In an exclusive interview, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky tells Metro why hotels are finally welcome on the platform
“The road ahead is longer than the road behind,” Brian Chesky says optimistically, perhaps with good reason.
Despite the growth Airbnb at one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world, the firm’s co-founder and CEO believes there is much more to achieve and is on a mission to change the face of travel even further than it already has.
Wearing a tight navy top and matching pants and talking exclusively about him subway from the company’s five-story headquarters in San Francisco’s Soma district — just a short walk from the modest apartment where he and a friend rented air mattresses during a design conference in 2007 — the 44-year-old is feeling cheerful and alive.
Perhaps it is not so surprising.
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The property rental giant is having a good year so far, posting first-quarter revenue of $2.68 billion (£1.9 billion) for the first quarter (up 19% year-on-year), and those impressive numbers are set to be boosted further by a range of new services introduced this week, all designed to create a more seamless travel experience.
Users can now arrange for groceries to be delivered directly to them Airbnb before their arrival, in addition to car rentals, airport pick-up reservations and even easy access to luggage storage facilities.
Beyond that, there’s much greater use of AI including instant guest troubleshooting and the ability to compare properties directly to help find the perfect one.
“We believe that technology should be used to bring people together, and that’s what Airbnb has always been about,” says Brian.
But the big news is much more daring than just finding a place to leave your suitcase for a few hours, and is rather the introduction of something that would have been unimaginable once: the arrival of hotels on the platform. Quite a turnaround for a company whose early slogan was ‘Forget hotels’.
“We would never have done this ten years ago,” admits Brian candidly.
“Every time I visited a hotel I used to worry about being spotted and was almost tempted to wear a disguise – you know, glasses and a fake moustache,” he jokes.
But things change and Airbnb now it has returned wholeheartedly to the proposition that made it a success by welcoming carefully selected independent hotels – strictly no chains! – with each chosen for location, design and approach to hospitality.
Among them, the quaint 11-room Six Bells Countryside Inn in Rosendale, New York – one of Brian’s personal favourites.
Critics will argue that this move is simply a ploy to get a bigger share of the accommodation market, especially after continued periods of intense backlash.
Many have long argued that Airbnb has had a negative impact on communities, thus growing property prices and pushing countries to the brink of collapse from overburden.
Last October, SpainThe High Court ruled in favor of plans to scrap short-term rentals Barcelona and New York City went a step further by effectively banning Airbnb altogether in 2023, with several rules in place, including one that prohibited renting out properties for less than 30 days.
Brian, surprisingly, disagrees with the suggestion that Airbnb is responsible, but acknowledges the issue. “The biggest obstacle to our core business is the housing crisis, which I like to think we didn’t create. It’s a global crisis that I think started in America in the 1970s.
“There’s a perception that about 20% of homes in any city are on Airbnb, but in most it’s actually one or two. I just don’t think we build enough homes.’
“I think it’s overstated the extent to which we’re part of the problem. We were blamed for making New York expensive to live in. What happened after we got banned? House prices accelerated and went up eight percent in two years.’
Of course, as the 290th richest person in the world with a net worth of over $9.5 billion (£7.2 billion), Brian is somewhat shielded from such concerns, but remains acutely aware of the struggles many others are facing. cost of living the crisis bites hard.
Instead of seeing Airbnb as part of the problem, he sees it as part of the solution. With hosts on the platform taking home over £400bn (£297bn) since its launch, it has become an integral source of income for people all over the world.
“There’s a misconception that Airbnb is full of faceless property management companies. It’s not. A quarter are retired, and many more work in industries that serve and care for others, including nurses and teachers, and hosting offers a way to earn extra income.’
How does the billionaire founder of Airbnb travel?
As for his riding style these days, Brian has definitely made an improvement. “It’s a little bit different than before,” he says. “I mean, I can do any price point now, but I don’t always do luxury. I don’t need a seven-bedroom villa.’
His next trip? With Airbnb sponsoring this summer’s FIFA World Cup, a trip south of the border beckons. “I’m going to Mexico City soon and I can’t wait. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world.’
Whether he will choose a hotel remains to be seen…
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