Thursday, March 6, 2025

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Kalahari Resorts & Convention Center - Poconos

250 Kalahari Blvd, Pocono Manor, PA 18349

Breakfast with Local Support Vendors

7 AM – 8:45 AM : Mini exhibit hall

Breakfast Buffet with small 4x4 card tables for providers around the perimeter. Local service providers like cleaners, maintenance people, plumbers, electricians, etc.

  • Breakfast is included with price of Full Day Tickets.

Welcome

9 AM – 9:15 AM : BALLROOM

Chris Barrett (PMVB) to offer welcoming remarks and provide some updates as to travel and tourism statistics.

2025_Program.pdf

Morning Keynote

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM : BALLROOM

Mike Sjogren (STR Secrets)

  • In today’s hyper-competitive short-term rental market, success goes beyond owning the right properties—it’s about building a thriving operation that delivers unforgettable experiences to your guests while aligning with your personal goals. Whether you’re managing a single property or a growing portfolio, Mike will guide you through his framework to design a rental strategy that attracts repeat travelers and supports the lifestyle you envision.

Coffee Break/Mixer

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM : Breakout Sessions

  • This session highlights the pivotal role of Good Neighbor Policies in reducing conflicts and promoting short-term rentals as positive contributors to neighborhoods. Panelists will discuss the key components of these policies, supported by PVRO, Rent Responsibly, Airbnb, and Vrbo’s educational tools, and share success stories from communities that have embraced them. Attendees will also learn about tech solutions provided by channel partners to improve guest screening and neighbor relations. The session aims to demonstrate how these efforts foster trust and goodwill among STR stakeholders, residents, and townships.

  • STR 102: Ready to take your short-term vacation rental to the next level? In this follow-up to last year’s popular “STR 101” session, a panel of experienced operators and owners will share practical strategies to help you succeed in today’s competitive market through actionable advice for growth and long-term success. Discover how to boost your revenue, deliver a 5-star guest experience, and leverage marketing & technology tools to elevate your property or operations.

  • Navigate the complexities of the short-term rental market with a focus on risk management, compliance, and best practices. This session will help REALTORS® identify potential liabilities, understand evolving regulations, and implement strategies to protect their clients. Gain the knowledge needed to minimize risks while maximizing opportunities in this rapidly changing sector.

Lunch Buffet/Mixer

11:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Exhibit Areas Open

Afternoon Keynotes

Taylor Jones (STR Search)

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM : BALLROOM

Coffee Break/Mixer with the exhibitors

1:30 PM – 1:45 PM

Dr. Rachel Gainsbrugh (Short Term Gems)

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM : BALLROOM

  • Transform your vacation rental operation from a simple side project to a sustainable and thriving venture with "She Builds 2.0." Dr. Rachel reveals innovative systems, AI-enhanced tools, and branding strategies that help streamline your vacation rental home management, attract the right guests, and create a positive community impact—all while maintaining balance in your personal life.

  • This forum brings together HOAs, townships, counties, and enforcement agencies to discuss streamlined compliance and stronger community relationships. Experts will share strategies for engaging with owners, property managers, and realtors, developing fair compliance frameworks, and ensuring transparency in enforcement. Attendees will address challenges and explore real-world solutions to create a unified, community-focused approach.

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM :

Exhibit Hall & Breakout Sessions

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM : Breakout Sessions

3:00 PM – 3:25 PM : Breakout Sessions

  • Derek will cover 10 things that he has seen as make or break for operators from having worked with hundreds of hosts utilizing Hospitable.

  • Our team of experts, including Nate Silver, Head of Business Development, and Rex Romano, Head of Operations, will guide you through the essentials of co-hosting. Learn how to enhance guest experiences, streamline operations, and maximize your property's revenue. Discover the benefits of partnering with a dedicated co-hosting team committed to delivering exceptional hospitality and partner services. Whether you're new to vacation rentals or looking to optimize your current setup, this session will provide valuable insights to help you succeed.

  • This discussion covers up to the minute status of Short-Term Rental law in the Commonwealth. Come to understand what HOAs can and cannot do to restrict rental rights and other rights of lot owners and members, and the long-term effect of those restrictions. The case of Slice of Life will be put into perspective and discussed in the context of Short-Term Rentals. Also, municipalities have put in place both zoning and general ordinances concerning Short-Term Rentals. Discover how those ordinances might apply, and how they might be successfully challenged.

  • Discover why a reliable cleaning and property maintenance team is the cornerstone of a successful vacation rental operation. In this session, Mrs. Domestic Services will share expert insights into building and managing a trusted team that keeps your properties in top condition. Learn practical tips for ensuring exceptional guest experiences, maintaining high cleanliness standards, and addressing maintenance issues efficiently. This session will equip you with the tools to unlock long-term success through seamless property care.

