Global But Local: Selling Across Eight Markets

1. You’ve spent almost eleven years at Avantio, watching the vacation rental software market evolve from a niche category into one of the most competitive verticals in travel tech. What has changed most in how property managers actually buy a PMS and channel manager today compared to when you started, and what has surprised you about how slowly some things have changed?

Well, yes… I guess I’m not getting any younger reading your question! Haha.

It’s been 11 years at Avantio already, but at the same time, it feels like I’m in my first year, again and again. Every year I realize how excited and passionate I still am about this industry. It’s constantly evolving, with new challenges, new players, new technologies, and new trends. You simply can’t get bored or stand still, and that’s what makes it so exciting.

If you compare the short-term rental industry of 11 years ago with where it is today, you’re looking at two completely different worlds.

Back then, simply being able to synchronize your properties with Airbnb was revolutionary (by the way Avantio was the first official Channel Manager connected to Airbnb in Europe and that was a huge milestone). Property managers were looking for automation and functionalities that today seem like standard features, but back then they were very innovative.

Today, innovation continues at the same pace, just in different areas. AI is obviously one of the biggest game changers, opening up new possibilities that didn’t even exist a few years ago.

Property managers have evolved too. In general,they’re much more tech-savvy, they know exactly what they’re looking for, and most of them already have some experience with multiple software platforms. They’re much better at identifying their pain points and articulating their needs, which makes the relationship between software providers and customers much more balanced and strategic.

Today, we’re not just selling software. We’re positioning ourselves as technology partners who help property managers grow their businesses.

The marketplace has also transformed dramatically. There are now specialized solutions for almost every aspect of the business: PMS, guest experience platforms, Revenue Management Systems, Operations tools, payment providers, insurance solutions, AI applications, and much more. Property managers can build their own best-in-class technology ecosystem by selecting the right provider for each discipline.

So, what has changed very slowly?

Honestly… not much. This industry moves incredibly fast.

Well, maybe there’s one exception: the people you end up having late-night drinks with at trade shows around the world. Somehow, those familiar faces are always the same haha.. and I think that’s one of the things that also makes this industry so special. 😉

2. You are responsible for eight very different markets at once, from Spain, France and Portugal to LATAM, and the US. Where do you see the sharpest divergence in how property managers in these regions evaluate a PMS and channel manager, and how much does your sales approach actually change from one region to the next?

The incredible adventure of building an international brand, together with the complexity of executing a successful Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy, is part of my daily life, and I genuinely love it.

One of the biggest keys to success is undoubtedly the cultural approach. Avantio built its “Global, but Local” strategy into its DNA from the very beginning of its international expansion. Starting in Spain, the company grew organically across Europe before expanding into the US and LATAM. Today, Avantio operates in 44 countries.

Naturally, customer expectations and market needs vary significantly from one country to another. Some markets are far more regulated and have stricter legal requirements, meaning Property Managers operating there place much greater importance on compliance. This is particularly true across Europe, with France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal being among the most demanding markets from a regulatory perspective.

The new French Accounting Module (Comptabilité Fonds Mandants) is a perfect example. With the VRWS taking place in France this year, Avantio has completed the development of a native French accounting solution that has been recognized and validated by the relevant French institutions. This gives French property managers a solution that fully addresses one of their most critical operational and legal requirements.

In contrast, other markets have fewer regulatory constraints and are much more focused on business growth, operational efficiency, and scalability. Dubai is a good example of this, where software buyers prioritize performance, automation, and revenue generation over compliance features.

Market maturity also plays a significant role. In mature markets, property managers tend to look for highly specialized tools and advanced functionalities that optimize specific areas of their operations. In emerging markets, many companies are still focused on the fundamentals: automation, distribution through a channel manager, and centralizing their daily operations.

This is why we continuously adapt our ICP and GTM strategy to each individual market. We rely on native teams who deeply understand the local culture, business practices, and customer expectations. Speaking the same language, both literally and culturally, creates trust, makes communication more natural, and allows us to truly understand our prospects’ pain points and challenges. Ultimately, this local approach is what enables us to build stronger relationships and deliver solutions that genuinely fit each market’s needs.

