.

Skiing. Washington and Idaho ski communities are a having a decent year, because the snow fall has been above normal and started earlier in the winter, which motivates skiers to book early and stay longer. With continued snow, perhaps through April, the market will be good. Here, too, however, there are more rentals to bite into the pie.

National. Industry numbers show decreased demand in major markets, like Florida, the Outer Banks, the Smoky Mountains, and even some ski resorts. Urban bookings have cooled off. Business is good, but not as good as it has been. Property owners who anticipated an ever-increasing income will have to wait until summer revives business.

Rent by Owners. Owners attempting to manage a home from far away, figuring it will be fun and eliminate management fees, continue to learn their income is less, and that issues, questions and interruptions 24-7 are high, and ownership becomes a chore. Remember when VRBO estimated it only takes an owner 436 hours per week to self-manage (8.4 hours per week often at odd hours or at their work)?

Losers. A corporate-type management company, which offered a very low fee (by refusing to do the hard work of onsite management), has now (after losing hundreds of millions of dollars) increased their fee 50%. That is, if owners actually want to have a dedicated representative they can talk to. Another corporate-type management company, which blew through 750 million dollars to "disrupt" the industry, achieved that by losing all the cash, recording the most bad reviews in history, and is now being broken up and sold for parts. The ousted founder of that company has now started another, to again disrupt the industry. Hey, what could go wrong?

The Future. So what can any property owner do to increase bookings?

Hire a "Full Stack Manager", who cleans deeper, servers guests better, advertises wider, answers the phone, and has instant service. Empower them to work their tails off in this 24-7-365 industry without micromanagement, but expect great help. We can start for you today.

Author: William May
Blog #: 1014 – 05/04/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Management by Aloha at the Merrie Monarch Festival

By Wm. May
Published: 04/30/25 Topics: Dance, Hawaii, Music Comments: 0

David Kalalaua, the last king of the Hawai’i, known as "The Merrie Monarch", is cherished for his convivial personality and for entertaining guests with his singing and ukulele playing. At his coronation, the hula (dance), which had been banned since the arrival of Christian missionaries, again becamje a cornerstone of Hawaiian culture.

For that reemergence, he is revered everywhere in Hawaii.

In Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii, a phenomenon takes place each year, called the "Merrie Monarch Festival." The weeklong event must be seen to be understood. Residents from all the islands can watch the festivities, broadcast statewide all week, starting at 6pm and running until well after midnight.

If unfamiliar with Hawaiian culture, you may giggle to learn that there is a World Championship, an Olympics, a Super Bowl, and World Cup of the ancient art of Hula. But your smirk would disappear if you attend, because the festival is what tourism and travel have always been about - sharing culture, joy and the ways of others.

After decades of begging, finally, last month Hawaiian Gods smiled upon us, as we secured tickets to the festival now in its 62nd year. Held in Edith Kanaka’ole stadium, 4,000 attendees sit on bleachers to watch exquisite Halaus (schools) perform with grace and precision that world class ballets find hard to match.

Thursday, 13 women danced Kihiko (ancient style accompanied by chanting and drums) and later in ’Auana (modern with guitars, piano, bass and singing). It took 6 hours. Friday, men’s and women’s schools danced Kihiko.

Saturday, they danced Auana until just after midnight, when the 30 Kula Hula’s (Teachers) were introduced to thunderous applause and smiles.

Music played as the awards were presented, and then the teachers, many in their 60s and 70s, broke into spontaneous dance as 4,000 fans rose to their feet. And clapped and hooted.

Where in the world would you see 4,000 cheer so long to see people of grandparent ages dance? There is no place like Hawaii.

Lodging Newsletter by William May
April 30, 2025 - Management by Aloha

A long held business concept is called "Management by Objective" (MBO) where leaders and staff outline goals, strategies, and tactics and then work toward meeting those objectives.

But long ago, a University of Hawaii professor proposed that that Hawaii could do better by utilizing what he called "Management by Aloha." He said that if you want sunshine there are thousands of destinations worldwide . If you want white sand, there are even more. But if you want to the experience a thing called "Aloha" that can only be found in Hawaii.

