EP134: This Week in the World of Airbnb

As Airbnb continues to grow and pursue its ambition of becoming the Superbrand of Travel, changes in the company’s model are sure to follow. On some fronts, Airbnb seems committed to maintaining the hands-off, platform-only approach to business in the sharing economy. Yet in other areas, they are taking a more proactive approach that allows the company more control over the guest experience.Jasper is joined by Deanna Ting, Hospitality Editor for Skift, and David Jacoby, CEO and Co-founder of Hostfully, to discuss Airbnb’s pursuit of world domination in the travel space. Their round-table discussion delves into the company’s ongoing legal issues and how recent acquisitions point to a shift in the company’s tactics.Listen in to learn how you can stay on top of what’s happening in the travel industry as well as the specifics of Airbnb’s evolving approach to business. Topics CoveredAirbnb’s Legal Issues•Cities more cognizant of complications that can arise with Airbnb•Company seems to have different response in Europe vs. US•Airbnb assisting with enforcement of regulations in London and Amsterdam•Partnership with Chicago shares host info with city, but raises privacy concernsAirbnb Experiences•On brand•Unlikely to match success of home product•Anyone can apply, but tour guides hand-selected by Airbnb•Airbnb involved in building itineraryAirbnb Acquisitions•Luxury Retreats indicates an intention to gain more control of guest experience•Tilt technology is a good fit to allow for ease of payment for groupsThe future of Airbnb•Continued pursuit of Travel Superbrand status•Addition of flights, complementary services•Persistent regulatory issues•IPO in 2018 or laterResources Mentionedskift.comAirbnb ExperiencesCo-Working Space ArticleConnect with JasperEmail: [email protected]: @GetPaidForUrPadInstagram: @GetPaidForYourPad Facebook: www.facebook.com/getpaidforyourpadThis episode is sponsored by Aviva IQ. Aviva IQ automates messages to your Airbnb guests. It's also free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.