Australia and New Zealand Short Term Rental Association

What Australia and New Zealand Short Term Rental Association does

ASTRA (Australia & New Zealand Short Term Rental Association) is the peak not-for-profit industry body representing the short-term residential rental sector across Australia and New Zealand. The association advocates for, promotes, and standardizes the industry on behalf of hosted and non-hosted residential property owners, operators, managers, agents, and property management and software businesses — collectively representing approximately 180,000 properties in Australia and 45,000 properties in New Zealand. ASTRA delivers value through tiered annual memberships ($99-$1,499/year), the annual 'Here to Stay' Conference on the Gold Coast, monthly town halls, the Knowledge Series webinar program, regional ASTRA on the Go networking events, member-exclusive market intelligence (including Key Data partnership insights), and direct policy advocacy across Australian states, territories, and New Zealand.

The association's technology footprint is intentionally lightweight: membership administration runs on the third-party tidyhq.com platform and the public website is built on Squarespace. ASTRA maintains formal committees in both Australia and New Zealand spanning advocacy, fundraising, governance, membership, and marketing, with governance led by Chairman Yoav Tourel, CEO Mitchell Price, and Head of Policy Catherine Shields. The Board includes representatives from SMB operators (BNB Made Easy, Geographe Holiday Homes), mid-market managers (Hometime, Alloggio), NZ operators (The Stay Hub NZ), and supplier partners (Wheelhouse, Hospitable).

Commercially, ASTRA is a member-funded, primarily volunteer-run association. Revenue streams comprise recurring annual membership fees, event registration and sponsorship (Here to Stay Conference, regional events), supplier partnerships (Wheelhouse, Hospitable, PriceLabs, Turno, Minut, Stasher, TouchStay, Key Data), and donations. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the myastra.com.au website, earned media in major Australian outlets (Herald Sun, Guardian, 9News, 10 News First), and partnerships such as the June 2024 COSBOA Council Membership. ASTRA joined COSBOA to amplify its small-business advocacy voice and has actively opposed regulatory measures including the Victorian Short Stay Levy Bill 2024, ACT's proposed 5% levy, Byron Shire's 60-day stay cap, and various NSW framework reviews.

Name

Australia and New Zealand Short Term Rental Association

Legal name

Australia & New Zealand Short Term Rental Association

Website

https://myastra.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ASTRA is the peak not-for-profit industry association representing the short-term rental sector across Australia and New Zealand, advocating for ~225,000 properties through tiered memberships, events, research, and policy work.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), General Rental Centers (5323)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel Subscription, Membership & Deal Clubs (THAKAAAL)

Keywords

• Industry association
• Short term rentals
• Advocacy services
• Industry networking
• Regulatory representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Noosaville

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees collected at various tiers based on property count and membership type, ranging from $99 for associates to $1,499 for large property managers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ASTRA is the peak industry association representing the short-term residential rental industry across Australia and New Zealand. It sells tiered annual memberships ($99 to $1,499) that grant property owners, managers, operators, hosts, and suppliers access to government-level advocacy, regulatory updates, educational webinars, market intelligence, networking events, and an annual industry conference.

Product overview

ASTRA operates as a peak industry association providing a membership-based platform rather than a standalone software product. Its portfolio centers on advocacy representation, membership services, and events. The core offering is the tiered membership program ($99-$1,499/year) that provides access to advocacy, education, and networking. Key product components include the annual Here to Stay Conference (Australia's premier STR industry event), monthly Town Hall meetings, the Knowledge Series webinar program, regional ASTRA on the Go networking events, member-exclusive market intelligence and research from partners, and ongoing advocacy services representing operators before government bodies. ASTRA connects hosted and non-hosted residential property owners, operators, managers, agents, and property management businesses across Australia (180,000 properties) and New Zealand (45,000 properties).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASTRA Membership Program
• Here to Stay Conference
• Advocacy Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 39% of short-term rental stays are for reasons other than holidays, including family visits (14%), business trips (8%), and insurance-related stays (6%)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• COSBOA (Council of Small Business Organisations Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2024ASTRA joined COSBOA as its latest Council Member, representing around 180,000 properties in Australia and 45,000 in New Zealand. COSBOA CEO Luke Achterstraat highlighted shared concerns of mum-and-dad landlords about regulatory and tax burdens, making ASTRA a valuable ally in supporting small businesses within the visitor economy.
• HomherominorGTM or Marketing PartnerProudly supporting ASTRA on the Go: Auckland breakfast networking event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Booking.com: Booking.com is one of the world's largest online travel accommodation platforms and a major ANZ distribution channel for STR properties. Relevant as an ecosystem participant whose policy positions and platform practices materially affect ASTRA members and the regulatory environment.
• Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA): COSBOA is the peak body representing small-business organisations in Australia, of which ASTRA became a Council Member in June 2024. Directly connected as a strategic partner and channel into broader small-business advocacy networks.

Broad incumbents

• Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia: TTF is an Australian policy and advocacy body for the tourism, transport, and infrastructure sectors. Relevant as a larger, broader industry advocacy incumbent that ASTRA may partner with or compete against for government mindshare on visitor-economy issues.
• National Association of REALTORS (NAR): NAR is the largest US trade association for real estate professionals. Comparable as an archetype of a large, dues-funded industry association with policy advocacy at multiple government levels, providing a model for ASTRA's potential growth path.
• Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA): REIA is the national professional body for real estate agencies and agents in Australia. Comparable in form (a member-funded industry association with policy advocacy) though its members operate in a different but adjacent property market segment.
• Tourism Industry Council Australia: TICA is a broader tourism industry representative body in Australia covering accommodation, transport, and attractions. Comparable to ASTRA's advocacy role but operating one level up the industry taxonomy, providing context on tourism-policy positioning ASTRA must navigate.

Regional players

• European Holiday Home Association (EHHA): EHHA represents the short-term rental sector at the EU level, conducting advocacy on cross-border regulatory issues affecting vacation rentals. Directly comparable as a regional STR industry association performing policy advocacy and member services in a different jurisdiction.
• Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA) UK: STAA is the trade body for professionally-managed short-term rentals in the UK, focusing on regulation, compliance, and industry standards. Comparable to ASTRA as a single-country STR peak body performing member advocacy and education.
• Canadian Vacation Rental Association: A national industry association for short-term rental operators in Canada, focused on advocacy, education, and best practices. Comparable as a country-level STR association facing similar regulatory challenges (municipal caps, registration schemes) to those ASTRA confronts.

Direct peers

• Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA): VRMA is the largest North American trade association for the vacation rental industry, providing advocacy, education, and conferences to professional property managers. It is the most direct functional analogue to ASTRA, differing primarily in geography and the broader regulatory environment of the US market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/astra

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Australia and New Zealand Short Term Rental Association