US: Vacation rental software company CiiRUS has partnered with travel industry experts Rich Bagshaw and Rob Dempster to launch HomeBeds, which it claims is the world’s “first direct, exclusive bedbank for vacation rental homes”.
HomeBeds will provide travel agents and tour operators with access to more than 25,000 professionally managed homes, directly sourced in partnership with management companies on the CiiRUS platform.
Offering technology and professional services to management companies in 25 countries and 26 US states, management companies can use the CiiRUS platform to opt their homes directly into the HomeBeds program. In doing so, it aims to eliminate complex integrations and middle-men that have made connecting to agents and tour operators difficult for managers.
In 2019, Brian Hamaoui [formerly of Properly, Dream Villa Management, MyGuestbook, Bluetent] joined CiiRUS as its VP of Marketing to help bridge the deepening gap between management companies and tour operators.
Since that time, the company has developed partnerships with a number of global travel brands such as Virgin Holidays and RCI Travel, delivering bookings through its Love Rentals distribution program. While Love Rentals will continue to serve retail bookings through the major OTAs, HomeBeds will become CiiRUS’ one-stop access for property management companies to make their homes available to wholesale partners, travel agents and tour operators.
Prior to HomeBeds, Bagshaw and Dempsey have curated relationships with hundreds of global agents through the American Sunshine platform. These relationships will be carried forward with HomeBeds, providing agents with access to the global inventory.
