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Airbnb Makes Further Inroads into Luxury Sector
It began as a glorified ‘couch-surfing’ provider, but Airbnb is rapidly moving into the luxury sector by adding high-end properties and services to its growing sphere of power.
Recently, the world famous Silicon Valley company acquired Montreal based Luxury Retreats, marking a significant shift towards the upper-end of accommodation rentals, meaning that Airbnb users can now access homes including a $4,673 per night villa in Tuscany and a 22,000 per night seaside retreat in the Turks and Caicos.
Speaking about the acquisition, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky said, “From airbeds in an apartment to castles to villas, Airbnb has always been focused on providing a broad range of amazing experiences and trips.
“I have spent countless hours with Joe and his team and seen first-hand their passion for delivering amazing hospitality and unforgettable experiences in spectacular places around the world. They share our values and I’m excited to work with the Luxury Retreats team to serve more travelers.
“The incredible energy and talent in these teams will help support our mission and grow our community and I’m confident that we will expand our team in Canada in the months and years ahead.”
According to Airbnb the remit of Luxury Retreats will remain essentially the same, continuing to provide concierge services and access to its support team as well as dedicated villa specialists to help guests find the perfect villa.
Luxury Retreats was founded by young entrepreneur Joe Poulin in 1999. You can read our exclusive interview with Mr Poulin that was conducted back in 2013, here.