VRWS Leadership Interview of the Day
In approaching the 12th edition of the Vacation Rental World Summit, we’re releasing a series of interviews to leaders, key players and highly motivated people in our industry whose companies make a deep impact in our space and will be present at VRWS.
The aim is to get you some insight into these leaders and the company they founded, manage or work for, as well as getting some behind the scenes on their thinking, their motivation and their drive.
GUIDO FORACI
- What inspired you to enter the vacation rental industry?
What inspired me to enter the vacation rental industry was actually a mix of direct experience, hotel background and intuition for the greater potential of this business.
I had already been working in the hotel sector when I started noticing the early signs of a shift—this new model of short-term rentals was starting to take shape from the ground up. I believed in its potential right away, both as a professional and as an investor. I didn’t just observe the growth—I was part of it. I got involved early on, even investing in properties myself, because I was convinced this new way of hosting and traveling was here to stay. And being part of that transformation from the very beginning was incredibly exciting.
- What sets your company apart in the vacation rental industry, and how do you ensure you stay ahead of the competition?
What truly sets Italianway apart in the vacation rental industry is not just our software or process automation—although those are certainly important pillars of what we do. What makes the real difference is our consultative and analytical approach, which is focused on solving the biggest pain points in this market: bureaucracy, invoicing, and operational process management.
Today, even the most powerful, high-performing, and cost-effective software isn’t enough on its own. You need more. You need a partner who understands the complexity of the business and can help navigate it with tailored solutions.
That’s exactly where we come in. Our value is further amplified by the fact that we’re property managers ourselves. We’ve lived the challenges firsthand, so we’re not just building tools—we’re building solutions we would use (and do use) every day. That insider perspective is what helps us stay ahead of the curve and truly support our partners’ success.
- If you attended the 2024 Vacation Rental World Summit in Porto, what was the most exciting or valuable takeaway for you? And looking ahead to the 2025 edition in Rome, what are you hoping to gain or experience this time?
Attending the 2024 Vacation Rental World Summit in Porto was a great experience. There were definitely some valuable takeaways from several of the talks—especially those focused on data and market trends. They really help put things into perspective and understand where you and your business stand compared to the broader market.
But honestly, the real value of these events is—and always will be—the networking. Always. That’s where the magic happens. Connecting with peers, exchanging ideas, and hearing how others are solving the same challenges in completely different ways, often from completely different parts of the world—that’s priceless.
Looking ahead to the 2025 edition in Rome, I’m really hoping to get even more opportunities to network. I’m looking forward to meeting more people who are navigating the same waters, learning from their experiences, and sharing ours in return.
- Beyond business, what’s one experience or destination that left a lasting impression on you, and why?
Beyond business, one experience that really stayed with me was sailing through the San Blas Islands in the Caribbean. It’s a unique place—still largely untouched and protected by the local Guna community. I enjoy traveling by sailboat, and that trip combined both the simplicity of life at sea and the chance to see a part of the world that has remained authentic. It was the kind of experience that makes you slow down and take things in differently.
- What’s one fun fact, hidden talent, or little-known secret about you that other attendees should know to spark a great conversation with you?
One fun fact that often surprises people is that my real passion is actually real estate. That’s the angle of the vacation rental world that fascinates me the most. That’s also why I created Buytorent, a project I’m currently developing together with Italianway. It’s the first marketplace in Italy focused on income-generating properties that are already professionally managed. For me, combining property investment with operational expertise is where the real long-term value lies—and it’s a topic I’m always happy to talk about.
You’ll have the opportunity to meet Guido directly at VRWS in Rome
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