Booking.com to take a semi-neutral role in private accommodation listings

The global travel booking giant is changing up how it helps private accommodation owners that want to list their properties on its site

Booking.com plans to create a service called "Partner Up" - a mechanism to allow private owners to connect with property management companies so that they can receive help with their properties.

Separately, Eric Bergaglia, Booking.com's Global Head of Homes and Apartments, says the unit will not follow other divisions in the organization that have bought distribution and software companies in recent years as a way to provide distribution services for suppliers.

Booking.com has previously acquired a number of supplier-related software platforms.

For hotels, three acquisitions were completed: Buuteeq (for marketing and design services) and Hotel Ninjas (reservations and distribution), both of which were bought for undisclosed fees during 2014.

They were later joined by revenue management provider PriceMatch, in May 2015.

Booking.com also bought reservation system FareHarbor in 2018 for its then-fledgling tours and activities unit.

The new partner program for non-hotels is one of a number of new initiatives to improve its relationship with the private accommodation community of professional managers.

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