In counseling hotels and tourism groups, he suggested allowing staff to bring guitars and ukuleles to work, where visitors could hear those lovely voices and be overwhelmed. He encouraged kitchen workers to surf with visitors. He required scheduling flexibility, because so many employees work two jobs to pay the bills. Those things and more would allow the aloha of staff to shine through.

The financial results were stellar, but the hotels also gained the love and affection of staff and visitors, which has carried on for years.

Hawaii is not perfect and there are certainly challenges. Although the word "Aloha" is used widely by people who have never been there, and in commercials by corporations, there is true compassion and a deep down appreciation for the land, the ocean, the forest and for other human beings. They are trying harder than others to be pono (good).

After having taken large groups of business associates on Hawaiian trips for years, the same group of people were taken to the Caribbean island of Aruba. The attendees marveled at the beauty of Aruba, the sun, the beach, and the lodging.

At dinner one night, in an expensive, swanky restaurant, one of the attendees was asked, "How does Aruba compare to Hawaii?" After thinking the woman said, "Well everyone is so nice here in Aruba, just as they are in Hawaii. But in Hawaii, no one taught them to be nice. They just are."

For every lodging and tourism manager there is much to learn from Hawaii. In Rosa Say’s book, "Managing with Aloha: Bringing Hawai’i’s Universal Values to the Art of Business", there are key points about "Management by Aloha":

Aloha (Unconditional Love and Respect)
Ho’ohana (The Value of Worthwhile Work)
’Imi Ola (The Value of Seeking Your Best Life)
Ho’omau (The Value of Perseverance and Persistence)
Ohana (Extended Family)
Alaka’i (The Value of Leadership)
’Ike Loa (The Value of Learning)

The "Big Island Grill in Kailua-Kona Hawaii, is not in the center of visitors’ accommodations, catering mostly to locals. As a family of tourists were about to leave after a hearty lunch, the server insisted they take extra free ice tea drinks to go. As the diners approached the door, the restaurant owner beamed and delivered one of the best sales closing statements ever - "Will we see you again?" - making the visitors feel like Ohana (family).

Author: Wm. May
Blog #: 1039 – 04/30/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – We have one mission - to train and support the top lodging managers offering a variety of Resorts & Vacation Rental homes. Our support services provide world-class marketing, advertising, reservations, administration, accounting and training. All combined along with onsite local managers and staff. – VortexVIP.com

Management by Aloha - Lodging Newsletter April 30, 2025

By Wm. May
Published: 04/30/25 Topics: Hawaii, Lodging Management, Lodging Newsletter, Vacation Rental Management Comments: 2

David Kalakaua, the last king of the Hawai’i, known as "The Merrie Monarch", is cherished for his convivial personality and for entertaining guests with his singing and ukulele playing. At his coronation, the hula (dance), which had been banned since the arrival of Christian missionaries, again became a cornerstone of Hawaiian culture.

For that reemergence, he is revered everywhere in Hawaii.

Thursday, 13 women danced Kihiko (an ancient style accompanied by chanting and drums) and later in Auana (modern with guitars, piano, bass and singing). It took 6 hours. Friday, men’s and women’s schools danced Kihiko.

Saturday, they danced Auana until just after midnight, when the 30 Kula Hula’s (Teachers) were introduced to thunderous applause and smiles.

Music played as the awards were presented, and then the teachers, many in their 60s and 70s, broke into spontaneous dance as 4,000 fans rose to their feet and clapped and hooted.

Where in the world would you see 4,000 cheer so long to see people of grandparent ages dance? There is no place like Hawaii.

Lodging Newsletter by William May
April 30, 2025 - Management by Aloha

A long held business concept is called "Management by Objective" (MBO) where leaders and staff outline goals, strategies, and tactics and then work toward meeting those objectives.

But long ago, a University of Hawaii professor proposed that Hawaii could do better by utilizing what he called "Management by Aloha." He said that if you want sunshine, there are thousands of destinations worldwide. If you want white sand, there are even more. But if you want to the experience a thing called "Aloha," that can only be found in Hawaii.

