A decade ago, who would have dreamed that people would prefer to rent out strangers’ homes instead of hotel rooms in America? Abroad in Europe, especially Spain, pensionnes have welcomed vacationers and business travelers. Here, those family trips to the Bahamas or Cancun that were made possible by sprawling hotels with ocean views and art-deco poolsides, now make way for charming studios or cozy houses in diverse neighborhoods. Surprisingly, many business travelers are also choosing this route. In an article for the NY Times, Julie Weed (@julieweed) explores how popular Airbnb has become.

“Some small hotels are joining the service themselves. When the Box House Hotel in Brooklyn opened in 2011, it listed rooms on Airbnb along with booking.com and other websites.”

People don’t want to spend money if it’s their own. Entrepreneurs and employees of small businesses are realizing the benefits of short-term rental services.

According to Weed, Airbnb:

• Has entered the corporate market by partnering with Concur to allow transactions to appear directly on expense accounts.

• Appeals to entrepreneurs and small business employees who don’t need a concierge and are looking to save money.

• Now reports that under 10 percent of its guests are traveling for business.

Though vacationers make up the majority of guests, business travelers like Kisha Mays, an entrepreneur and chief executive of Just Fearless, are finding the accommodations very appealing.

“I want to feel like I am at home instead of in some bleak hotel room.”

This trend is causing some hotel owners to reconsider Airbnb as a competitor. And hey, if you can’t beat them, join them.

• Some hotels are taking action requiring Airbnb to adhere to the same safety standards.  

• A few small hotels are joining Airbnb to raise awareness and reach a different market of their standard guests.

Whether they want to admit it or not, hotels are being impacted by the new wave of business travelers opting for this alternative, more personalized service. Will more hotels list their rooms on the site, or simply ignore the statistics? Many business analysts see trouble ahead if hotels stay in denial. It will be interesting to see how traditional hotels will adapt in this new short-term rental phenomenon.  

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