US: Airbnb is to allow accommodation providers to list on its site for the first time through an official third-party distribution network.
SiteMinder will be the first platform to act as a global channel manager, with its portfolio of properties featuring alongside existing Airbnb host listings. It is expected to be the first of several distribution platforms to be given connection rights to Airbnb in the future.
SiteMinder’s connection will be available from March 2018, although it has been working with a number of hotels to test the service. Serviced apartments, hotels and B&Bs have listed on Airbnb in the past but have done so independently and not through a third-party distribution service.
Airbnb will charge a service fee for accommodation providers in the region of three to five per cent, and will not require hosts to sign contracts. It will manage all payments and transactions.
SiteMinder has more than 28,000 properties connected to its channel manager platform and last year signed a deal with BridgeStreet. Its managing director Mike Ford said: “In an increasingly-complex and competitive world, SiteMinder’s partnership with Airbnb offers a new opportunity for boutique hotels and bed and breakfasts to engage the growing number of travellers who seek exceptional hospitality and an authentic local experience. We are delighted to provide an innovative technology solution that now makes it easy for these small accommodation providers to reach the millions of customers who use Airbnb everyday, and get time back to provide memorable experiences for guests.”
Airbnb says it will monitor the SiteMinder properties for quality, saying they will have to meet certain criteria such as unique design characteristics, inclusion of local influences, access to communal spaces and high-quality photography on their content pages.</p
