American Express Global Business Travel (“GBT”) has announced a commercial agreement with Airbnb, one of the world’s leading community-driven hospitality companies. The new referral partnership will make Airbnb for Business more accessible to GBT customers and allow data transfer and traveller tracking.
Since being founded in 2008, Airbnb hosts have welcomed more than 100 million guest arrivals at Airbnb listings worldwide. Approximately 10 per cent of all travellers on Airbnb for Business are business travellers. This trend is largely driven by travellers seeking accommodations that allow them to experience cities and neighbourhoods they visit.
Wes Bergstrom, Vice President, Global Supplier Relations, American Express Global Business Travel said, “Business travellers want the freedom to choose accommodations that align with their personal and professional tastes. At the same time, traveller safety and security are a top priority for companies. As the first travel management company (TMC) to partner with Airbnb, our customers can further evolve their travel policies and offer their travellers the ability to book preferred accommodations.”
During the first phase of the programme, once GBT refers a customer to Airbnb, individual travellers can book accommodations directly on Airbnb.com using a corporate email address. In the coming weeks, GBT and Airbnb will integrate Airbnb booking information into GBT’s reporting platform so that GBT’s customers can easily track their travellers’ Airbnb bookings. Once that integration is complete, the reservation details for each business trip will automatically be shared with GBT. Travel managers can then access the data through corporate reporting and duty of care platforms. Travellers will then be able to access that booking information through GBT’s corporate reporting and duty of care platforms. Travellers will also have the ability to view their booking details in their regular corporate itineraries and on mobile devices.
Lex Bayer, Head of Global Payments and Business Travel, Airbnb said, “We are excited to be working with one of the leaders in the travel management space, and look forward to helping business travellers feel more at home while travelling on the road. Airbnb for Business gives business travellers access to more than two million homes around the world, and the ability to explore a city like a local, even if it’s just for one night.”
The first phase of this partnership is expected to go live in the US in the next few weeks, and to expand to additional countries later this year. GBT and Airbnb will continue to develop additional phases of this programme, which will enable greater integration throughout the booking process.
