While they may be fierce rivals everywhere else, Airbnb and hotel operators in Beppu, Japan have joined together to draw more tourists to the famous-for-hot-springs city that will be one of the hosts of the Rugby World Cup.
The Beppu City Ryokan Hotel Association, with 111 members, will soon sign a memorandum of understanding that will cover the deal, including Airbnb helping the mostly small inns and guesthouses create listings on the vacation-rental site.
“We hope more tourists will stay at Japan’s traditional inns and hotels and get to know the tradition of enjoying hot springs better,” said an official of the association.
