posted on August 13, 2010 00:11
Austin vacation home renter and seller HomeAway Inc. has launched a Web center to field questions from homeowners impacted by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
The company said the HomeAway Gulf Coast Response Center is meant to provide timely news and expert advice for property owners wanting to file claims with BP Plc (NYSE: BP). The British oil giant leased the Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded on April 20 and subsequently spilled millions of barrels of oil into Gulf waters.
"Creating a site for our more than 42,000 owners with Gulf Coast properties to navigate around complex issues arising from the oil spill is merely an extension of our valued relationship with our customers," HomeAway CEO Brian Sharples said.
The website also houses legal opinions and marketing tips for renters looking to attract travelers that might have been deterred by the spill. The center aggregates relevant homeowners' news about the spill and efforts to leverage Gulf tourism. A forum also allows homeowners to share experiences and advice.
Real estate journalist Broderick Perkins is serving as the site's managing editor, and attorney Peter Taaffe, whose Buzbee Law Firm represents clients affected by the spill, is also contributing.
HomeAway, founded in 2005, employs about 540. It completed a string of acquisitions in recent years including, three competing rental sites, as well as closed more than $300 million in financing and kicked off its first national marketing campaign at the 2010 Super Bowl just this year. HomeAway operates Homelidays.com in France, HomeAway.co.uk, HomeAway.de in Germany and HomeAway sites in Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
The company branched off from its core vacation home rental site about three months ago, launching buying and selling marketplace, HomeAway Real Estate, and signing co-marketing agreements with Realogy Corp. and Keller Williams Realty Inc.
August 11th, 2010 | Houston Business Journal