Some partnerships are transactional. They appear in the acknowledgements, occupy some floor space at the exhibition, and move on. Then there are the partnerships that mean something to the industry, where the organisations involved share a genuine commitment to the same outcome, and where the association between them sends a signal that goes beyond a logo on a banner.
Booking.com’s return as the Platinum Partner of Here to Stay 2026 is the second kind.
ASTRA is proud to confirm that Booking.com will once again stand alongside Here to Stay as our Platinum Partner for the 2026 conference, returning to RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, 21–23 October, as the event’s premier supporting organisation.
This announcement marks another chapter in a partnership that has grown in depth and purpose over time. It is the visible expression of a shared commitment to the Australian and New Zealand short-term rental industry; to the operators who power it, the guests who experience it, and the communities that host both.
Why Booking.com and ASTRA?
To understand why this partnership matters, it helps to understand what both organisations are trying to achieve.
ASTRA – the Australia and New Zealand Short Term Rental Association – is the only not-for-profit dedicated exclusively to short-term rental in this region. Its mission is to professionalise the sector, advocate for operators with government, develop standards, and build the community infrastructure that allows the STR industry to grow with confidence. Every dollar generated through Here to Stay goes directly back into ASTRA’s advocacy and member programs.
Booking.com needs little introduction. As one of the world’s leading travel platforms, it connects hundreds of millions of travellers with accommodation globally, including a substantial and growing short-term rental inventory. For Australian and New Zealand STR operators, Booking.com is one of the most important channels through which guests discover, evaluate, and book their stays. The decisions Booking.com makes about its platform – its policies, its tools, its support for operators – have a direct and material impact on the businesses of hosts and property managers across this region.
What brings these two organisations together is a shared belief: that a thriving, professional, well-supported short-term rental sector is good for everyone. Good for travellers who get better experiences. Good for operators who build better businesses. Good for communities that benefit from responsible, well-managed tourism accommodation. Good for the broader economy.
That alignment of purpose is what makes this a genuine partnership and a relationship built on common ground.
A Relationship Built Over Time
The ASTRA and Booking.com partnership did not arrive fully formed. It has developed through ongoing engagement, shared industry work, and a growing mutual recognition that the STR sector in Australia and New Zealand is stronger when its leading organisations are aligned.
Booking.com has consistently engaged with the challenges facing STR operators in this market. Their investment in operator support is not performative. It shows up in the tools they build, the policies they develop, and increasingly, the industry conversations they are willing to be part of.
ASTRA has valued that engagement. In an industry that is maturing, having a platform of Booking.com’s scale and reach committed to the same vision of a professional, credible STR sector carries real weight; with operators, with governments, and with the broader community.
Here to Stay 2026 is the most visible expression of that shared commitment. But it is not the only one.
ASTRA Mentor Program powered by Booking.com
One of the most significant dimensions of the Booking.com partnership is its role in powering the 2026 ASTRA Mentor Program.
The ASTRA Mentor Program is a structured mentoring initiative that connects experienced short-term rental operators with ASTRA members who are earlier in their journey. It was designed in response to a clear gap: the STR industry grows quickly, attracts people from all kinds of backgrounds, and has historically had very few formal pathways for operators to access the expertise of those who have already built successful businesses.
The program launched its first cohort in 2026 after launching at the 2025 Here to Stay Conference. The early results have been exactly what ASTRA hoped – meaningful connections, practical guidance, and the kind of peer-to-peer learning that accelerates progress in ways that courses, webinars, and content simply cannot replicate. Experienced operators sharing what they’ve learned. Newer operators shortcutting years of trial and error. The industry’s collective knowledge flowing in the direction it’s most needed.
Booking.com’s support allows ASTRA to grow the Mentor Program and to reach more members, improve the structure and quality of the matching process, and extend the program’s impact across Australia and New Zealand.
For Here to Stay 2026 delegates, this matters in two ways. First, it means the Booking.com presence at the conference connects directly to something that delivers year-round value to ASTRA members, not just a three-day event in October. Second, it demonstrates that this partnership is invested in the long-term development of the industry’s human capital, not just its commercial infrastructure.
