DETERMINED to make their mark in the short-term rental market, two friends have started a business which they believe will capture the interest of Jamaicans who want an affordable and safe vacation experience.

Michael Robinson, 24, and Justin Evans, 22, launched a website named Bunkrmate in May, to provide a listing of properties — including apartments, houses and cabins — that offer vacation rentals and lodging reservations.

“My passion is always travelling. We decided to show that we can do what other corporations come here to do. So, we maximised on the potential that we had here,” said Robinson, who recently graduated from The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona.

“It’s all about affordability, safety and fun. We have always believed that travelling shouldn’t be so expensive when it comes down to finding a place to stay. We want the website to be a one-stop shop for anything tourism, but currently we are focusing on property rentals,” Robinson told the Jamaica Observer.

So far, Robinson said properties listed on Bunkrmate are available in Negril; Montego Bay, St James; Ocho Rios, St Ann; and Kingston.

He explained that he and his team, which includes six of his friends he met at The UWI, visit the properties to ensure that they are safe and that they offer the advertised amenities.

“With all that’s going on right now, extra precaution has to be taken when our women are travelling, not just them, but men as well. At the same time, we want to make them feel safe when they are booking through us,” Robinson explained.

Bunkrmate co-founder Evans, who is a third-year medical student at The UWI, agreed that giving customers a great local experience is a priority.

“Sure there are some booking websites, but none that are really marketed to locals or emphasise enough on providing an authentic Jamaican experience. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most — giving our customers the opportunity to enjoy Jamaica to the fullest and build Bunkrmate with us,” said Evans.

Admitting that operating a booking website for vacation rentals had not initially been at the forefront of his mind, Evans said: “Michael and I have always been looking for business opportunities when we noticed that there was a deficiency in the local tourism sector. What makes Bunkrmate different is that we aim to build a community and we are a customer-centric brand.”

But they have had challenges. Robinson pointed out that as new entrepreneurs, proving that the business is unique in the short-term rental market is a task.

“A lot of the Airbnb hosts are saying that they have had similar services to ours, and they have said that they have had issues with their services. That is the big issue: to add and to ensure that the host feels comfortable putting their property on our website,” he said.

“As the company grows, it is our intention to become an overall travel community that would compete with the giants such as Airbnb and Travelocity, Booking.com,” Robinson added.

However, he is optimistic that the business will thrive, especially with the relaxation of COVID-19 containment measures.

“Everyone loves to travel and especially since the pandemic, persons have been inside for a while. Just as how we have our athletes dominating the sports industry, and our artistes in the music industry, we want to be at the forefront of the tourism industry and expand in the region,” said Robinson.