Airbnb continues to go after business travelers with new partnership

A new bridge is forming in the battle between hotels and the sharing economy: serviced apartments. Airbnb made the latest move, sealing a deal with BridgeStreet, a hospitality group with more than 50,000 mid-range and luxury apartments in 60 countries.

The homesharing company's become deeply invested in wooing business travelers, and this new partnership could be a big help. BridgeStreet's properties will now appear on Airbnb for Business, a sub-platform launched in July, catered exclusively to corporate clientele.

BridgeStreet's chief executive officer Sean Worker said in a statement:

(W)e viewed Airbnb as a natural choice to link up with as they have certainly helped redefine the travel industry. Through our partnership, we will strategically position our services to Airbnb's untapped corporate travel audience, while we offer a broader array of experiences to our client base – it's incredibly intuitive.

The news comes after Marriott announced it was opening more than 100 serviced apartments this week. Meanwhile, big chains like Marriott and Starwood are ramping up service at their extended stay properties, which are essentially the same as serviced apartments offering kitchens, buggy service and added space. Extended stay hotels still have one major benefit over Airbnb for Business, though: loyalty reward programs. So it'll be interesting to see what the homesharing company does next to grow its new platform.