The Mentor Program will have a presence at Here to Stay 2026. More details will be announced as the program rolls out.
What This Means for Property Management Companies
For property management companies attending Here to Stay 2026, the Booking.com partnership creates a specific and valuable opportunity.
Booking.com is one of the primary channels through which property managers drive bookings for their portfolios. Understanding how the platform is evolving – what it is building, what it is prioritising, how it is responding to changes in traveller behaviour and market dynamics – is directly relevant to how you run your business.
Here to Stay is not a sales environment. It is a conference built for genuine industry conversation. That means the Booking.com team present at the event will be there to engage; to discuss the platform’s direction, to hear from operators about what is and isn’t working, and to contribute to the kind of peer-level exchange that shapes the industry’s future.
For PMC leaders in particular, this creates direct access that is rare in any other context. The conversations that happen at Here to Stay between operators and platform representatives are qualitatively different from a webinar, a help article, or a partner briefing. They are frank, experience-based, and oriented toward outcomes.
Beyond the Booking.com relationship specifically, the 2026 program includes content directly relevant to PMC growth: revenue management at scale, AI tools for portfolio operations, owner retention frameworks, distribution strategy for the AI era, leadership systems, and the regulatory landscape. Here to Stay is designed to deliver ROI across three days, and for PMC leaders, that ROI begins with the conversations they have in the room.
What This Means for Hosts
For independent hosts and investors, the Booking.com partnership signals something straightforward: the platform you likely already use to drive bookings has chosen Here to Stay as the event where it engages with the Australian STR industry.
That is worth paying attention to. Booking.com does not partner with events casually. Their presence as Platinum Partner reflects a deliberate choice to invest in a conference that the platform believes matters to its operator community. If Booking.com sees Here to Stay as the place where the Australian STR industry comes together, and has backed that assessment with a Platinum partnership, hosts should ask themselves whether they can afford not to be in the room.
The 2026 program for hosts is built around practical improvement: designing guest experiences that earn five-star reviews consistently, pricing and revenue strategy for the competitive market conditions of 2026, building direct booking channels without sacrificing OTA reach, AI tools that automate operations without sacrificing the personal touch that guests value, and understanding the regulatory environment that is reshaping hosting across Australia.
Here to Stay is the one event in the Australian calendar where a single-property host sitting next to a 300-property operator can learn from both the formal program and the conversations in between sessions. That proximity to experience accelerates progress faster than any online course or industry Facebook group.
First Release Tickets: $699 — Closes 21 July
With Booking.com confirmed as Platinum Partner and the program taking shape, the case for registering now is clear.
First Release tickets to Here to Stay 2026 are priced at $699. That price closes on 21 July 2026. After that, the price moves to $799. There is no pathway back to the First Release rate once it closes.
Consider the investment plainly. Three days at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast. Access to the full Here to Stay program: sessions, workshops, roundtables, the ASTRA Awards Gala Dinner, and the networking that happens between every formal moment. Direct access to the Booking.com team, the 2026 speaker lineup as it is announced, and 400+ STR operators, platforms, suppliers, and industry leaders in one place.
For property management companies: if attending Here to Stay 2026 helps you retain one owner you might otherwise have lost, the ticket pays for itself. If one pricing insight improves your portfolio’s occupancy by 2%, the return compounds across every property you manage. The investment case is not complicated.
For hosts: if one session, one conversation, or one connection changes how you approach your business in the 12 months after the conference, $699 is the most efficiently deployed professional development spend you will make this year.
ASTRA Members receive the member rate on registration. If you are not yet an ASTRA member, joining before registering is the most cost-effective combination available – membership delivers year-round benefits that extend well beyond the conference discount, and the combined cost of membership plus conference registration at the member rate is lower than non-member registration alone.
