Skift Take
The battle for online travel dominance began long ago, but now it's really getting serious. Count this as Airbnb's official opening shot toward Booking and Expedia.
Airbnb has been trying to add more hotels and bed-and-breakfasts onto its platform for some time, but now the company made its entreaties to those hospitality providers all the more public and transparent.
In an open letter penned Tuesday to "boutique hotel and bed-and-breakfast owners," Airbnb said, essentially: We want you to advertise your rooms on our platform and, not only that, but we think we're better for you than the big online travel agencies like Booking and Expedia. The letter is accompanied by a larger trade-centric advertising campaign aimed directly at hoteliers.
Airbnb's main selling points to hotel owners included the following:
Airbnb has the guests you're looking for: millennials and international travelers. The company cited statistics that show that the number of non-U.S.-based travelers using Airbnb in 2017 grew 30 percent year over year.
Airbnb has the tools you need and is adding more: The company noted that its upcoming home categories (vacation home, unique space, b&b, and boutique) that will enable hosts to better classify their accommodations so it's easier for Airbnb users to find t
