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Airbnb to hold superhost week initiative ahead of preparation for potential IPO
Reading Time: 2 minutesWorldwide: Airbnb is to hold a superhost week in December to celebrate its 600,000+ superhosts, amid growing speculation that it is preparing for an IPO in 2019. A host can become an Airbnb superhost by hosting at least 10 trips and having an average rating of more than 4.8 out of five stars and the […]
Airbnb launches home design and manufacture Backyard initiative for 2019
Reading Time: 2 minutesUS: Short-term rental giant Airbnb is to expand its functions by launching its home design initiative, Backyard, next year. The company described Backyard as “an endeavour to design and prototype new ways of building and sharing homes” and said its first test units would be distributed in 2019. Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia said the inspiration […]
Protest held outside London Airbnb office over West Bank property de-listings
Reading Time: < 1 minuteLondon: A demonstration has been held outside the London office of Airbnb, in protest at its decision to remove listed properties in West Bank settlements. Last week, the company said it would no longer host around 200 rental properties in the West Bank after a human rights report criticised Airbnb for “facilitating” the occupation by […]
Long Beach city council to consider tighter regulations on short-term rentals
Reading Time: 2 minutesUSA: Officials in the city of Long Beach want tighter regulations for short-term rentals which would cap the number of nights a guest can stay in a residence without its host. The city currently operates under a policy whereby short-term rentals are unofficially banned, however Long Beach’s development services department would like that to change […]
Airbnb targeting key growth markets in Africa for sustainable tourism strategy
Reading Time: 2 minutesAfrica: Africa is becoming a key cornerstone of Airbnb’s sustainable tourism strategy with the continent containing three of its top growth markets, according to an official of the home-sharing service. More than 3.5 million customers have stayed with Airbnb hosts across the continent since the company began operating there, with roughly half of those coming […]
Airbnb hosts in Greece required to submit short-term rental tax declarations
Reading Time: 2 minutesGreece: Greek short-term rental hosts have until 30 November to submit cumulative rental tax declarations in an electronic registry of the country’s independent authority for public revenue (AADE). Operators leasing their homes for accommodation purposes are being reminded they must submit the declarations per property leased for the running year following the departure of the […]
Jerusalem-based band denounces Airbnb for intervention in West Bank in viral video
Reading Time: 2 minutesIsrael: A Jerusalem-based band has gone viral after uploading a song called “Delete Airbnb” about the rental platform’s decision to remove all Israeli and Jewish-owned properties in Judea and Samaria. Portnoy, comprised of brotherly duo, Sruli and Mendy Portnoy, have created the song, which features lyrics including “I’m gonna take you off of my phone/ […]
Nova Scotia ministers debate establishing pre-booking levy on short-term rentals
Reading Time: 2 minutesCanada: A working group has called on Nova Scotia to consider establishing a booking levy on shared economy companies such as Airbnb and VRBO. The group, set up just one year ago to review the impact of short-term rental businesses, said forcing rental business owners to pay commercial tax rates “could drive the operators out […]
Airbnb in talks to tax tourists in fastest-growing SE Asia market of Malaysia
Reading Time: 2 minutesMalaysia: Airbnb has revealed it is in talks with local authorities and ministries in Malaysia to collect tourism tax on behalf of its hosts and guests in the country. Airbnb head of public policy of Southeast Asia Mich Goh said in a media briefing that the company had had “meaningful conversations” with the finance and […]
Airbnb names Amazon’s Dave Stephenson as its chief financial officer
Reading Time: 2 minutesWorldwide: Airbnb has ended its 10-month search for a new chief financial officer after it named Amazon finance executive Dave Stephenson in the position. Stephenson, a long-time executive at Amazon, was responsible for overseeing the finances of the company’s worldwide consumer business. He is now expected to take up the role of leading Airbnb’s potential […]