Skift Take
You won't want to miss what Merchiers has to say about the battle for online travel dominance, as well as Airbnb's growth plans for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa this week at Skift Forum Europe.
One of the biggest stories in the travel industry this year involves Airbnb and its perceived battle with Booking Holdings to assume the title of being the No. 1 platform for private accommodations in the world, or simply being the No. 1 online travel company.
While it's clear there is a battle brewing between the two online travel giants, Jeroen Merchiers, Airbnb's managing director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), thinks there's plenty more to discuss beyond the competition alone.
The EMEA region is responsible for generating more than half of Airbnb's global business, and its importance to the company's growth isn't lost on Merchiers. A longtime Airbnb executive who's served as both a country manager for Spain and Portugal as well as a general manager, Merchiers assumed the role of Airbnb's EMEA managing director when Booking poached Olivier Gremillon to be its new vice president of Booking Homes in October.
Skift recently interviewed Merchiers to ask him about his thoughts on the battle with Booking, as well as what he intends to do to continue growing Airbnb's business in Europe, especially in markets with perceived saturation points.
What follows is an edited version of a recent Skift interview with Merchiers.
Skift: A lot of people are fascinated by the idea of Airbnb taking on the big online travel giants like Booking and Expedia. What, in your opinion, is fueling that, and what do you think of Airbnb's odds for competing with those companies?
Jeroen Merchiers: This year, Airbnb is celebrating its 10-year anniversary and we have spent time reflecting on the past and how the company has evolved but more importantly we have been looking to the future. It has become plainly obvious over the last few years that people are looking for a
