Airbnb Introduces New Tool for Business Travelers

Having won over numerous vacationers, Airbnb also believes it can be a viable alternative to traditional hotels for business travelers.

The San Francisco-based short-term rental solution recently announced it has rolled out a new search function designed specifically for road warriors.

The new feature sifts through listings to highlight the ones that have been deemed Business Travel Ready (BTR).

BTR homes and apartments are defined by having a workspace or desk, Wi-Fi and 24-hour check-in among other amenities. BTR properties will also include entire homes so that business travelers can have space entirely to themselves or share it with their team.

Users will need to have their work email address linked to their Airbnb account in order to access the new feature and can register as business travelers with Airbnb at Airbnb.com/business-travel.

With spending on business travel soaring and a growing number of Airbnb users taking to the site for work travel, the new search tool is a no-brainer.

According to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), U.S. business travel spending exceeded $290 billion last year and is expected to climb by more than 4 percent in 2017. On top of that, the head of Airbnb's business travel division, David Holyoke said the number of people using the site for business purposes is expected to quadruple this year.

More than 250,000 companies in over 230 countries are already using it.

Initially launched in July 2014, Airbnb's business travel program experienced significant growth during its first year. As many as 500 companies signed on within 24 hours of the launch.

Last summer, Airbnb for Business announced partnerships with American Express Global Business Travel (GBT), BCD Travel and Carlson Wagonlit Travel as part of an industry-first achievement. It marked the first time travel management companies have added home-sharing accommodations to traditional corporate travel programs.

Airbnb has also uncovered that business travelers are often blending work with play, revealing that more than 50 percent of business trips booked through the site last year included a Saturday night stay.

Currently, 10 percent of trips booked through Airbnb are for work but that number is likely to grow as the lines between business and leisure travel blur and the company makes it easier for business travelers to find the right place to stay at the right price.

Source: Travel Pulse