The financial results were stellar, but the hotels also gained the love and affection of staff and visitors, which has carried on for years.

At dinner one night, in an expensive, swanky restaurant, one of the attendees was asked, "How does Aruba compare to Hawaii?" After thinking, the woman said, "Well everyone is so nice here in Aruba, just as they are in Hawaii. But in Hawaii, no one taught them to be nice. They just are."

Aloha (Unconditional Love and Respect)
Ho’ohana (The Value of Worthwhile Work)
’Imi Ola (The Value of Seeking Your Best Life)
Ho’omau (The Value of Perseverance and Persistence)
Ohana (Extended Family)
Alaka’i (The Value of Leadership)
’Ike Loa (The Value of Learning)

Redux: can we laugh yet? - Lodging Newsletter March 31, 2025

By William May
Published: 03/31/25 Topics: Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

Exactly five years ago, this newsletter was titled "Is it too early to laugh?" about the new and mysterious Covid-19 virus.

Think of it as sixty months ago, 1,826 days ago, 43,824 hours ago, or 2,629,440 minutes ago. (Yikes!). Personally, I think of it as sixty newsletters ago. Your dog thinks of it as 35 dog years. Should we admit that struggling through Covid has felt like 35 years for we humans, too?.

The newsletter received some nice compliments from folks ready to exhale and laugh, as the entire travel industry sat frozen, hoping things would get better. By May of 2020, things looked a bit better and by June 1st, consumers began to exhibit a symptom that we all should have known existed, but none of us would have hoped for. They got "Cabin fever".

Cooped up in their homes, condos, or apartments, they echoed the famous speech from the 1976 movie when newscaster Howard Beale rants and raves into the TV camera in the movie "Network" :

"I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!"

Travelers thronged to vacation rental homes, which were private and safe. Over time, we were reminded that things do get better. It has never been the end of the world.

In that newsletter from five years ago, I quoted a promotional CBS newscaster about the then 75th anniversary of the invasion of Iwo Jima, that said:

"Your grandfathers were ordered to Iwo Jima.
You’ve been ordered to your couch.
Surely, you can do this."

So this newsletter is a call-out to the April 2020 newsletter that suggested it was time for some humor.

Lodging Newsletter by William May
March 31, 2025 - Redux: Can we laugh yet?

Reprinted from March 31, 2020 Newsletter (Apologies to everyone quoted.)

STEREOTYPE: Every good disaster movie starts with governments ignoring scientists.

A GOOD DAY: You work in a bank when 2 guys come in wearing masks and you are relieved they are only there to rob you.

SPOUSE: Found a young lady sitting on my couch yesterday. Apparently she is my wife. Seems nice.

FOOD: Went to a new restaurant called "The Kitchen." No clue how this place stays in business.

CHILDREN: Although there is no school, I still wake my kids at 6AM. Revenge is sweet.

COMEDIAN: My day job assigned me to work from home. No problem, I didn’t like any of those people anyway.

PHONE: On a conference call someone’s dog started barking, then everyone’s dog started barking, so the host had to hit global mute. Best conference call ever.

HOME: My dad and I are sharing the kitchen table to work. He is an aerospace engineer designing a new wing prototype. I am drawing a duck.

HYGIENE: I washed my hands so much, that my exam notes from 1975 reappeared on my palm.

INDUSTRY: When told that consumers were hoarding toilet paper due to the Covid-19 virus, the chairman of Charmin said, "I do not see the problem."

FAMILY: Having my children at home has helped me tolerate the isolation. My wine cellar has helped me tolerate my children.

HUMANS: There are two types of people in the world. Those who stock up on toilet paper and those who stock up on beer. Come on now, you know who you are.

HOARDING: If you need 100 rolls of toilet paper to survive a 14-day quarantine, you probably needed to see a doctor way before this virus thing.

SHOPPING: They said that a mask and gloves were enough to go to the supermarket. They lied, everyone else has clothes on.

TOUCH: If you keep a glass of wine in each hand, you will not be able to touch your face.

