Southern Vacation Rentals Named Winner of the HomeAway Hero Award
Pensacola, FL – November 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / HomeAway recently named Southern Vacation Rentals, the local leader in vacation rental management, the recipient of the September 2018 Hero Award. The award was presented in September at the Annual RezFest Vacation Rental Conference hosted by HomeAway in Marco Island, Fla.
Southern achieved the award for their willingness and flexibility in working with travelers who were stranded, running into problems with the property they originally booked, or otherwise needed a new place to stay. Representing vacation condos and homes along the coast of Northwest Florida and Coastal Alabama, Southern strives to be the most caring vacation rental management company along the Gulf Coast.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, Southern’s teams exemplified the same qualities again, working tirelessly with evacuees and those relocated due to the storm. The Category 4 hurricane made landfall on Oct. 10, impacting Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast.
“We are so grateful to receive this award. Southern has always gone above and beyond to help the community, and times like these are no different,” said Joe Casal, Southern’s Reservations Sales Manager. “Between working directly with travelers and accepting donations, these are just a couple of the ways in which we strive to have a positive impact.”
Southern has had a longstanding partnership with HomeAway and VRBO, having worked with the company since 2003. Since then, Southern has utilized the online marketplace for promoting their vacation rental management company and properties. In 2018, Southern met requirements to earn the HomeAway Premier Partner Badge. The badge recognizes managers who consistently deliver outstanding traveler experiences and maintain detailed and accurate content, high-quality photos, and competitive rates.
Southern Rentals and Real Estate is a leading provider of vacation rentals, residential leasing, real estate, and property management services in Northwest Florida and Coastal Alabama. Southern represents approximately 1,300 vacation rentals in 30A, Destin, Ft. Walton Beach, Gulf Shores & Fort Morgan, Navarre Beach, Orange Beach, Panama City Beach, Pensacola Beach, & Perdido Key, as well as approximately 1,000 long term rentals and valuable real estate opportunities. Established in 1995, the company is locally-owned and operated. For more information, visit GoSouthern.com.
Company Contact:
Andie Gibson
Southern Rentals and Real Estate
850-269-5641
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