Home sharing platform Airbnb has joined hands with Australian flag carrier Qantas for its first airline loyalty partnership.
Qantas frequent flyers will earn points for every Airbnb booking, equating to one point earned for every dollar spent on an Airbnb.
"We know many of our customers are just as likely to arrange an Airbnb as they are to book a hotel, and we wanted to recognise and reward them for that," said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.
"Qantas has always looked for ways to reinvent airline travel, just like Airbnb has done for accommodation," he added.
However the tie-up has not gone down well with the traditional hotel industry Down Under.
Tourism Accommodation Australia, which represents major global chains and independent hoteliers, expressed surprise that Qantas would even consider partnering with an ‘unregulated’ operator.
"We find it extremely concerning that an airline with a strong safety record would partner with an organisation that cannot guarantee the safety of its guests," said Tourism Accommodation Australia CEO Carol Giuseppi.
"These unregulated short-term accommodation operators do not have in place the consumer safety and community amenity regulations and insurances that apply to regulated operators, nor do they pay the requisite fees and taxes."
