Airbnb’s New Strategy: ‘Aggressively’ Add Hotels, Steal Their Guests

Key Points

• Airbnb is aggressively adding hotels to its platform, especially in markets where short-term rentals are fully booked.
• The company is focusing on converting traditional hotel guests to Airbnb users, with a particular emphasis on the U.S. market.
• Initiatives such as partnerships with independent hotels and promotions via HotelTonight are part of Airbnb's growth strategy.

Summary

Airbnb is ramping up efforts to add more hotels to its platform, particularly in markets where short-term rental supply is tight, and aims to convert more hotel guests into Airbnb customers. While homes remain central to Airbnb’s identity, the company sees adding hotels as a key supplement, especially in the hotel-dominated U.S. market. Recent moves include competitive commissions for hotels, targeted promotions, and focusing on specific U.S. demographics to accelerate growth.