Airbnb Bookings on the Rise Within SAP Concur – Airbnb Listings Now Available in Concur Travel

What’s new: Airbnb listings are now visible in Concur Travel (coming weeks)

Airbnb listings will be viewable directly within Concur Travel in the coming weeks, so SAP Concur clients can search and view Airbnb options alongside hotels in the online booking tool (OBT).

Airbnb has been a valued partner to SAP Concur for years. The connection to Concur TripLink has enabled travelers to stay within company policy while booking lodging directly from Airbnb.com.

In the coming weeks, Airbnb listings can be viewed directly within Concur Travel. As the only corporate travel solution with Airbnb listings embedded directly in the online booking tool (OBT), SAP Concur clients can seamlessly search and view Airbnb listings alongside hotels.

Listings in Concur Travel include pictures of properties and review ratings, which are important to Airbnb customers.

As the only corporate travel solution with Airbnb listings embedded directly in the online booking tool (OBT), SAP Concur clients can now search and view Airbnb listings alongside hotels in Concur Travel.

Why is SAP Concur integrating Airbnb into Concur Travel?

Growth in Airbnb expenses within SAP Concur—supported by customer conversations—showed a clear need to bring Airbnb into the Concur Travel OBT for more choice, visibility, and control.

In addition to valued hotel partners, Airbnb is an increasingly important accommodation supplier for business travelers.

The number of SAP Concur customers expensing Airbnb stays increased by **42%** from **2016 to 2017**, including **63%** of Fortune 500 customers.

Our customers drive our innovation. Looking at the growth of Airbnb expenses within SAP Concur, along with regular conversations with customers and travel managers, we realized the need to bring Airbnb into the Concur Travel online booking tool (OBT).

With more integrations with the SAP Concur platform, travel managers can increase visibility and control around alternative booking options, helping keep employees safe while traveling for business.

The result is:

• A better user experience and more traveler choice
• Improved visibility and control for travel managers
• Simplified expense reporting after each trip

“Business travelers continue to look for extra comfort and flexibility when on the road, and we know it's key to provide these attributes within company travel policies. SAP Concur is a natural partner for us to bring the uniqueness of Airbnb to more people, and we’re looking forward to bringing Airbnb listings to Concur Travel.” – David Holyoke, global head of Airbnb for Work.

How does this build on the existing TripLink connection?

Airbnb’s existing TripLink connection simplifies expense reporting because itinerary and e-receipt data can be automatically returned to SAP Concur to help prepopulate expense reports.

This builds on Airbnb’s existing connection via TripLink, which simplifies expense reporting after a trip.

Itineraries and e-receipts are automatically fed back to SAP Concur, helping prepopulate employee expense reports.

Airbnb lodging for business travel: what SAP Concur expense data shows (Q1 2016–Q4 2017)

According to SAP Concur expense data from Q1 2016 through Q4 2017, Airbnb business travel usage increased in multiple ways, including earlier booking behavior and higher activity around specific months and weekdays.

Data source: SAP Concur expense data (Q1 2016–Q4 2017)

According to SAP Concur expense data from Q1 2016 through Q4 2017, we found:

• More business travellers are booking earlier. In 2017, 54% of Airbnb bookings were made at least 15 days in advance, up from 2016 (45%).
• Business spend on Airbnb peaks in October. On average, SAP Concur customers spend 26% more on Airbnb lodgings in October compared to other months. October is also one of the busiest months for business travel overall, with previous SAP Concur data showing 20% more business travellers making trips during this time of year.
• Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the most popular weekdays for Airbnb stays, with an average of 22% more bookings on these days compared to other weekdays.
• Higher Education institutions spend the most on Airbnb lodging per year across industries, followed by technology companies.
• From 2016 to 2017, the percentage of Airbnb bookings in SAP Concur that either began or ended on a weekend increased from 51% to 56%.

Which cities top Airbnb expenses in SAP Concur?

San Francisco ranks first and London ranks second for Airbnb spend expensed on SAP Concur, with additional cities fluctuating quarter-to-quarter—often aligning with major industry events.

San Francisco and London remain the top two most expensed cities for Airbnb

On SAP Concur, business travelers expensed more spend on Airbnb accommodations quarter-over-quarter in San Francisco than any other city, while London consistently ranked second place.

Beyond the top two, quarterly variances in Airbnb expenses on SAP Concur often correspond to large industry events.

For example, bookings spike in Austin during Q1 each year, as business travelers attend South by Southwest.

The top five spots are occupied by eight different cities across the eight quarters measured.

Are Airbnb booking amounts increasing globally in SAP Concur data?

Yes. SAP Concur data indicates year-over-year growth in Airbnb bookings across APAC, EMEA, and the Americas from 2016 to 2017, with India showing the fastest growth in spend among countries mentioned.

Total booking amounts for Airbnb increase across the globe

Worldwide, SAP Concur data shows Airbnb bookings are rising, with year-over-year growth in:

• APAC: 85%
• EMEA: 65%
• Americas: 53%

From 2016 to 2017, customers in India showed the fastest growth in Airbnb spend, followed by Germany and Australia.

Regional breakdown: fastest growth and biggest spenders

• Americas: The U.S. expensed the highest amount of Airbnb lodgings. Mexico showed the fastest growth in spend, followed by Canada and the U.S.
• EMEA: Germany was the fastest growing country in spend, followed by France and Italy, while the U.K. remains the biggest spender overall in the region.
• APAC: Australia expensed more Airbnb lodgings than any other country. India shows the fastest growth in spend, followed by Australia and Japan.

FAQs

1) When will Airbnb listings be available in Concur Travel?

The page says that in the coming weeks, Airbnb listings can be viewed directly within Concur Travel (dated 13-08-2018).

2) Where will travelers see Airbnb listings inside SAP Concur?

Airbnb listings can be viewed directly within Concur Travel, alongside hotels in the online booking tool (OBT), including pictures and review ratings.

3) How does Concur TripLink relate to Airbnb bookings?

The TripLink connection enables travelers to book lodging directly from Airbnb.com while staying within company policy, and it helps simplify expense reporting because itineraries and e-receipts are automatically fed back to SAP Concur to prepopulate expense reports.

4) What growth did SAP Concur report for Airbnb expenses from 2016 to 2017?

The page reports that the number of SAP Concur customers expensing Airbnb stays increased by 42% from 2016 to 2017, including 63% of Fortune 500 customers.

5) Which regions showed year-over-year growth in Airbnb bookings in SAP Concur data?

SAP Concur data shows year-over-year growth in Airbnb bookings across APAC (85%), EMEA (65%), and the Americas (53%) (based on expense data from Q1 2016 through Q4 2017).