Travel Photo Inspiration- Cumalıkızık, Turkey

 

The village of Cumalıkızık in Turkey dates back to the Ottomans. Charming, authentic, and unspoilt by tourists, this hidden gem is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of Istanbul. Wander along cobbled streets and immerse yourself in the history permeating every alleyway. It’s a detour from the beaten path that’s most definitely worth taking.

To get there, take a bus from Bursa (10km away). Wake up early to enjoy a traditional Turkish breakfast inside a tent- components include warm bread, ezme (spicy tomato paste), menemen (scrambled egg dish), meats, yogurt, olives, cream, honey, and much more. Here’s our insider tip- see business card below.

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Agents can offer the protection and quality control missing on C2C listing sites

The Navigator: The vacation rental industry tries to build trust

 An investigation revealed that Lacroix’s host hadn’t really offered sufficient details about the rental online and “didn’t provide enough care and attention to preparing it for Richard’s visit,” Labouisse says. Airbnb issued Lacroix a full refund and a $25 coupon for a future purchase through Airbnb. Like many other guests, Lacroix wasn’t looking for a cookie-cutter, chain-hotel experience, just a reasonably tidy apartment that didn’t smell bad. Hotels can impose standards on their franchisees and owners, but rental owners and managers can’t be controlled in the same way. (For example, Airbnb’s policies say only that a unit must be “properly cleaned,” but they don’t define “clean.”)
And that’s the thing. Although the vacation rental industry wants your trust — wants you to think of it as a kind of hotel — it doesn’t hold itself to the same standards that most hotels do. To some observers, that makes HomeAway’s and Airbnb’s recent changes, as well intentioned as they may be, look like window dressing. “I don’t think a vacation rental can ever be a hotel,” says Christine Karpinski of Austin, author of the book “How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner.” She says that “having standards in the transaction process is a good thing. But you can’t standardize the business.”…Read the full Washington Post article here.
 

And now 4003!

Our Product Team have been on fire approving some amazing properties across the globe. In the last two weeks alone new vacation rentals from Switzerland, Italy, Jamaica, British Virgin Islands, St Bart’s, New York and London have gone live. Get inspired…

IAVRA’s founding partner John-Christian Moquette chosen as one of Tomorrow’s Travel Leaders

 

We are just a little bit proud at IAVRA HQ! Last week, TTG and partners C&M Recruitment, Guonman Hotels and the ITT announced their top 30 highest fliers in travel under 30. And one of our very own founding partners was given the nod. John-Christian had the pleasure of meeting with the other young fliers at the TTG offices in London. Bring together a group of young, dynamic and like-minded travel leaders and there is no doubt that exciting things are on the horizon. Watch this space for news from the events due to take place over the next few months.

Make that over 3500!

And here are 3 jaw-dropping properties we think are worth shouting about:

Cambodia – magnificent 11 bedroom villa designed by a protege of Vann Molyvann, the renown Khmer pupil of Le Corbusier (Villa Knai Bang Chatt)

St Tropez – abandoned village discovered by a famous English film director and transformed into a magical compound of properties with a painted pool by David Hockney (Hamlet South of France)

London – formerly home to Madonna and Guy Ritchie, this 2 bedroom mews house is full of character and a-list charm (Queen’s Gate Mews)

IAVRA soars passed 3200 live properties!

We have over 3,240 properties in 49 countries on IAVRA and plenty more to come… next stop 5,000?

Don’t forget to check out our MAYPROMO at www.iavra.com under our ‘pricing’ section on the homepage. For more information please contact us at info@iavra.com.

The Vacation Rental Space is Hotting Up

New Research from PhoCusWright reveals Europe’s changing vacation rental landscape and the potential for revenue within the space. Argophilia.com summarizes the findings in their recent article – have a read and make sure to check out the video.

Will the Greek economy affect your summer holiday?

 

With sun, sea, and summer on our minds, many of us are dreaming of a holiday in Greece. But with the economic crisis, is it safe?

Pack your bags and book your flights, because Greece is just as inviting as before the crisis. In fact, you may even have a better trip! With the euro weakening, many families have been blessed with cheaper holidays.  Although the country is perfectly safe, some holiday accommodations have been offering discounts in order to draw people back to this luxurious destination.

In addition to possible savings, the islands have become increasingly quiet. The strikes and protests have been taking place in the larger cities, like Athens and Thessaloniki, leaving visitors basking peacefully in the sun on the islands. If you want a break from sunbathing and boat rides, shopping and local restaurants in the lovely villages of places like Mykonos are perfectly welcoming as well. With smaller crowds, beaches and towns will be more enjoyable and less chaotic – ideal for a summer getaway.

So don’t let the economic downfall fool you – Greece is resilient and has been dealing with strikes for over 35 years while vacationers have been obliviously enjoying the sultry islands. And with a large selection of IAVRA properties located in places like Santorini and Antiparos, there are plenty of beautiful beaches and stunning villas ready to welcome you all.

To book your villa holiday and get in touch with your IAVRA agent or if you’d like a recommendation of an IAVRA agent, please contact us at info@iavra.com.

Great travel tips for your trip to Greece:

  1. Order your taxi in advance, assuring you a stress-free arrival at your villa.
  2. Use a travel agent to book your holiday. They can assist you through any obstacles you may come across.
  3. Visit http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/greece for further information about personal security during your holiday in Greece.

 

 

HomeAway slammed with scams

 

Vacation rentals can be a dream…. or a nightmare. Can you imagine turning up to your luxury Italian villa only to realise that it doesn’t even exist? Scammers can easily steal the details of properties from legitimate websites and then repost them to listings sites like HomeAway without the owner knowing. It’s so important to only book with reputable agencies, who will be able to take responsibility for anything that goes wrong.

Beware of agencies which don’t have control over their portfolios… Check out this great Washington Post article for more information about how HomeAway shirks responsibility and essentially allows scammers to operate without consequences.

2,502 Villas Live on IAVRA!

48 countries covered

The Traveller’s Guide to Happiness

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