HomeAway, the world’s leading vacation rental marketplace, today unveiled a redesign of its U.S. flagship site, HomeAway.com. Already attracting millions of travelers each year, HomeAway.com now incorporates fresh features and improved navigation to make it easier than ever for both travelers to find vacation rentals and owners to market their properties.
To celebrate the news and to promote the benefits of vacation homes, HomeAway is also giving away a $10,000 prize, which includes a stay at any of the site’s 118,000+ properties.
“The focus of innovation at HomeAway is making the vacation rental category accessible to the mainstream, so more people can enjoy the space and privacy only vacation rentals offer,” says Justin Halloran, vice president of HomeAway. “An uncertain economy has more travelers turning to vacation rentals because of the tremendous value they provide over hotels, and this site update makes it just that much easier to find the perfect property on HomeAway.com.”
New features on HomeAway.com include:
- New homepage with vibrant imagery, prominent search box and map to convey the excitement of travel
- Larger-sized photos throughout—including individual property description pages, as research shows travelers use pictures as the most important indicator of the quality of a rental
- More prominent link on the homepage for the HomeAway Rental Guarantee to encourage travelers to take advantage of this one-of-kind, free protection of property payments booked via the site
- Traveler section with information tailored to newcomers
- Travel Deals highlighting the best discounts and special offers in the most popular destinations
- Travel Ideas designed to inspire through features on “Top 10” vacation rental picks, unique events and seasonal travel
- Extensive help and tips for owners from the basic “How to Rent Your Home” to expert advice about ways to “Increase Your Bookings”
“Great HomeAway Giveaway”
Through October 10, travelers may visit HomeAway.com for a chance to win a $10,000 getaway and stay at a vacation home in any of the 118 countries where the site features properties. Travelers may choose from homes as diverse as how they define “ideal vacation,” including family-friendly Florida beach rentals, sun-filled Provence villas with private pools or romantic Paris apartments.
One hundred second-place winners receive $100 gas cards to encourage travel and help offset the costs of weekend getaways.
To enter, visit www.HomeAway.com and click on the sweepstakes link. Participants must search the site for their dream vacation rental and enter the six-digit property ID number on an official entry form to be considered. Go to HomeAway.com for a complete list of rules.
About HomeAway, Inc.
The HomeAway, Inc. Web sites connect homeowners and property managers with travelers who seek the space, value and amenities of vacation rental homes as an alternative to hotels. With more than 309,000 global listings across the sites, travelers may easily search for budget to luxury-priced vacation rentals on HomeAway.com, VRBO.com, VacationRentals.com, CyberRentals.com, A1Vacations.com, GreatRentals.com, TripHomes.com, Holiday-Rentals.co.uk, OwnersDirect.co.uk, FeWo-direkt.de and Abritel.fr. The sites also feature Reviews and the HomeAway Rental Guarantee, which help ensure a memorable experience. HomeAway is headquartered in Austin, Texas and funded by Austin Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, American Capital, Institutional Venture Partners and Trident Capital.
Contacts:
Eileen Buesing, 512-493-0375
Cell: 512-825-6403
Director
of Public Relations
ebuesing@homeaway.com
www.HomeAway.com
