Thomas Cook ties up with Airbnb

Deal will enable it to offer accommodation options

In its first tie-up with a non-online travel player globally, Airbnb has entered into an agreement with Thomas Cook to offer a range of accommodation options to outbound travellers at different price points.

Thomas Cook already has a tie-up with Gurgaon-based OYO Rooms for domestic travellers. Through the deal, it intends to offer families, groups of friends and business-cum-leisure travellers access to Airbnb's diverse stay options — across apartments, private rooms, castles, boats, manors, tree houses and private islands.      

Thomas Cook India Chairman and Managing Director Madhavan Menon said the tie-up would allow the company to offer additional options to travellers while selling a holiday package. “We are looking to offer more value to our customers. This is an experiment for both of us. We will see how we can weave the Airbnb options into our various offerings. At the same time, we will be open to more such tie-ups,” Menon said.

The company said its consumer research had found that Indian travellers were not just seeking hotel categories or room types but wished to explore authentic local stays and a desire for deepener engagement with the destination, its culture and people. San Francisco-based Airbnb is a marketplace for people to list, discover and book accommodations around the world — online or through a mobile. Airbnb’s website claims a presence in about 34,000 cities across 190 countries.

Prem Watsa's Fairfax Financial Holdings-promoted TCIL's footprint — exclusive of its subsidiaries — currently extends to over 232 locations, including 23 airport counters, in 92 cities across India, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. TCIL’s share at BSE closed at Rs 189.50, down 2.14 per cent from the previous day.