In this episode of The Hospitality Breakroom, host Rachel Alday sits down with Julie Byrd of Cabo Villas to unpack the evolving relationship between vacation rental operators and travel advisors. While traditional hotel brands have long-established systems for working with travel planners, the vacation rental and short-term rental (STR) space is rapidly catching up. Julie shares her decades-long journey—from her early days aspiring to be a travel advisor to building a direct, high-value advisor network at Cabo Villas.

Together, Rachel and Julie discuss practical strategies for bridging the distribution gap, avoiding middleman friction, maintaining trust through proper accounting, and creating unforgettable, high-touch experiences for guests.