Luxury Travel’s Next Phase Could Be in Vacation Rental Consolidation
Photo Credit: A ThirdHome property in Wild Rock, West Virginia. The company is looking for some outside investment. ThirdHome
Skift Take
Luxury travelers are increasingly looking to vacation rentals for a different type of experience. This presents opportunities for both established players and newcomers.
Over the last year Airbnb has demonstrated its willingness to spend in order to get a bigger slice of the vacation rental market.
In February, it bought Luxury Retreats and last month it announced a deal for accessible travel business Accomable. Wyndham’s European vacation portfolio is apparently also of interest.
And while Airbnb's peers were less acquisitive in 2017, they have spent money in the past. TripAdvisor bought HouseTrip in early 2016 and HomeAway purchased Dwellable in late 2015.
As vacation rentals grow in popularity, further consolidation is likely.
“From my perspective the niche players are the ones that are the next version of Airbnb, they’re the newcomers to the market that have the ability to get acquired,” said Joseph DiTomaso co-founder and CEO of accommodation search engine AllTheRooms.
DiTomaso believes brands with a “unique twist and a captured audience” are the ones in “prime position" to be bought. “They’re not going to be