Accommodation at RACV Royal Pines Resort is available at a special conference rate for delegates. Here to Stay is a fully immersive conference; the networking, conversations, and connections that happen outside formal sessions are a significant part of the event’s value. Staying onsite is strongly recommended. Conference-rate rooms are limited and book out. Registering early secures your access to the preferred accommodation rate.
Register at https://heretostayconference.com/register/
What’s Coming Next
The Booking.com partner announcement is the first of a series of program and partner reveals building toward Here to Stay 2026. In the coming weeks and months, ASTRA will announce the speaker lineup, session details, workshop facilitators, and additional partner and sponsor confirmations.
Each announcement adds to the picture of what Here to Stay 2026 will deliver, and each one is a reason to register sooner rather than later. The program is designed to be the best Here to Stay has produced. The venue is confirmed. The Platinum Partner is confirmed. The room is filling.
The question is whether you will be in it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Booking.com a new sponsor of Here to Stay?
A: No. Booking.com is returning as Platinum Partner for Here to Stay 2026, continuing a partnership with ASTRA that has developed over time. Their return as premier sponsor reflects an ongoing working relationship between the two organisations, not a new commercial arrangement.
Q: What does Booking.com’s Platinum Partnership include?
A: As Platinum Partner, Booking.com will have a central presence in the Here to Stay 2026 program and conference experience. Further details on Booking.com’s specific program contribution will be announced in the lead-up to the October conference.
Q: What is the ASTRA Mentor Program and how is Booking.com involved?
A: The ASTRA Mentor Program is a structured peer mentoring initiative that connects experienced STR operators with ASTRA members who are earlier in their journey. It launched its first cohort in 2025. Booking.com is the key partner supporting the current program. Their investment allows ASTRA to grow the program, improve its structure, and reach more members across Australia and New Zealand.
Q: What is the First Release ticket price for Here to Stay 2026?
A: First Release tickets to Here to Stay 2026 are priced at $699. This price closes on 21 July 2026, after which tickets move to $799. There are no extensions or exceptions once the First Release period closes. ASTRA Members receive the member rate, joining ASTRA before registering is the most cost-effective option.
Q: When does the First Release pricing close?
A: First Release pricing closes on 21 July 2026. After that date, ticket prices move to $799. Registrations are open now at https://heretostayconference.com/register/
Q: What is Here to Stay 2026?
A: Here to Stay 2026 is Australia’s national short-term rental conference, presented by ASTRA — the Australia and New Zealand Short Term Rental Association. It takes place 21–23 October 2026 at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast. The conference brings together 400+ STR operators, hosts, property managers, platforms, suppliers, and industry leaders for three days of sessions, workshops, roundtables, and networking.
Q: Why is Booking.com partnering with an STR industry conference in Australia?
A: Booking.com’s partnership with Here to Stay reflects their commitment to supporting short-term rental operators in Australia and New Zealand. The partnership is grounded in a shared belief that a thriving, professional STR sector benefits operators, guests, and communities. Here to Stay is the primary national gathering of the Australian STR industry – Booking.com’s investment in the event as Platinum Partner is consistent with their broader engagement with the operator community in this region.
Q: Is Here to Stay 2026 only for property management companies?
A: No. Here to Stay is designed for the full spectrum of the STR industry, from individual hosts through to large property management companies, platforms, technology providers, and industry suppliers. The 2026 program includes dedicated content streams for both hosts and property management professionals.
Q: How do I register for Here to Stay 2026?
A: Registrations are open at https://heretostayconference.com/register. First Release tickets are $699 until 21 July, after which prices move to $799. ASTRA Members receive the member rate. Accommodation at RACV Royal Pines Resort at the conference rate is available and recommended; rooms are limited.
Q: What is ASTRA and why does it run Here to Stay?
A: ASTRA – the Australia and New Zealand Short Term Rental Association – is the only not-for-profit dedicated exclusively to short-term rental in this region. It advocates for the industry with government, develops standards and professionalism across the sector, and provides resources and community for operators. Here to Stay is ASTRA’s flagship annual conference. Revenue from the event directly funds ASTRA’s advocacy and member programs.
