In this challenging market hoteliers can compete with the tech giant by targeting a different clientele and offering excellent service
When Issie Gibbons first used Airbnb to book a private riad in Marrakech five years ago, it changed the way the freelance fashion stylist would travel in the future. “It was so cheap and we had the whole place to ourselves – it even included a chef,” she recalls with enthusiasm.
Since that trip, Gibbons has swapped her boutique hotels for Airbnbs, booking accommodation for destinations such as Italy, Mallorca and the UK through the platform. “I prefer the quirkiness and originality of Airbnb. I stayed on a houseboat in Amsterdam, for instance, which was amazing. I’ve always hated the impersonal feel of most hotels. I still love the boutique ones, but Airbnb is so much cheaper, so I always go there first.”
People are looking for experiences, not just a room
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