Few companies have had a more tumultuous year than Airbnb, which has emerged in rude health having stared disaster in the face as recently as March.

As the pandemic struck and travel dried up, the company saw 80% of its bookings, worth over $1bn, disappear; its customers were demanding refunds, which its landlords were far from happy to hand over; it fired a quarter of its staff; and it had to take out $2bn of emergency loans at aggressive interest rates just to ensure its survival...

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