Airbnb has signed a partnership with the corporate division
of Flight Centre Travel Group. The deal gives the Australia- and New
Zealand-based company's clients access to Airbnb for Business inventory, as
well as Airbnb's suite of travel
manager tools and traveler dashboards. FCTG's corporate brands—which
include travel agencies FCM Travel Solutions, Corporate Traveller, Campus
Travel and Stage and Screen—also will be able to use Airbnb's third-party
booking tool.
FCTG executive general manager of corporate travel Andrew
Flannery said the agreement will provide new options for travelers looking for
something different from a typical hotel stay and will benefit customers with
travel needs in markets with low hotel supply. The company conducted a pilot during
recent months, and travelers who used the service rated the experience 4.76 out
of 5 stars and achieved an average daily rate of $80, in Australian dollars.
After Airbnb hired David
Holyoke as global director of business travel in late 2016, the alternative
accommodations provider has focused on outreach and education within the
corporate travel community. The company last year signed
deals with Carlson Wagonlit Travel, BCD Travel and American Express Global
Business Travel.
Airbnb listings will be made available to FCTG's
Campus Travel and Stage and Screen brands in the upcoming weeks and shortly
thereafter to FCM Travel Solutions and Corporate Traveller.