Airbnb News

What started as AirBedandBreakfast.com has grown into a massive public company that IPOd in 2020. Airbnb is now the world's largest online alternative-accommodation community, allowing millions of users to list, search, and rent authentic homestays and vacation-rental experiences in countless cities across the globe.

Hotels

The tricky balance between legality and innovation in the sharing economy

As disruptive companies in the sharing economy take hold, local laws in some cases will change to accommodate them. That is beginning to happen.

Dana Hull | 12 years ago

Hotels

Airbnb updates its iOS app to make the mobile and web booking experience more similar

As Airbnb’s mobile bookings increase, it only makes sense that it strive to make the process as easy as possible, especially in terms of language as the company races to infiltrate foreign markets ahead of its competitors.

12 years ago

Hotels

Airbnb acquires Localmind to create crowdsourced advice about neighborhoods

The room-booking site has made recent efforts to boost its local wisdom with products featuring neighborhood best of lists and tips from residents and Airbnb users. Localmind's integration may help it improve the type of advice it can offer.

12 years ago

Online Travel

Airbnb will eat travel and real estate industry's lunch, says investor Marc Andreessen

No one accused Airbnb for not being hugely ambitious, and it has made moves including adding neighborhood guides and possibly tours and activities down the lines. But it may have better chances of conquering travel than real estate where local and state regulations will be the biggest headwind.

12 years ago

Hotels

Will Airbnb soon offer local tours?

Rather than prevailing on time-constrained hosts to double as local tour guides, Airbnb could find plenty of partners in the hood.

12 years ago

Media and PR

A new startup accelerator that’s looking to change the way we travel

We’re interested to see which startups are born from RunUp Labs and where they’ll find their place in the currently crowded market of travel sites and apps.

Samantha Shankman | 12 years ago

Hotels

The local fines that Airbnb doesn't want users to know about

Airbnb does not want to warn its hosts of their legal obligations because doing so would not only scare away tens of thousands of listings, it would put the Achilles' Heel of their business model in full display.

12 years ago

Media and PR

The travel booking sites that see a future in neighborhood content

"Neighborhood" is the buzzword for online travel sites this week, but it’s too soon to tell whether it’s a stroke of genius for catering to mobile travelers looking for localized content or very expensive dead end.

Samantha Shankman | 12 years ago

Hotels

Airbnb CEO has a vision of a future where everyone shares -- and Airbnb collects a modest fee

Love it or laugh at it, Chesky's talk was the most thought-provoking moment at the PhoCusWright conference. Yes, the lodging industry will undergo far-reaching changes, but don't burn your mortgages just yet.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

Airbnb Neighborhoods puts the alternative lodging company into the travel guide business

These only have a shot at becoming a real challenger to both digital and traditional publishers if they crack the code on the best way to integrate guest reviews and real-world updates into quality destination information.

Samantha Shankman | 12 years ago