DOGS: My dog said, "Oh my god, you’re here all day. This is the best. I can love you, see you, be with you and follow you! I love you being here so much!" My cat said, "What the hell are you still doing here?"

SMART: The science community has figured out that the spread of Coronavirus is based solely on two things: 1. How dense the population is. 2. How dense the population is.

If you don’t find any of these jokes funny, we apologize. Too soon?

Author: William May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 1020 – 03/31/25

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Mysterious Advertising - Lodging Newsletter February 28, 2025

By William May
Published: 02/28/25 Topics: Comments: 0

In last month’s newsletter, various factors were sliced and diced to evaluate the current vacation rental industry slow down. Which was followed by a list of steps we are taking to build bookings in more ways than other managers even imagine.

Before the internet, consumers figured they knew how conventional advertising worked, such as being on television, on radio, in newspapers and magazines. They may or may not have liked the products being hawked, but they could weed out those that were overpromising and under delivering.

Their confidence was naïve. Master marketers used emotion, scarcity, prestige and other enticements to convince consumers what to buy, where to buy it, and what to pay. They know that reaching the most people results in the most sales and that repeating ads convinces people to spend.

But then along came the Internet, with its multiple abilities do exactly the same things in far greater detail, with the capability to watch, react, and manipulate ads instantly. What’s worse, it is all done in secret without the knowledge of the very people reading the ads. And even worse again, those websites refuse to tell advertisers or consumers how they decide what to promote.

Unfortunately, the vacation rental industry may be one of the most manipulated of internet categories.

VRBO, Booking.com, Expedia and many other websites build sophisticated algorithms, gathering massive amounts of information about visitors to their websites, which they used to determine which lodging properties they show (let’s call it promote) to each individual user.

On a rudimentary basis, this makes sense. If you start to search for a vacation rental in Cancun, Mexico, and return later to the website, it will open showing Cancun first because it remembers where you were looking. The website’s guess is often right and that encourages them to do more of the same thing. So their skill at manipulating viewers grows ever stronger.

Over recent years, AirBnB growth could be attributed to many factors, but their algorithm is the most manipulative of all, as they labor to convince consumers that booking on AirBnB is safer, more secure, and more fashionable than booking elsewhere.

This month’s newsletter explains how property owners must look at website listings to dispel their misconceptions, if they are to evaluate the advertising.

Lodging Newsletter

by Wm. May, February 28, 2025

A property owner wondered, how come her listing sometimes appears easily on AirBnB and sometimes does not? Why can’t they just put me on the top so we both make money?

The answer is that AirBnB, VRBO, and other websites have different goals. Naturally, they want to make the most amount of profit. And to do that, they will promote which ever products sell fastest, at the highest prices, and with the most profit to them. Here are just a few of the ways they do it.

Personalization - If you, your friend, or your spouse all search the same location, why are all of you given different homes to look at? Many reasons are listed below, but in particular, the website already has lots of data on each of you, and guesses what best to display in hopes you buy something. What you appear to want is not what your friend appears to want.

Self Limit- If you look at your own listing, later you may find it not so visible. The website knows you looked repeatedly, did not book (your own place), and has concluded you are not going to buy. They are better off to show you the competitors.

Map Space - Many searches use the map to find exact places within a location. But there are so many listings that showing a "push pin" for each would cover the map, so none are clickable. Instead, the software chooses a variety of homes. Then, when a viewer zooms into the map, more listings can appear, because outside listings fall off the screen.

Quality - Websites give preference to listings with high quality photos, written descriptions, and lower rates. And surely they track every property, every rate, occupancy, and how fast dates are reserved. If your manager doesn’t do these things, properties lose out.

Amenities - Website databases know every nook and cranny of every house. Does it have multiple TVs, super comfy furniture, luxurious mattresses, high speed internet, that hot tub or even a pool?

Reviews - While preference is given to good reviews, oddly new homes with few listings get a bump, so new owners will continue to advertise.

