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Marriott Drives Deeper Into Luxury Short-Term Rentals as a Loyalty Play

Sean O'Neill photo
Sean O'Neill

Photo Credit: Here is a property in Glen Ellen, Calif., in Sonoma Valley's wine country, available through Homes & Villas by Marriott International, a new home rental initiative from Marriott offering travelers access to 2,500 premium properties in 100 markets across the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Marriott International

Skift Take

Airbnb has nothing to worry about. Marriott is mainly interested in using rentals as a tool to build brand loyalty. So the Bethesda, Maryland-based hotel giant won't threaten the established players in short-term rental booking.

Despite early hype, Marriott International doesn't intend to take on Airbnb and other homesharing companies with its recently announced homesharing business. The company on Monday reemphasized that it has limited goals for Homes & Villas by Marriott International, a small set of professionally managed luxury properties. It mainly intends to use the rental bookings as a way to juice the rewards for the members of its loyalty program, Bonvoy, that have amassed enormous numbers of points. Marriott's official entry five months ago into the lodging industry’s buzziest segment attracted wide notice. But a presentation to property managers at the Vacation Rental Management Association International conference in New Orleans, Jennifer Hsieh, global leader for Homes & Villas by Marriott International, underscored the company's limited, or targeted, aims. "We knew that we couldn't outsmart or out-m

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