Online travel agencies have been sued for occupancy taxes since 2004, before Airbnb's founding. Two decades later, the issue is ongoing around the world.
Airbnb's Host Clubs don't solely exist to enlist in local regulatory campaigns. But in the past, the company's public policy team has been heavily involved in their operations, and will be in the future.
The reshuffle of Airbnb's executive ranks should be viewed in the context of the need to reinvigorate the company's growth prospects, including international expansion.
Verifying listings has not been a top priority for Airbnb over the years. But trying to root out fake listings through verification measures is high on the agenda for 2024. The effort would leak into 2025 at a minimum.
The problem surfaced in late Summer — Booking.com's short-term rental hosts in Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America cited financial hardships because the company wasn't paying them for guest stays.
When online travel agencies trot out statistics on their numbers of properties, is it a vanity thing or something more strategic? If you take Vrbo at its word, it's going for quality over quantity.
The implementation of New York City's host registration law last month has enabled one landlord to win a temporary restraining order against both Airbnb and a host from listing a…