Airbnb News

Once again it is consumer behavior that is driving change in online travel -- this time for vacation rental bookings and instantly confirmable online bookings. OK, Expedia's acquisition of HomeAway and Airbnb's goal to curb racism on its platform are also pushing things in the instantly bookable direction. When companies are sluggish in adapting to consumer trends, as HomeAway was to a certain extent in its standalone incarnation, they suffer.

The U.S. alternative accommodations market remains a one-horse race with Airbnb leading its rivals, but the brand's smart first-mover advantage has also turned it into the whipping boy for local tax authorities and hotel lobbies. This turbulent landscape leaves plenty of room for new consumer-facing brands but also opportunities across the broader alternative accommodations ecosystem.

It’s encouraging to see Airbnb tackle this issue head on and try to effect some real changes but we wonder if the company is taking enough steps to make a major difference.

Lawsuits like this make us wonder if the laws we have now are appropriately equipped to address the complicated, tangled intricacies of disruptive online platforms like Airbnb, HomeAway, and their peers. They also make us long for the days when cities and platforms might better work together to apply commonsense regulations for short-term rentals.

Marketing the benefits of "living like a local" avoids the reality that most visitors live like a tourist — and that's not a bad thing.

This is a clear sign that the sharing economy isn’t in its infancy anymore.

Given what happened with Didi Chunxing and Uber, can other businesses like Airbnb compete in China? What can vacation rental and homesharing companies learn from homegrown Chinese startups like Tujia?

Just because Anaheim won’t fine Airbnb, HomeAway, or other alternative accommodations providers, doesn’t mean they won’t try to fine the hosts who advertise illegal listings on those sites.

The island nation of Iceland, which is roughly the size of Portugal and located about 1,100 miles northwest of London, is a flashpoint for the encroaching forces of tourism, globalization, and of course, Airbnb, too.

On several fronts, it's obvious that Airbnb is working hard to diversify and expand its products. And Samara, an Airbnb design studio, which is headed by co-founder and chief product officer Joe Gebbia, is the latest manifestation of that.