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.
AccorHotels has been one of the most active buyers. Over the years, it has picked up a number of businesses before consolidating them all under the Onefinesay brand. Oasis Collections, which AccorHotels had previously invested in, now counts Hyatt as one of its shareholders.
Strategic buyers like AccorHotels, Hyatt and now Airbnb often make the best home for niche players because of their deep pockets and long-term outlook.
Onefinestay has yet to turn a profit, and by combining it with Travel Keys and Squarebreak, AccorHotels will be hoping increased scale can improve the bottom line.
Home exchange club ThirdHome is looking for outside investment of up to $12 million as it attempts to grow its business.
The Tennessee-based company operates as an exchange marketplace. Homeowners are invited to place their properties on the site, and in return are given tokens that they can use towards staying at another member’s property.
All eyes will be on Airbnb to see what it does next in the luxury sector and where it made a wise decision in buying Luxury Retreats.
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