Wimdu, a global actor in house renting for tourism, says it will boost the already-existing market in Turkey with a developed infrastructure and know-how.
Wimdu, a Berlin-based online company that offers daily to monthly renting opportunities in more than 50 countries, broke into the vibrant Turkish real estate market though a local office aiming to bring a new alternative to Turkey’s tourism and real estate sectors, said the head of the company’s Istanbul branch.
“Renting is becoming hugely popular among foreigners looking for a decent room or house for spending a holiday in Turkey rather than staying in hotel rooms isolated from the culture and cozy atmosphere of the country,” according to Uður Samut, Wimdu Turkey speaking at a press conference in Istanbul.
Wimdu has international property listings through which individuals or groups can search for the perfect accommodation in the heart of desirable vacation spots. Alternatives range from a cozy room in the center of Istanbul in Taksim for 10-15 euros per night to a luxurious residence with top-quality comfort by the Bosphorus for 7,000 euros per night.
“We aim for all these segments,” said Samut. Properties available on the local website include apartments in Istanbul and in the western provinces of Izmir, Marmaris, Bodrum, Kuþadasý.
According to Samut, Wimdu has grown in popularity rapidly because it allows both host and guest to meet in a secure environment. Talking about similar local online platforms, Samut said each visitor goes through the website, which provides reviews, photos and secure payment for both parties, unlike the others. He said the payment is held by Wimdu until check-in has been confirmed, protecting both traveler and host.
Samut said renting through Wimdu is often for an entire apartment and is about the same cost as staying at a hotel in Istanbul or elsewhere or “even cheaper.”
There are many local players active in the sector renting residences, apartments and rooms while offering a wide range of quality, characteristics and prices, such as sahibinden.com, an online classified and shopping platform. Another international web-based community of approximately 647,000 members all around the world, Hospitality Club, also offers a wide range of accommodation services voluntarily for free in Turkey.
“A new trend among tourists is to search for unique apartments close to the city center,” said a local sector professional speaking on the condition of anonymity to the Hürriyet Daily News on Wednesday. “They want to feel the comfort of a home, rather than the cold hotel rooms,” the professional Istanbul apartment renter says on his amateur website.
The German firm has raised $90 million from Rocket Internet, a Berlin-based company backed by Samwer Brothers and Kinnevik, in June this year, with Kinnevik investing about $35 million and Samwer $54.5 million.
Source - hurriyetdailynews.com
// 04.08.2011
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