Airbnb News

Hosts like Warren are the greatest evangelists of the sharing economy. But when they have to suffer financially they become the worst spokesmen.

Since the law about short-term rentals was written expressly to deal with the types of units being rented on Airbnb, the decision is perfectly in line with New York law, despite what Airbnb's revisionist statement is arguing.

Airbnb isn't all grown up and in the clear yet, but it is making some changes to cope with some of its more stubborn challenges.

The successful apartment sharing and rental service will definitely see a drop in users, both because of privacy fears and worries that the tax man or city regulatory agencies will find it easier to crack down on non-payment or illegal rentals.

The Mayor's Office, Airbnb, and SFO all talk about an ongoing "dialogue" and "conversation," but any timelines are vague and the city’s own neighborhood associations, let alone its residents, aren't yet part of the discussion. The sharing economy will one day be regulated in San Francisco, but there's still much work to be done.

Hotels have to respond to the user experience that players like Airbnb have enabled and innovated in digital, and even if the markets are different, consumers are learnings cues from superior UX of such players.

HomeAway and Airbnb are both moving fast to expand in what will likely become their fastest growing market, after their base in North America, as travel and tech adoption booms throughout Asia.

The number of startups tackling this problem now may be disproportionate to the number of travelers looking to take a private jet, and those that can actually pay several thousand to share one.

Although bookings are quickly moving to mobile, it’s too early to tell if a clean design and a seamless UI will be the ultimate gateways to success.