Airbnb is great for those who travel for pleasure and now, the accommodation-sharing site has expanded its services to include a business travel rental section. 'Business Travel on Airbnb' was launched in partnership with Concur with the aim of helping people manage their expenses while on the go.
Since about 10% of Airbnb users travel for business, this seems like a natural thing for the site to do. Over 30 companies like Lyft, Evernote and Eventbrite have signed on to improve business travel for Airbnb users, including resources to help manage accounting and budgets. Instead of highlighting noteworthy attractions that are nearby, Business Travel on Airbnb makes a note of meeting spaces, spacious homes for corporate group travel and places where people can unwind after a hard day of work.
Business Travel Rental Services
Airbnb's Business Travel Rentals Cater to Those Who Travel & Work
Trend Themes
1. Business Travel Accommodation-sharing - The trend of sharing economy companies moving towards catering to business travelers presents an opportunity for further innovation in business travel accommodation.
2. Expense Management Solutions - Expanding Airbnb's Business Travel on Airbnb to include expense management solutions for users presents opportunities for innovation in fintech and financial management software.
3. Co-working and Meeting Spaces - With Business Travel on Airbnb highlighting meeting spaces, identifying key players in co-working and business space rentals in particular markets presents a new opportunity for innovation.
Industry Implications
1. Sharing Economy - Airbnb's expansion into the business travel sector presents opportunities for sharing economy platforms to capitalize on business travel accommodations.
2. Fintech - Partnering with companies like Concur to improve expense management solutions presents an opportunity for new financial technology solutions to service the growing business travel market
3. Commercial Real Estate - The trend towards co-working and meeting spaces in the business travel market presents a new opportunity for commercial real estate companies to develop unique spaces that cater to business travelers.