THAILAND—Airbnb has partnered with the Thailand Boutique Accommodation Trade Association (TBAA) to bring boutique hotels onto Airbnb’s global people-to-people platform and connect them to its international network of travelers, which has seen more than 300 million guest arrivals since it was founded 10 years ago.
Mike Orgill, Airbnb Country Manager for Southeast Asia, and Suparerk Soorangura, President of TBAA and Advisor to the Thai Travel Agents Association, jointly launched the partnership.
“Thailand is one of Airbnb’s largest markets in Southeast Asia, and our partnership with the TBAA marks a significant step forward for our business and community here,” said Orgill. “Boutique hotels play an increasingly key role in driving the tourism ecosystem through their authentic host-led hospitality and distinctive local design. We are excited to work with the TBAA to bring boutique entrepreneurs onto our platform, and connect them with a growing global audience who desire to experience iconic Thai hospitality in an intimate, design-centric setting. We look forward to continue engaging with government and industry stakeholders to drive demand for local and sustainable travel in Thailand, through a wide variety of accommodation options from boutique hotels to homestays and treehouses.”
With Thailand as one of the world’s top global destinations, this partnership will provide travelers with access to more than 50 boutique hotels across 15 provinces, such as Bangkok, Chantaburi, Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Krabi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phuket, Prachuab Kiri Khan, Ratchaburi and Sukhothai.
Both parties agree to:
- Conduct training workshops for TBAA members to equip them with Airbnb platform know-how, and the digital skills to create, manage and promote their own listings
- Amplify Thailand’s unique boutique hotels and creative design on a global stage
- Revitalize local neighborhoods by driving tourist footfall outside of traditional tourist districts
In the past year alone, Airbnb’s host community in Thailand has welcomed close to 1.7 million guests into their homes, creating a combined THB4 billion (US$119 million) in income for local Thais, according to the company.
