Home Sharing
Airbnb ranks No. 1 in the home-sharing market, but travel booking giants Priceline Group Inc. and Expedia are catching up by purchasing companies like HomeAway. Airbnb, based in San Francisco, has a roughly 15 percent share of the global home-sharing market, compared with 12 percent for Expedia, 9 percent for Priceline, according to research by the Susquehanna International Group. Both companies are increasing their efforts because they want to increase their presence in a sector projected to grow 8 percent in 2017 to $34 billion.
Why do some travelers like AirBnB or VBRO?
1. Cost - An Airbnb rental is typically much cheaper than a comparable hotel room. Depending on the location, in some cases, an entire house can be rented via Airbnb for the cost of a single hotel suite.
2. Living Locally - According to statistics one of the main attractions of an Airbnb stay is to "live like a local". Rather than renting a generic hotel room, most Airbnb guests prefer to stay in a neighborhood and experience the destination the way locals do.
3. Privacy - Airbnb users are not constantly surrounded by hotel guests and staff.
4. Peace and Quiet - Airbnb rentals are typically more secluded and don't suffer from noisy hotel activity such as early morning guest departures, maid service, young children, and traffic.
5. See What You Are Getting in Advance - Unlike a hotel where at best you may see an image of a similar room on their website with Airbnb you get detailed photos and descriptions of the actual premises.
6. Diversity - Airbnb has an enormous diversity of available accommodations, from boathouses and yachts to lighthouses and castles.
7. The Comforts of Home - Rather than generic hotel rooms Airbnb listings have the homey feel of an actual living space (some even have resident pets). Kitchens allow guests who wish to save money on dining out or have dietary problems to prepare their own food.
8. Space for Family or Friends - With Airbnb, you can save a lot of money by renting an entire house/apartment/condo for family and friends rather than multiple hotel rooms.
Hotel not the right fit?
Source LearnAirBnB.com
Source Airbnb.com
Source vrbo.com