Airbnb Claims Leadership of the Travel Recovery But Now Cautions on Variants
Photo Credit: An Airbnb short-term rental. The company claims it is best-positioned to take advantage of pandemic and post-pandemic travel patterns. Airbnb
Skift Take
Airbnb is indeed showing strength, but is its hubris about leading the travel recovery a bit overblown?
As Airbnb narrowed its net loss in the second quarter, and saw most of its key metrics surpass or approach the same period in pre-pandemic 2019, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky boasted to analysts about Airbnb's "leadership" of the travel recovery.
Speaking to financial analysts Thursday from an Airbnb listing in Italy, Chesky said Airbnb hasn't been sitting around idly waiting for travel to return but has been innovating on products for both hosts and travelers. "And as a result, Airbnb has emerged from this crisis faster than others, and we're better positioned for the future of travel," Chesky said.
At various junctures during a question-and-answer session about Airbnb's financial results for the second quarter ending in June, Chesky said about the travel rebound, "Airbnb is leading the way," adding at ano
