Airbnb is increasing its ability to capture business from the traditional vacation rental industry, with a series of connections with technology providers.
After testing its API with four tech companies last year (Live Rez, BookingPal, Kigo and LeisureLink), giving vacation rental property management systems access to the Airbnb platform and potential users, five companies in Europe and a further five in North America have now also connected.
According to information obtained from an insider by the Vacation Rental Marketing Blog, the ten (Avantio, Supercontrol, Xotelia, Net2Rent, Arkiane, Streamline, OneRooftop, Ciirus, Maxxton, Barefoot) will also gain access to the API so that rental owners - or property management companies - can lure in guests and manage their inventory and availability.
Airbnb has made no official comment on a strategy to target existing rental owners, going up against the likes of Expedia Inc-owned HomeAway and countless other rental brands, but it did appoint former Jetsetter CEO and Expedia alum Shaun Stewart just over 18 months ago to be its first head of global vacation rentals.
The company has featured hotel rooms on the site for a number of years, such as those from franchise owners belonging to the likes of Best Western chain (at odds with proclamations from its CEO).
But turning the screw a little tighter on the rental industry will not have escaped the attention of figures such as HomeAway CEO Brian Sharples, who was at pains to point out with Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky at a Phocuswright Conference in 2012 that they could co-exist with their (at the time) differing models and focus.
Airbnb, under Stewart, has gone a long way to addressing a number of issues facing rental owners if they are to mirror what they do on many of the property management systems but now within the Airbnb ecosystem.
Such fixes include the ability to dynamically price a stay, easing restrictions on close-to-arrival/departure policies, cancellation fees and customer service (it hired a dedicated team last year).
Airbnb has yet to responds to requests for additional information.
NB:Airbnb image via Shutterstock.