Tour Operators: Airbnb Adventures Knows Distribution, Not Destinations
Photo Credit: Show is a G Adventures-supported waterfall mist hike in Vik, Iceland. The tour operator sees Airbnb as a distribution platform and not a destination expert. G Adventures
Skift Take
Big-name tour operators aren't losing sleep over Airbnb Adventures. But some are indeed paying close attention, which is prudent. Just ask European airlines, which underestimated the emergence of Ryanair and EasyJet, and would love to have a do-over.
Some tour operators have plenty of respect for the brand that Airbnb has built, but when it comes to the recent launch of multiday tours in the form of Airbnb Adventures, these tour professionals don't think the online travel platform has what it takes to handle the complexity of such travel itineraries.
Online travel companies mainly compete against one another using "data, databases, and analytics," said Oscar Lopera, general manager of group services at Diethelm Travel Group, which offers custom tours in more than a dozen Asian countries.
"They are not real destination experts. They are travel companies who are digitalizing the distribution and access of travel services or products in an easy, digestible, and associative way," he said.
Lopera sees value in what Airbnb and other online travel companies are doing in the digital arena for tours, but he argued that luxury travelers demand customization and clamor for unique experiences.
Will Airbnb Fall Short?
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