Airbnb partnership to boost boutique hotel sector in Thailand
Thailand: Airbnb has unveiled details of its upcoming partnership with the Thailand Boutique Accommodation Trade Association (TBAA) at a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony.
The ceremony took place at Bangkok’s Beat Hotel earlier this week.
Under the new partnership, the two companies will unite to boost Thailand’s boutique hotel sector by bringing a number of individual properties to the Airbnb vacation rental platform.
Airbnb has handled over 300 million reservations since it was established in 2008.
Mike Orgill, Airbnb country manager for Southeast Asia said: “Thailand is one of Airbnb’s largest markets in Southeast Asia, and our partnership with the TBAA marks a significant step forward for our business and community here. Boutique hotels play an increasingly key role in driving the tourism ecosystem through their authentic host-led hospitality and distinctive local design.
“We are excited to work with the TBAA to bring boutique entrepreneurs onto our platform, and connect them with a growing global audience who desire to experience iconic Thai hospitality in an intimate, design-centric setting.
“We look forward to continue engaging with government and industry stakeholders to drive demand for local and sustainable travel in Thailand, through a wide variety of accommodation options from boutique hotels to homestays and treehouses,” he added.
The MOU is the first time the TBAA has entered into such an agreement with a company outside of Thailand, and comes after Airbnb’s deal with the Ministry of Interior’s Department of Local Administration to train local rental providers across the country’s 76 provinces.
The agreement will also see Airbnb arrange workshops for TBAA members to teach them how to best use its travel app, as well as the technical skills to market their product.
Furthermore, the collaboration aims to contribute to regional economies by encouraging visitors to Thailand to travel beyond the obvious tourist destinations and stimulate growth. In the past year alone, Airbnb’s hosts in Thailand have welcomed around 1.7 million guests into their homes, bringing in a combined $119 million revenue for the Thai population.
Suparerk Soorangura, president of Thailand Boutique Accommodation Trade Association and advisor to the Thai Travel Agents Association, said: “The TBAA’s collaboration with Airbnb is an exciting opportunity for boutique hotel owners in Thailand, which will showcase their uniqueness and creativity to a global audience through the Airbnb platform.”
