Airbnb and Wego partner to give Mideast travellers more accommodation choices

Properties listed on Airbnb to appear in search results in Wego’s mobile apps and websites

Wego users will be able to view Airbnb properties across popular cities such as Dubai, Beirut, Amman, Marrakech, London, Paris and New York. Yuya Shino/Reuters

Airbnb is partnering up with Wego to include properties listed on the home-sharing website in the regional online travel platform's search results in a move to offer travellers more accommodation choices.

With the addition of listings on Airbnb, travellers using the Wego apps and websites will have easier access to a wide range of local homes and other types of accommodation in destinations worldwide, the companies said in a joint statement on Tuesday. Wego users will be able to view Airbnb properties across popular cities such as Dubai, Beirut, Amman, Marrakech, London, Paris and New York.

"We are delighted to join hands with Wego to widen travel options for Wego’s MENA-inbound and MENA-based users," Hadi Moussa, general manager for Middle East and Africa at Airbnb, said. "The high quality range of properties on Airbnb will be a great addition for Wego customers who are seeking new accommodation options and experiences, and want to live like a local."

Airbnb is increasingly expanding its presence in the Middle East through a series of partnerships with regional travel and tourism entities. Airbnb's partnership with Wego follows its tie-up with Abu Dhabi's tourism department to offer the "Emirati Experiences" initiative last month. Airbnb guests can now opt for tours of Abu Dhabi customised and led by Emirati guides for insights into local culture.

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Wego helps users to quickly compare a wide range of accommodation options available online, including hotels, serviced apartments, homes and villas and to compare rates across local and global travel agencies, hotel websites and other providers.

Airbnb’s accommodation platform offers access to millions of places to stay in more than 191 countries, from apartments and villas to castles and treehouses.

The partnership will expand the supply of accommodation on Wego, which will cater to demand from Saudi Arabia and other GCC markets, Anna Trushkina, director of hotels at Wego, said.

Analysis of search and booking data from across the 60 countries worldwide that Wego operates, shows that users from GCC countries have the longest length of stay, highest spend per night and most frequent instance of multiple room bookings to accommodate family groups, she said.

"We also know that many families from the GCC place a premium on privacy when travelling. Based on all of this we think that private homes, villas and apartments are a great fit for the needs of the market," she said.