NEW DELHI: Community driven hospitality company Airbnb has joined with The Times of India Group to help Airbnb create a truly localized presence for India, leveraging the media group’s vast network of media and operational resources.

The strategic partnership comes as part of Airbnb’s plans to focus on developing the Indian travel market. As a part of the partnership, The Times Group will drive awareness of Airbnb accommodations.

This is a key partnership for Times Global Partners that supports the launch and expansion of emerging global digital companies in India. Previously, Times Global Partners has partnered with Huffington Post, Coursera, as well as other digital companies.

Times Internet MD Satyan Gajwani said, “We are excited to partner with Airbnb to transform the way Indians travel. As a personal user, I’ve found that Airbnb has brought a new dimension of convenience, value, and uniqueness to travel. We look forward to working closely with Airbnb to evangelize community driven hospitality.”

Commenting on the partnership, Airbnb Chief Technology Officer & CoFounder Nathan Blecharczyk said, “We are excited about the opportunity that India presents, and to have one of the most respected partners in The Times Group. We are working on adapting our product for the Indian market so that Indian travelers can live like a local anywhere in the world.”