Here to Stay 2026: everything you need to know before the Gold Coast
In less than two weeks, the short-term rental industry will be in one place. Here to Stay 2026 runs from Wednesday 21 to Friday 23 October at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, bringing together more than 400 hosts, property managers, suppliers and platforms from across Australia and New Zealand.
Here to Stay is the national short-term rental conference, run by ASTRA, the Australian and New Zealand Short-Term Rental Association. ASTRA is the only not-for-profit dedicated exclusively to short-term rental in Australia and New Zealand. The revenue the conference raises goes straight back into the sector’s advocacy, research and standards work, so every registration does more than buy you a seat.
Whether you manage a portfolio of hundreds of homes or host one property alongside a day job, this guide covers what’s on, what’s new this year and how to get the most out of your two days.
Built for doing, not listening
The biggest change in 2026 is the format. There are fewer long panels and lecture-style talks, and far more workshops, roundtables and guided discussions where you work on your own business in the room.
Every session ends with a Monday action: one specific thing to do the week you get home. The goal is simple. You should leave with a short list of changes you’ll actually make, not a notebook full of ideas you never get back to.
The program runs as two tracks. The PMC Track, mostly on the Main Stage, is built for property managers running and growing a business. The Host Track, mostly in the Booking.com Host House, is built for hosts at every stage, from a first property to a growing portfolio. Both tracks come together for the opening keynotes, the Industry Awards Gala and the close.
Thursday opens big
Sessions start on Thursday 22 October with Gus Balbontin’s opening keynote, The Future Won’t Wait – Will You? It’s a fitting start for an industry facing new technology, new regulation and shifting guest expectations all at once. A keynote from Booking.com follows at 9:55am.
The PMC Track
The PMC Track is about the business of property management: owners, margin, risk, revenue and the people who make it work.
On Thursday:
- The Past, Present and Future of STRA (11:15am). Dr Thomas Sigler on how regulation has reshaped and consolidated the sector, which property types are winning in which markets, and the issues that will define the next few years, from ATO scrutiny to the future of secondary homes.
- What STR Operators Can Learn from the World’s Best Hospitality Brands (11:45am). Ethan Brown (Hospitable), Frazer King (EvryStay), Julie George (Million Dollar Host) and Murray Kennedy (ScaleGX) on what the best hotels engineer on purpose, and what transfers to short-term rental at scale.
- Building Leadership Teams That Scale (1:30pm). Alvan Aiau Yong, Dom Maley, Lisa Peterson and Daniel White on how to define, assess and develop leaders who hold up as your business grows.
- AI Build Lab for PMCs (3:15pm). Ben Willis (ScaleGX) helps you turn your own portfolio data into answers that win better owners.
On Friday:
- Profit Architecture (9:15am). Lisa Peterson on where PMC margin comes from, where it leaks and what commission leaves on the table.
- Owner Trust is Everything (9:45am). Sam Steel, Jason Gillespie, Cameron Wicking, Craig McIntosh, Craig Saunders and Lel Parnis on trust accounting, clean money handling and keeping owners through a bad month. Retention is the cheapest growth there is.
- Cyber Security for STR Operators (10:45am). Dr Aastha Gupta (ViCyber) on where operators are exposed, from phishing and account takeovers to guest data, and what to fix first.
- The Revenue Stack (11:15am). Jack Trainor (Booking.com), Neil Watson (Bear Revenue), Colin Battersby (Discover Stradbroke) and Heath Delfos (Alloggio) on how pricing, distribution and platform promotion work together. Price is one lever. This session is about pulling all three.
- From Search to AI: The Future of Distribution (1:15pm). William Crock (Hometime), Kevin Lu (Trip.com), Alonso Vargas (Smart Suites), Ben Willis (ScaleGX) and Dominik Wilkowski (HomHero) on what decides whether a property gets recommended when guests ask AI instead of searching.
For property managers, the maths is straightforward. One retained owner covers the trip several times over.
The Host Track
The Host Track is practical and hands-on, built around the things that win more bookings and better reviews.
On Thursday in the Booking.com Host House:
- Start Here: Get Clear Before You Dive In (11:00am). A short orientation so you know where to focus.
- Ready, Set, Grow (11:15am) and 10 Things I Love About You (2:00pm). Two workshops from the Booking.com team on growing your listing and what makes guests click “Book”. Both repeat on Friday morning, so you can catch the one you miss.
- Designing a 5-Star Stay (11:45am). A roundtable facilitated by Angela Carrick, with experienced hosts leading each table. You’ll work through the details that turn a good stay into one guests tell their friends about.
- From Host to Operator (1:30pm). Tim Mortimer and Sarah Workman on what it really takes to go from one property to a business.
- Build Your AI Co-Host in 60 Minutes (3:15pm). Murray Kennedy (ScaleGX) walks you through setting up an AI co-host for your own property. Bring a charged laptop and listings you want to improve.
On Friday, hosts can join The Brains Trust at 9:15am, a roundtable with no stage and no slides. Bring your biggest hosting challenge and solve it with the room. Later that morning, The Power of Community (11:45am) looks at mentoring, goal setting and backing yourself, with Todd Lacey from Booking.com and people from the ASTRA Mentor Program.
You don’t need to be big, and you don’t need to know anyone. One extra booking can cover the trip.
