Updated on September 9, 2025

Perhaps the secret of living well is not in having all the answers but in pursuing unanswerable questions in good company.

– Rachel Naomi Remen

Fall conference season is here again. It looms large for vendors like us – it means travel, speaking, and some very strategic carry-on packing.

But for hosts and managers, it’s not a given. According to our 2024 industry report, only 6% of operators were planning to attend a national in-person conference.

We don’t know how much that number has changed since last year, but the questions behind it have become louder: Is conference attendance worth it? Will it help me? Who’s it really for?

No one has all the answers, but maybe that’s not the point. Rachel Naomi Remen’s quote has been sitting with me as we plot our own conference attendance. What better describes this season in the STR industry?

There are big, messy questions about regulation, sustainability, guest behavior, growth, and burnout. No single event, session, or speaker will solve them, but the right conversations in the right company can change everything.

And that’s why events matter.

And not just the big ones. More operators are leaning into local, smaller, and more curated gatherings, like the New Hampshire VRTA kickoff, or still more events in Arizona, New Mexico, and Maine happening this month. Events that skip the generic swag bag and leave you resupplied with fresh perspective, renewed purpose, and someone to call when the next unanswerable question lands in your inbox.

No events near you (yet)? Our Event-in-a-Box Toolkit can help you host one, or join the RR Network to chat hosting in good company any time.

Want to join us somewhere this fall? Here’s where we’ll be:

📍 Austin, TX • Sept. 16-17  •  Expedia Group’s EXPLORE Connect VR
📍 Bend, OR • Sept. 16  •  Central Oregon VRA Fall Event
📍 Online • Sept. 17  •  VRNation x Rent Responsibly Webinar
📍 Palm Springs, CA • Oct. 9-10  •  Visit Greater Palm Springs host event (details coming soon!)
📍 Las Vegas, NV • Oct. 12-14 •  VRMA 25
+ 🎾 Las Vegas, NV • Oct. 12 •  HostGPOpen Pickleball Tournament supporting Right to Rent + the VRMA Advocacy Fund!📍 Online • Oct. 29-30 & Nov. 5-6  •  The STR Hospitality Virtual Summit (details coming soon!)