Expedia Group acquires CanadaStays marketplace
Canada: Expedia Group has completed its acquisition of Canada-based vacation rental marketplace CanadaStays, having already held a strategic partnership together since 2015.
Though the full terms of the deal have not been announced, Expedia Group revealed it had purchased the shares of the company in full that it did not already own.
Subsequently, CanadaStays, which was founded in 2008, will join Vrbo’s vacation rentals division with a view to Expedia Group expanding its footprint in the alternative accommodation space in Canada.
As a result, owners and property managers using the marketplace will have access to Vrbo’s data and tools for how to organise property listings, in order to help them expand their reach to more travellers and maximise their rental income.
Additional features available will include collaborative trip-planning tools, virtual tours, mobile apps and chatbots.
According to the group, some CanadaStays listings have already been added to its OTA sites with more to come when the integration with Vrbo is formalised.
Bill Furlong, vice president of Vrbo’s North American rental division, told Phocuswire: “CanadaStays has thousands of the best vacation rental homes in Canada with two or more bedrooms that are perfect for families and groups of friends.
“Together, Vrbo and CanadaStays will offer the same great selection and customer service, with an even stronger commitment to helping family and friends travel better together in Canada and abroad,” he added.
CanadaStays founder and CEO, Mark Bordo, said: “The Canadian vacation rental industry is growing, with demand for destinations from British Columbia across Canada to Prince Edward Island.
“With Expedia Group’s reach and resources, Vrbo’s leading marketplace and technology, and our local expertise, we will grow our business in Canada even faster. Joining the Expedia Group and Vrbo family is a natural fit for us and one that we are very happy to be a part of,” he added.
CanadaStays claims to have the largest choice of vacation rentals in the country, since its launch 11 years ago. The acquisition comes as Expedia Group reports an upturn in fortune for its Vrbo division, with revenue rising in the last quarter following consecutive quarters of decline.
Expedia Group president and CEO, Mark Okerstrom, added that the company had prioritised getting the brand “back on track” by working to consolidate its alternative accommodation offering.
For more information, visit the Expedia Group website here and the CanadaStays website here.