AI you build, not watch
AI is all over this year’s program, but the emphasis is on doing it. On Thursday at 3:15pm, both tracks run hands-on AI workshops. PMCs work with their own portfolio data in the AI Build Lab. Hosts build an AI co-host for their own property. No technical background is needed. You’ll leave with something working, not a demo you watched someone else run.
New for 2026: ASTRA Insights
This year, every session is captured in ASTRA Insights, your private delegate portal inside the event app. There’s nothing extra to download and no separate login.
Shortly after each session you’ll find a concise summary, the key insights, notable quotes and the full recording with a searchable transcript. Each day ends with a synthesis of the main themes. You can also use Ask the Conference to put a question to everything said on stage and get an answer linked back to the moment it was said.
That means you can put the notebook down and stay present in the room. If two sessions clash, you can catch up on the one you missed that night.
The Industry Awards Gala
Thursday night belongs to the Industry Awards Gala Dinner from 6:00pm, hosted by Pete Smith. Winners are revealed across six categories, including Excellence in Guest Experience, Best STR PMC (Emerging and Established), Industry Partner, Team Member and Advocate of the Year. It’s the industry’s night to celebrate the people and businesses raising the standard, and one of the best networking nights of the year.
Industry leadership: regulation, advocacy and the Forum
Short-term rental is in a period of fast regulatory change. Caps, registration schemes, levies and planning rules are moving in several states at once.
On Thursday at 2:00pm, Regulation & Advocacy looks at where policy sits, what’s coming and how to prepare for it. On Friday at 2:00pm, The Industry Forum asks what must change for short-term rental to thrive. Aaron Taylor, Danny Shannon and Sarah Workman open with short provocations, then hand it to the room.
The conference closes at 2:30pm on Friday with the 2027 launch and Farewell Drinks.
Around the sessions
Some of the most valuable conversations happen between sessions. The program builds in time for them:
- The Industry Reunion Welcome Networking Event on Wednesday 21 October from 5:00pm. Arrive a day early and start the conversations before the sessions begin. First-timers, this is the easiest way in.
- Networking breaks through both days, plus the exhibition, where you can meet the suppliers and platforms building tools for the sector.
- The Partner Parade on Thursday at 2:30pm.
- EvryStay’s ASTRA After Party on Friday 23 October, 7–10pm, at Haven Bar, Mondrian Gold Coast, overlooking Burleigh Beach. Drinks are on EvryStay all night. RSVP at evrystay.com/astraafterparty.
How to plan your two days
A little planning goes a long way.
- Pick your sessions before you arrive. Look at the program and mark the sessions that match your biggest challenge right now.
- Bring the right kit. A charged laptop for the AI workshops, your own portfolio data or listing, and one real problem for the roundtables.
- Book a late flight on Friday. Some of the strongest sessions run Friday afternoon, followed by the close, Farewell Drinks and the After Party.
- Leave with one action. Every session ends with a Monday action. Pick the one you’ll do first the week you get home.
Register
Registrations are still open. If you’ve been meaning to come, now’s the time.
Register now → heretostayconference.com/register/
FAQ
When and where is Here to Stay 2026?
Here to Stay 2026 runs 21–23 October 2026 at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast. It opens with the Welcome Networking Event on Wednesday 21 October from 5:00pm, and sessions run Thursday and Friday.
Who runs Here to Stay?
ASTRA, the Australian and New Zealand Short-Term Rental Association. ASTRA is the only not-for-profit dedicated exclusively to short-term rental in Australia and New Zealand, and conference revenue funds its advocacy and industry work.
Who should attend?
Short-term rental hosts, property managers, suppliers and platforms. The PMC Track is built for property managers and the Host Track for hosts at every stage.
Can I still register?
Yes. Registrations are open at heretostayconference.com/register/.
What’s the difference between the PMC Track and the Host Track?
The PMC Track, mostly on the Main Stage, covers owners, margin, cyber risk, revenue, leadership and regulation. The Host Track, mostly in the Booking.com Host House, covers guest experience, AI, Booking.com workshops and growing from host to operator.
Who is speaking?
The program opens with Gus Balbontin and a keynote from Booking.com. Session leaders include Dr Thomas Sigler, Ben Willis, Murray Kennedy, Angela Carrick, Tim Mortimer, Sarah Workman, Lisa Peterson, Dr Aastha Gupta and many more operators and industry experts.
What is ASTRA Insights?
A private delegate portal inside the event app, with no separate login or download. After each session you get a summary, key insights, quotes and the full recording with a searchable transcript, plus a daily synthesis and Ask the Conference.
Do I need technical skills for the AI workshops?
No. Both AI sessions are hands-on and built for operators, not developers. Bring a charged laptop and your own data or listing.
What should I bring?
A charged laptop for the AI workshops, your own portfolio data or listing for the build labs, and one real challenge for the roundtables.
When is the Industry Awards Gala?
Thursday 22 October from 6:00pm at RACV Royal Pines, hosted by MC Pete Smith. Winners are revealed on the night.
Is there an after party?
Yes. EvryStay’s ASTRA After Party runs Friday 23 October, 7–10pm, at Haven Bar, Mondrian Gold Coast. RSVP at evrystay.com/astraafterparty.
I’m a first-timer. Will I know anyone?
You don’t need to. Come to the Welcome Networking Event on Wednesday night, and the roundtables and workshops are designed to get you talking with other hosts and operators from the first session.
