San Francisco-based accommodation provider Airbnb has just announced the launch of a new tool that allows employees to book business travel for co-workers. With business travel booking on Airbnb tripling this year, the company has implemented the new tool to help facilitate bookings for business travellers - travel managers and executive assistants can now book Airbnb listings on behalf of other employees.
To date, 50,000 companies have used Airbnb for Business to make a booking; 10% of travel booked on Airbnb is business travel. Business Travel Ready listings feature essential amenities and services including free WiFi, laptop-friendly workspaces and 24-hour check-in.
Prior to the new feature, users were unable to designate other travellers in the checkout flow. Now, it's possible for an employee to book Airbnb for Business on behalf of a co-worker. Both the travel manager and traveller are able to view trip details, make changes to the reservation and message the Airbnb host with questions about the listing or neighbourhood.
"More and more business travellers are choosing to stay with Airbnb while they are on the road, so they get the chance to not just visit, but live in a city, even if it's for one night," said Lex Bayer, head of global payments and business development, Airbnb. "Our hosts offer more than just generic hospitality, they help travellers live in the heart of local neighbourhoods. We are excited that this product update will introduce a whole new segment of business travellers to this experience."
Airbnb currently offers accommodation in 34,000 cities and 191 countries.