"In November, the hospitality space witnessed an especially high-profile implosion - Marriott's partnership with Sonder ended abruptly, leaving travelers who thought their lodging was secure in a much more precarious place. While this particular business arrangement did not pan out as expected, it's worth considering what it reflected: a moment for the hospitality industry where hotels and residential options - think Airbnb and Vrbo - began to converge."
"As it turns out, that larger trend is still in play. This month, Skift's Dennis Schaal reported that Airbnb is expanding its presence in an unlikely direction: getting a foothold in the world of hotels. Schaal cites a recent post on LinkedIn from Airbnb's Jesse Stein in which Stein announced he was expanding his duties (he's already the company's global head of real estate) to encompass hotels as well."
""[E]xpanding and optimizing the hotel experience on Airbnb is a key growth lever, and one I'm especially excited to help lead," Stein wrote. "Hotels have been a pivotal part of my career, and I believe there's a meaningful opportunity to bring the best of boutique and independent hospitality to a global audience." His resume includes four years at Kimpton Hotels as vice president for acquisitions and development."
Marriott's abrupt breakup with Sonder highlighted the growing convergence between hotels and residential short-term rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo. Airbnb is pursuing a larger role in hotels, with Jesse Stein expanding his remit to include hotels alongside his role as global head of real estate. Airbnb has recruited hospitality veterans from companies such as Booking.com and Radisson and benefits from Stein's Kimpton Hotels experience. The company has signaled broader ambitions through initiatives like Experiences and hints of a loyalty program, and increasing local regulations on short-term rentals create pragmatic reasons to integrate hotel inventory.
Read at InsideHook
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]