HomeAway, the worldwide provider of online vacation rentals, has announced it has acquired realholidays.com.au, the Australian vacation rental brand of REA Group.

The acquisition of realholidays.com.au, which features 21,000 listings not only broadens HomeAway’s reach into the Australian market, but also marks its expansion from North America, South America and Europe into Asia-Pacific.

“Australia is a tremendous travel marketplace, and HomeAway is excited to continue the work begun by REA Group to provide even greater choice to Australian travellers,” said chief executive Brian Sharples.

“We look forward to working with the realholidays.com.au customers to help them benefit from our technology and the marketing of their properties to a new, global market of vacation rental travellers.”

HomeAway plans to add realholidays.com.au’s properties to the recently-launched HomeAway.com.au, which will be managed out of the company’s Melbourne office by James Cassidy, formerly of realholidays.com.au and vacation rental site, stayz.com.au.

HomeAway.com.au already features 105,900 vacation rental listings in 99 countries.

“REA is proud of realholidays.com.au’s success in the Australian holiday rentals market,” says Greg Ellis, chief executive and managing director of REA Group.

“However, we recognized the opportunity to further develop the business and, given our focus on residential and commercial property sites, felt it would be best managed by a specialist.

“With an expertise in holiday lettings around the world, HomeAway is ideally placed to provide even greater value to realholidays.com.au’s customers,” he concluded.