US online platform Airbnb, which allows people to rent apartments or houses directly from owners when travelling, will open a support service center in Bucharest.

In the first stage, 200 people will work there, reports local Ziarul Financiar.

The company will enter the local market through a partnership with a consultancy firm, according to market sources.

Founded in 2008, the San Francisco-based platform has had over 60 million users so far. It’s used in over 34,000 cities and 191 countries.

Airbnb has become increasingly popular, because often times it’s cheaper to rent an apartment via the Airbnb platform than rent a hotel room. The company had revenues of USD 900 million last year, according to The Wall Street Journal.

editor@romania-insider.com