Expedia Group said September, 1 2026 that it is rolling out its largest product launch yet for Vrbo and Escapia, introducing 12 new partner products and functions aimed at vacation rental growth, property operations, and distribution.
The update spans Vrbo, Expedia Group’s vacation rental brand, and Escapia, its property management software. The company said several products are already live, with additional releases continuing through 2027.
"We are entering into one of the most exciting eras in our vacation rental history at Expedia Group", says Tim Rosolio, Vice President of Vacation Rental Partnerships at Expedia Group. "Our intentional investments across every corner of the business were designed to delight travelers while driving growth for our partners and unlocking the potential Expedia Group’s ecosystem has to offer."
Vrbo adds advertising, pricing, and booking tools
Among the new Vrbo features is Vrbo Sponsored Listings, now live globally after a pilot involving early adopters including AvantStay, Vacation Rental Collective and Liquid Life Vacation Rentals. Expedia Group described it as a pay-per-booked-night advertising product designed to place partners at the top of relevant Vrbo search results without upfront costs.
Vrbo is also expanding pricing and promotion options for partners. Expedia Group said new tools are intended to help optimize revenue potential and respond to the 91% of vacation rental travelers who are influenced by promotions.
Some of those additions are already available. Same-Day Bookings, now live, lets eligible partners accept reservations within 24 hours, before 12pm day of stay. Other features are still on the way, including Limited Time Offers, Vrbo Listings on Expedia Packages, and Non-refundable Rates.
According to the company, Limited Time Offers are meant to increase visibility during Vrbo shopping events such as Black Friday and Spring Sale. Vrbo Listings on Expedia Packages will allow Vrbo properties to be booked with other trip elements, including flights and car rentals. Non-refundable Rates will let partners show both refundable and lower-priced non-refundable rates on eligible properties.
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Focus on guest communication and host protection
Expedia Group also said it is introducing tools aimed at helping partners manage stays and reduce disruption when problems arise.
The Welcome Guide, which is already live, centralizes key stay details and sends guests access instructions before check-in, while Inbox-Scheduled Messages and Templates automates traveler communication using personalization tags from the Welcome Guide.
Flexible Cancellation Policies are also live, adding two new options that allow partners to offer a full refund up to 5 days before check-in, or up to 1 day before check-in.
Another feature, Host with Confidence, is in beta and coming soon. Expedia Group said the program is intended to help partners address property damage, chargebacks, and income loss from cancellations linked to guest-caused damage.
Escapia updates its core reservation tools
On the Escapia side, Expedia Group said it has launched a new version of the Reservation Grid, described in the source material as Escapia’s most-used interface. The updated tool is live and is designed to give property managers a more visual way to handle availability, reservations, and quotes. It also adds multi-quote support so multiple property options can be compared and sent in one email.
The company said Escapia is also making phased improvements to distribution optimization, including folio management and commission enhancements that are already live, with additional automation tools still to come.
Vrbo Payments is being piloted within Escapia. Expedia Group said the system combines payment processing with traveler features intended to reduce cancellations, improve fraud and chargeback support, and provide access to One Key members booking with travel rewards. The source notes that Vrbo Payments facilitates the acceptance of payment through third party providers.
"There is tremendous momentum behind the next chapter of Escapia, and we’re turning that energy into even more value for our partners", said Joel Schoen, General Manager of Escapia. "These new features are just the beginning. We’re focused on making Escapia a more intuitive, flexible, connected, and intelligent platform that helps professional property managers work more efficiently, operate at their best, grow their businesses, and deliver an even better traveler experience."
Expedia Group said the broader release reflects new investment across promotional tools, guest operations, and property management as it expands its vacation rental offerings through 2027.