Airbnb News

Good morning from Skift. It's Monday, April 17, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Airbnb sees plenty of money to be made from the growing number people becoming less tied to their place of work. So the company has ramped up its efforts to target prospective hosts and guests, which its top UK and Northern Europe executive Amanda Cupples describes in detail in this video.

Outsiders figure out what's wrong with an industry and rightfully disrupt it. Then they learn that the disrupted industry does things a certain way for a reason. It doesn't mean Sonder's overall strategy is wrong, but that's a lesson it is learning.

Adding social network-like features could win it some more new-to-hosteling customers, clearly needed after racking up losses of $90 million during the pandemic. But doesn't this take the fun out of the haphazard nature of hosteling?

Live on stage at Skift Forum Europe last week, industry leaders shared their top-level vantage points on the future of work, and hospitality. One of them was more ahead of the curve than others. A little too far, in fact.

The listings platform is refocusing on hosts, and wants to make their lives as easy as possible in a bid to continue growing the business.

Microsoft's news this week underscored a bigger problem: It no longer seems to be about how to cut carbon emissions, but rather how that gets counted.

In a region of the world out front in shifting away from pandemic status, the formula is quite easy to figure out, for now: Endemic = less restrictions = more tourists = faster travel recovery = stronger economy.

Pressure from regulators and maybe disgruntled partners prompted Google to add free booking links in search results and Maps in travel. Google certainly hasn't leveled the proverbial playing field among advertisers and non-advertisers, but hotels and smaller online travel agencies may see some benefit.

As the short-term rental market grows rapidly in Asia-Pacific, all of the stakeholders involved will grow along with it. The sector is expected to remain fragmented for now, but in the coming few years as the market matures and its demand-supply equilibrium gets defined, market leaders will emerge.