Skift Global Forum Preview: Expedia CEO Sees Airbnb as 'One-Dimensional'
Skift Take
Peter Kern is correct that Expedia Group currently offers broader travel services than do Airbnb and Booking Holdings, but whether Expedia can gain ground on its rivals and can execute on its strategy are entirely different questions.
Expedia Group CEO Peter Kern, who has been busy reshaping his far-flung company over the last couple of years, doubts Booking.com's connected trip strategy, thinks Airbnb's use case is "one dimensional," and argues that Expedia has more upside potential than both.
"We're like a great athlete where the upside is enormous," Kern told Skift in a phone interview to discuss a few things that might be topics at September's Skift Global Forum. "And Booking is like just like working on the tip of the pen kind of thing. We're getting a little better each time, but they're really good already. They don't have as much upside in my opinion.
Kern contended that the CEOs of these rival companies are more promotional than is his style, and are out there selling their respective companies' stories. Of course, we are sure that at Airbnb headquarters in San Francisco, and at Booking Holdings' central office in Norwalk, Connecticut, there would be ample disagreement.
"Airbnb is interesting, but it's still kind of the one-dimensional use case." Kern said "And well, I don't doubt that (Airbnb CEO) Brian (Chesky) believes that nobody will ever stay in a hotel again and everyone's going to stay in little cabins in the woods forever. I think in his heart of hearts, he can't believe that we're not all going back to Paris. And the majority of us are still not staying in hotels."
Join Us at Skift Global Forum in NYC September 21-23 and hear Expedia Group CEO Peter Kern
Kern discussed these and other issues, such as Vrbo's strategy, and Expedia's business to business push, in the following Skift interview, which has been edited. Skift: So I have kind of a fun question: Who scares you more Airbnb or Booking.com? And why? And also can we get your take on the Airbnb earnings call where CEO Brian Chesky said Airbnb is leading the travel recovery, and they're the best position to lead the recovery because of the changing nature of travel. So you agree with all that, right? Peter Kern: Absolutely. Brian's neve