TRAVEL WEEKLY BUSINESS
GROWTH OF PEER-TO-PEER TRAVEL FIRMS OUTPACES REGULATIONS Ian Taylor
Rapid growth in peer-to-peer travel business has outpaced regulations, leaving consumers reliant on overseas property owners to comply with health and safety legislation.
Zaid Al-Qassab, chief marketing officer of holiday home rental site HouseTrip, concedes there is an issue. He said: “There is not a clear regulatory framework. This part of the industry has grown rapidly and regulation has not kept pace.” But he told Travel Weekly: “We
purely put individuals who want to rent accommodation in touch with those who want to offer accommodation. The person offering the accommodation is responsible [for health and safety].” Al-Qassab, who will address Abta’s Travel
Convention on the subject next month, said: “It’s the responsibility of the person letting the property to ensure it complies with local regulations and their responsibility to pay applicable taxes.”
SABRE AND UNITED OFFER UBER CAR- SHARING VIA APPS
Sabre and United Airlines have signed deals with taxi and car-share service Uber. Travel technology company Sabre will
offer discounts on Uber car rides requested through its TripCase travel management app.
United Airlines revealed it would offer Uber services via its mobile app. Sabre said integration of Uber with TripCase would allow users to “request
This is not the situation for UK tour
operators, of course, who have a legal responsibility for health and safety in accommodation overseas. There is also no financial protection in place for transactions via HouseTrip or similar sites. But Al-Qassab pointed out: “We are solely an accommodation service. We’re not a travel agent. We don’t bundle [services].” In any case, he said, the company retains clients’ money until they travel: “We don’t pay accommodation until 48 hours after someone checks in. HouseTrip holds the money.” He added: “We have
clear cancellation policies. In most cases, people get some money back. We see if we can arrange the same place on different dates. Our policies are pretty generous.” Al-Qassab insisted: “We vet properties
rigorously.” He said the company “makes more than 20 different checks”, although he declined to give details. He said: “We have market-leading standards of customer service. It’s a key part of the proposition. Consumers can contact us how they wish before or after booking.” Al-Qassab added: “We appeal to people who like booking a holiday themselves. It’s a fast-developing part of the market because it’s based on consumer choice. HouseTrip offers opportunities for the industry. We can offer a family a whole home at a
fraction of what a hotel costs. That has to be good news for the travel industry.”
Al-Qassab: ‘HouseTrip offers opportunities for the industry’
l Zaid Al-Qassab is due to speak on ‘Peer Power Travel’ at The Travel Convention in Slovenia on September 22. To register, go to:
thetravelconvention.com
an Uber ride and receive special discount pricing”.
The GDS operator suggested almost half of business travellers with the TripCase app on mobile devices “are likely to use Uber during their next trip”. Sabre Traveller Solutions senior vice-president John Samuel said: “Uber has revolutionised the way people get a ride. TripCase users will not have to worry about having cash.” United Airlines said passengers with iOS and
Android devices could now access Uber information via the United app, including “types of available vehicles, estimated wait times and prices”. The carrier said: “The United app will automatically transfer customers to the Uber app or Uber site.” Uber announced last week it had hired David Plouffe, President Obama’s former campaign manager, to head its lobbying efforts in Washington. Plouffe was quoted as saying:
“The taxi industry cartel has tried to stand in the way of technology and big change.”
28 August 2014 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 63
“Uber has
revolutionised the way people get a ride”
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