From air mattresses to a global brand
Niche accommodation provider outlines big plans to grow presence
Global accommodation and travel provider Airbnb recently announced plans that could see a billion people a year using its booking platform by 2028. At a press conference marked with cheers and whoops from the gathered faithful, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said the upstart tech company's future would include a tweaking to its listings by expanding accommodation categories as well as a programme to boost recognition of its top hosts and guests. At a trademark Airbnb presentation in a carefully chosen landmark, this time in San Francisco's historic Masonic theatre, Chesky remarked on Airbnb's meteoric rise since he and co-founder Joe Gebbia blew up a couple of air mattresses and invited their first guests to stay in their apartment to help make the rent."People said people wouldn't stay with strangers," he said. Ten years later, Airbnb has grown from just over a dozen listings in San Francisco to 4.5 million places in 81,000 cities in 191 countries. North Korea, Iran, Syria and Sudan are n...
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