3. Since Planet’s acquisition of Avantio in 2022, you’ve also coordinated the sales strategy for Payments by Planet across Avantio’s customer base. What has selling a payments product into an existing software relationship taught you that selling the PMS itself never did?

First of all, just to clarify, I coordinated the launch of Planet Payment Solutions within Avantio as a new premium service for our clients following Avantio’s acquisition by Planet in 2022. Since then, we’ve built a dedicated Planet Payment team within our Customer Success department. Today, that team does an outstanding job supporting our clients and helping them get the most out of the solution.

At Avantio, we’ve always believed that clients should have the freedom to choose. Our mission has never been to push a single solution, but rather to continuously provide our customers with the best alternatives so they can select the option that best fits their business model and operational needs.

In that context, Planet Payment naturally became another premium solution within our ecosystem. Beyond the M&A itself, it represented a high-quality payment offering with different commercial models that suit a wide range of property managers.

What have I learned from selling payment services instead of a Property Management System?

The biggest lesson is that the guest journey starts much earlier than most people think. It is made up of dozens of interactions and experiences, beginning with the booking process, continuing through payment, check-in, the stay itself, and even after check-out.

When you look at the customer journey this way, you quickly realize that the payment experience is one of its most critical moments. A smooth, secure, and frictionless payment process directly contributes to the overall guest experience and ultimately influences guest satisfaction and loyalty.

On a personal level, I also discovered an entirely new industry. Before working with Planet Payment, I had limited knowledge of payment architecture, acquiring models, and pricing structures such as Blended Pricing, Interchange++, and other fintech concepts. It opened the door to a fascinating world that combines technology, finance, compliance, and customer experience.

One thing has become very clear to me: choosing a payment gateway should never be an afterthought. Too often, property managers simply tick the “payments” box when selecting a software solution without fully understanding the long-term implications.

Your payment provider is a strategic business partner. It impacts your revenue, your cash flow, your operational efficiency, your fraud protection, your guest experience, and even your ability to scale internationally. That’s why property managers should carefully evaluate their options and choose a payment partner that aligns with both their current needs and their long-term growth strategy.

4. You are native or bilingual in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish. In an industry where trust is built market by market, how much of Avantio’s international growth do you think comes down to speaking to operators in their own language rather than translating a single playbook?

Great question. This is actually my life every single day.

I’m French, my wife is Brazilian, and my three kids are Spanish. At home, we mainly speak Portuguese and Spanish, with some French too (although, in my opinion, not nearly enough!) And at work, I use all four languages on a daily basis.

The “Global but Local” strategy, or perhaps “philosophy” is an even better word, is, in my view, one of the biggest drivers of success for any company expanding internationally.

There is tremendous value in having people who are from the country, speak the local language, understand the culture, and naturally communicate using the local business codes. That creates trust, stronger relationships, and ultimately better business outcomes.

At Avantio, we’ve built our organization around this philosophy. For every market, we have native teams supporting the entire customer journey, from SDRs responsible for prospecting, to Sales, Onboarding, Customer Support, and Customer Success. This consistency throughout the customer lifecycle allows us to create a much more personal and effective experience.

A year and a half ago, we opened an Avantio office in Mexico. Not a remote team, but a real office with an incredible local team dedicated to growing the Avantio brand across Latin America. That local presence makes a huge difference.

Proximity, human relationships, cultural understanding and sometimes something as simple as sharing a coffee while discussing a customer’s business challenges, create a level of trust that is difficult to replicate remotely.

We are absolutely living in a digital, remote, and increasingly AI-driven world, and I genuinely enjoy that. Technology allows us to move faster and reach customers everywhere. But I firmly believe that proximity, face-to-face conversations, and a genuine handshake will never lose their value.

When you combine the efficiency of technology with people who truly understand the local market, language, and culture, you create an experience that customers genuinely appreciate. And in my experience, that’s one of the strongest competitive advantages an international company can have.