Nigeria's Transcorp Hotels Goes Asset-Light With New Airbnb-Style Booking App
Skift Take
It's still unknown how the new-ish CEO of Transcorp Hotels, Dupe Olusola, intends to adjust the shape of the business. Perhaps she'll draw a clearer division between its operating and property parts. The brand's Aura marketplace suggests she has an interest in asset-light experiments.
One of Nigeria's biggest hotel players is taking on Airbnb with a homegrown listing marketplace for short-term apartment rentals and experiences. Transcorp Hotels, has launched this month a mobile booking app, Aura, that lets entrepreneurs list short-term rentals, tours, activities, and restaurant reservations for booking.
Transcorp Hotels runs Transcorp Hilton Abuja and Transcorp Hotels Calabar, some of the largest properties in the country. It is a three-decade-old subsidiary of the conglomerate Transnational Corporation of Nigeria that has interests in energy and agriculture.
"Aura is people-powered, allowing individuals and businesses to become hosts on the platform by listing homes, hotels, restaurants, tours, and other activities that can bring memorable lifestyle experiences," said Dupe Olusola, CEO of Transcorp Hotels.
Transcorp Hotels is the latest travel supplier worldwide to try to leverage their customer base and brand recognition to sell services that aren't their own. In
