Airbnb Still Hopeful About China Despite Earlier Missteps

Airbnb co-founder and chief strategy officer Nathan Blecharczyk thinks the outbound Chinese travel market, where it might have an advantage over home-grown rival Tujia, is finally starting to pay off. After three or four years  of operating in China, and with approximately 100 employees in the country, Blecharczyk said Chinese travelers who are taking advantage of Airbnb's substantial inventory outside of the country are finally returning to China, and choosing to stay at Airbnb properties when they do. Blecharczyk said Airbnb currently has 100,000 apartments and homes inside China. Blecharczyk claimed that Airbnb is experiencing "rapid growth" in China, a country that he said he's more excited about than any other market at the moment, especially given the competition. "It's just really interesting," he added, referring to China and business dynam