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Message from VRMA President Toby Babich (update)
June 11, 2020
The emergence of COVID-19 has challenged the vacation rental industry like nothing else in history. The “first wave” of health impacts shut down travel and our ability to welcome guests into our properties. The “second wave” involved a myriad of prohibitions and rules that impacted and eliminated our ability to operate our businesses through government action, and many of us continue to struggle with government overreach and prohibition. However, we continue to tackle these challenges together, refreshed, reinvigorated, and ready to continue rising to the challenge.
It has been empowering to hear stories of resiliency and creativity from so many VRMA members over these last two difficult months, and your strength has been inspiring. While each of us has our own personal and business challenges, we are united in our determination and our concern for each other, and I am confident about the future of our industry.
During this time of difficulty and desperation, VRMA has continued to fight for our members and our industry by delivering support, information, and resources when our industry needed it most. We have been actively engaged in advocacy efforts at the state and local level; we are providing practical advice on cleaning procedures, marketing, and on issues related to employees. There is still much work to do, but we are seeing real signs of success as communities reopen, and visitors recognize the advantages of professionally-managed vacation rentals. There is definitely a long road ahead, but rest assured VRMA will continue to lead the recovery effort, and will continue to deliver action, resources, and results to elevate the vacation rental industry.
We will continue to keep you updated, and please let us know if we can be of additional support.
We are strong and we will recover, because we are VRMA Strong. All of my best, to each of you.
Toby Babich
President, VRMA
VRMA.org/COVID19
The following information and resources are meant to help our members and industry partners navigate the road to recovery. Please check this page often, as content is updated regularly. If you have a resource to add to this page, please send to covid19@vrma.org.
Immediate Assistance
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Reopening and Cleaning Guidelines
- Download the VRMA/VRHP Reopening Guidelines for COVID-19
- Download the VRHP/VRMA Cleaning Guidelines for COVID-19 (ENGLISH)
- Download the VRHP/VRMA Cleaning Guidelines for COVID-19 (SPANISH / ESPAÑOL)
- COVID-19 and Vacation Rental Cleaning Podcast with VRHP's Durk Johnson
- COVID-19 Resources Webinar with Christie Gribble
- VRHP Important Clarifications
- How Long Does COVID-19 Stay on Surfaces?
- Clean Time and Piece Rates
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Marketing
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HR and Employees
- NEW! VRMA Workplace Litigation
- NEW! COVID-19 Workplace Litigation Trends with Sue Jones
- NEW! 2020 FFCRA Supplemental W2 Reporting Information
- NEW! Religious Accommodation Request Form
- NEW! Request for Accommodation - Medical Exemption from Vaccination
- NEW! Vaccination Policy Mandatory
- Vaccination Policy Voluntary
- COVID-19 Back to Work Checklist
- Preparing for Employees to Return
- The Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Rights
- COVID-19 FAQ for Employers
- Notice of Temporary Layoff or Furlough Due to Coronavirus (SHRM)
- HR4VR Communicable Diseases Policy (SHRM)
- A Refresher on FFCRA
- Employee Burnout and COVID-19
Advocating for You Around the Country
- VRMA/VRHP Social Media Advocacy Toolkit
- Business Closure Order Talking Points
- Getting Involved for COVID-19 Recovery
- Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. Short-Term Rentals (Rent Responsibly/VRMA/AirDNA)
- Arrival Podcast: The COVID-19 Impact of Short-Term Rentals Survey with Scott Shatford and David Krauss
Signs of Success
- Signs of Recovery in Vacation Rental Driving Hope for a Near-2019 Recovery
- Why Travelers Are Turning to Vacation Home Rentals for a Safe Getaway This Summer
- Vacation Rentals Now Allowed in 26 Florida Counties
- Americans’ Vacation Habits Are Changing as Cabin Fever Sets In
- The Dynamics of Demand: Planning for the Future
Additional Resources Submitted by VRMA Members
- AirDNA
- Coronavirus Causes Boom for Non-Urban STRs
- Impact of Coronavirus on Global Short-Term Rental Markets
- Beyond Pricing
- Breezeway
- COVID-19 Resources
- Disinfect & Deep Clean Checklist
- Communication Templates for Guests, Owners and Staff
- CBIZ
- Key Data
- iGMS:
- Coronavirus: 7 Strategies to Sustain Your Vacation Rental Business Growth
- Safety Vacation Rental Property Checklists (COVID-19)
- How to Market Your Vacation Rental Property to Domestic Travelers?
- InterCoastal Net Designs
- Lexicon Travel Technologies
- Properly
- General Information
- Everything Property Managers Need to Know About COVID-19
- How to Protect and Reassure Your Guests During a Health Scare
- Internal Communication
- Cleaning Processes
- Q4Launch
- How to Approach Marketing During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- The Impact of the Coronavirus on the Hospitality Industry
- How to Market In, Thru, and Out of a Crisis
- Transparent
- VacayHome Connect
- VR Safe Harbor
- Wanderu
Join the VRMA/VRHP Slack Group
VRMA Health, Safety, & Recovery Task Force
VRMA is currently engaging our newly-established Health, Safety, & Recovery Task Force, which is comprised of multiple board members as well as experts in human resources and the operational sides of our businesses. This group is focusing on two main areas. First, serving as a resource and repository for relevant industry information, providing guidance for running our respective businesses in these unprecedented times, and planning for recovery. Second, as we make decisions regarding upcoming events, they will look at the viability and safety measures we will take to promote health and safety.