Marriott takes on Airbnb by offering private home rentals

The world’s largest hotel company is trying to take on Airbnb directly by offering private homes for rental.

Marriott International has signed for 60,000 properties to add to its 1.5 million hotel rooms.

The hotel chain said it created its homes and villas offering to meet the growing demand for short-term rentals.

By comparison, Marriott’s initial offering is considerably smaller than Airbnb’s six million listings, but the company said all of its properties come with Marriott guarantees along with its loyalty rewards program.

In many cases, travelers can also receive hotel benefits, such as access to resort amenities, without having to go inside a lobby.