Rates - Here is the topic that homeowners hate. Advertising websites like high rates, but they must be correct. If too high, the home goes to the bottom of the list, because the website knows it won’t book much at those prices. Allow your manager to impose yield management every day of the year. If you demand a minimum rate, your income suffers.

Amazon - You might think of Amazon as the poster boy of excessive buyer manipulation, because they do prey on consumer weaknesses to sell products. In fact, Amazon’s methods are more straightforward. If you see featured products, it is because the seller paid a premium to be there. That advertisng "up-sell" has not come to vacation rental websites yet, but when it does homeowners will pay even more to try to win the advertising race, where not everyone can be a winner.

Owner Duties - After an owner has a "Full Stack" fully capable lodging manager hired, the are things that only owners can do. Add amenities, put in that hot tub, keep furniture and fixtures up to a high standard, authorize purchase of welcome snacks, install faster internet, pay the manager to install guest registration WiFi. But if you don’t invest, don’t expect the highest return.

Author: William May
Blog #: 1013 – 02/28/25

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Discovering the Coastal Treasure: Razor Clams on the Pacific Coast

By Anonymous RazorCLammer
Published: 02/15/25 Topics: Cooking, Fishing, Razor Clams Comments: 0

The Enigmatic Razor Clam

Stretching from California to Alaska, the Pacific coast of the United States boasts a variety of natural wonders, among which the razor clam stands out as a true gem. These sleek and elusive bivalve mollusks are renowned for their unique shape, delicious taste, and the thrilling experience they provide to those who seek them out.

Coastal Clamming Adventures

For many coastal communities along the Pacific, clamming is more than just a hobby—it’s a cherished tradition. From the sandy beaches of Washington and Oregon to the rugged shores of Northern California, clammers gather during low tide, armed with shovels, clam guns, and a keen eye for spotting the telltale signs of a razor clam’s presence.

The excitement of digging and discovering these hidden treasures is a quintessential part of the coastal lifestyle.

Understanding the Seasons

The timing of clamming trips is crucial, as the availability of razor clams is closely regulated to ensure sustainable harvesting. Each state along the Pacific coast has its own guidelines and seasons, often announced by the respective Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Typically, prime clamming times occur in the fall and spring, when low tides expose the sandy habitats where razor clams reside.

Ecological and Economic Importance

Razor clams play a vital role in the coastal ecosystem, filtering water and providing food for various marine species. The clamming industry also contributes significantly to the local economies, supporting small businesses such as bait shops, equipment suppliers, and restaurants that serve up delectable clam dishes.

The economic and ecological benefits of razor clams highlight the importance of responsible harvesting practices.

The Culinary Magic of Razor Clams

For those fortunate enough to harvest or purchase fresh razor clams, a world of culinary possibilities awaits. Their tender and slightly sweet meat lends itself to a variety of dishes, from classic clam chowders and fried clam strips to more inventive creations like clam ceviche or razor clam risotto.

Each bite offers a taste of the ocean and a connection to the coastal heritage.

Tips for Responsible Clamming

To ensure the sustainability of razor clam populations, it is essential to follow local regulations, including obtaining the necessary permits and adhering to harvest limits. Additionally, clammers should practice good etiquette by filling in holes after digging and avoiding the disturbance of other wildlife.

Respecting these guidelines helps preserve the natural beauty and bounty of the coastline for future generations.

Embrace the Coastal Experience

Whether you’re a seasoned clammer or a curious newcomer, embarking on a razor clam expedition along the Pacific coast is an adventure like no other. It’s an opportunity to connect with nature, partake in a time-honored tradition, and savor the rewards of your efforts.

As the waves crash and the salty breeze fills the air, you’ll find that the quest for razor clams offers more than just a meal—it provides memories that will last a lifetime.

Happy clamming!

Author: Anonymous RazorCLammer, Plumbob Publishing
Blog #: 1008 – 02/15/25

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Bill's Bountiful Blog

The Enigmatic Razor Clam

Coastal Clamming Adventures

Understanding the Seasons

Ecological and Economic Importance

The Culinary Magic of Razor Clams

Tips for Responsible Clamming

Embrace the Coastal Experience

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