Revenue management, answered

How do I read booking pace against last year for a short-term rental market?

Compare bookings on hand for a future date window to where you stood on the same lookback date last year. If pace is ahead, you have pricing power. If it is behind, identify whether demand is soft or your rates are pushing guests out.

By Jack Murphy, Head of Revenue Management at UpRev. Running pricing for US vacation rental managers since 2017. Last updated August 25, 2026.

Set a Consistent Lookback Anchor

Pick a fixed days-out horizon, such as 30, 60, and 90 days forward, and compare bookings on hand at that same horizon year over year. Shifting your anchor mid-analysis makes the read meaningless. Document your pull date so every comparison is apples to apples across your portfolio.

Separate Volume from Revenue Pace

A unit can show more bookings than last year but weaker revenue if rates dropped. Always run pace on both nights booked and revenue on hand simultaneously. A divergence between the two is your clearest signal that pricing strategy needs adjustment, not demand generation.

Account for Market Calendar Shifts

Holidays, local events, and school calendars shift year over year and will distort raw pace comparisons. Flag any weeks where the comparable period last year carried a major demand driver that this year does not, or vice versa. Strip those anomalies out before drawing any conclusions about underlying market health.