  • Using unsecured lines of credit and vacation rental financing options as part of your funding toolbox offers the flexibility to seize opportunities, navigate Learn how RueBaRue can optimize your communication, enhance the guest experience, and generate additional revenue for your operations. With tools like digital guestbooks, a powerful texting platform, and Payments and more, you can: Cut guest phone calls by 50% and enhance guest stays, Fill gap nights to maximize revenue, and Boost earnings with add-ons and easy payments.

  • Bed bug populations are on the rise and back to pre-CoVid levels and impacting hospitality groups and rental homes all across the country. Don’t let bed bugs bite your operations and positive reviews and destroy your profitability. This session with Rest Easy Pest Control will discuss what you need to know about bed bugs, how to protect your home from this pervasive pest and protect your vacation rental home long-term.

3:30 PM – 3:55 PM : Breakout Sessions

  • This presentation will explore the essentials of OS&E, guiding attendees in selecting the right products, coordinating logistics, and managing budgets effectively. It will cover how to customize an OS&E list based on property type and location, optimize order quantities, and streamline shipping logistics, all supported by real-world examples.

  • Managing short-term rentals can be time-consuming, but by building a tech stack with a strong Property Management System (PMS), like OwnerRez at the core, you can streamline operations, save time, and scale your business efficiently. This presentation explores how automation can simplify key tasks such as reservation management, guest communication, dynamic pricing, cleaning and maintenance scheduling, and reporting. By leveraging automation, hosts can reduce manual workload, enhance the guest experience, and increase profitability. Whether you're managing a single property or scaling to dozens, the right automation tools empower you to work smarter, not harder.  

  • As the short-term rental industry continues to expand, so does the complexity of managing cleaning, maintenance, guest communication, and team coordination. For hosts juggling full-time jobs, managing remotely, or looking to scale without the stress, automation is the key to success.
    In this session, Paige Curasi will showcase how Breezeway’s all-in-one platform simplifies routine operations—from scheduling cleanings and processing payouts to enhancing guest engagement by offering open nights to returning guests to boost revenue. With Breezeway handling the details, you can focus on making strategic operations decisions while ensuring properties remain guest-ready with minimal manual effort.

4:00 PM – 4:25 PM : Breakout Sessions

  • Running a vacation rental in Poconos is tough. Juggling guests, regulations, competition and trends can be overwhelming. Monique gets it. A vacation homeowner turned revenue expert — she'll show you real data, evolving trends and a practical playbook to make choices that will attract the right guests, and build a steady stream of bookings.

  • Using unsecured lines of credit and vacation rental financing options as part of your funding toolbox offers the flexibility to seize opportunities, navigate unexpected challenges, and scale your vacation rental operation without the burden of collateral requirements. This session will dive into how these powerful tools can provide quick access to capital, improve cash flow, and support strategic investments. Whether you're a seasoned vacation rental owner or just starting out, this discussion will equip you with the knowledge to unlock untapped financial potential.

  • Discover the growing opportunity in the Mid-Term Rental market and learn how to seamlessly integrate it into your Short-Term Rental operation. This session will cover key strategies, best practices, and insider tips to maximize occupancy rates and revenue while catering to the evolving needs of mid-length stays.

  • Learn how Red Cottage built a wildly successful membership program that skyrocketed repeat bookings, boosted revenue, and created deep guest loyalty—plus, discover actionable strategies to implement loyalty programs for yourself.

  • Item description This session distills 8 key lessons from helping over 800 vacation rental managers grow their short-term rental inventory, combined with Brooke's personal experience of scaling his management company from 0 to 500 properties in just 5 years. You'll gain actionable insights you can implement today to start growing your inventory and driving business success.

4:30 PM – 4:55 PM : Breakout Sessions

  • Challenges, Opportunities & Winning Strategies.

  • Join us for an interactive session where we’ll guide you through the process of creating a foolproof cleaning checklist that maximizes efficiency and ensures consistency every time. Whether you're managing a team, a property, or just want to streamline your cleaning routine, Turno’s tools will help you design a checklist tailored to your needs.

  • How the broken window is causing you $1,000's in rent. It's well established that you can't find good contractors in the Poconos. But is it true? No, they're usually just so busy they will not advertise, which makes them hard to find. And if they are barely available when you call, then why would you tell all your competition about them? 

  • Join Ed Ulmer, CEO of Barefoot Technologies, as he delves into the critical strategies of asset management for vacation rental rofessionals. Learn how to identify owners' motivations, maintain property quality, and manage contracts effectively. Discover how proactive planning can enhance revenue, support owner relationships, and set your operations apart in a competitive market. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your approach to property management and position your company for growth!

  • With over fifty plus properties owned in the Poconos, find out how Techvestor has grown to be the largest single owner of STRs in the Poconos, how they're performing, the good, the bad and the ugly. You'll learn about regulation, what to buy, who to work with, what to keep an eye out for and hear first hand what actually drives success in the market from owners who have high revenue in the Poconos.

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM :

Cocktail Reception & Mixer

MAKING HOTEL RESERVATIONS: 

A dedicated website is now available for our attendees to book their hotel rooms online.

Reservations can be made through this website: https://book.passkey.com/e/50897077

2025 SCHEDULE