Airbnb has had it's ups and downs during the pandemic. Thanks to a surge of bookings, they're now back on the upswing as the company managed a +22% YoY in consumer spending in July. CEO Brian Cheski said it's partially thanks to people looking for long term rentals.
Cheski went as far as to acknowledge the shift happening. Offices are on their last leg, and everyone is on the edge of working from anywhere else but cubicles. He mentioned how the line between travel and living is blurring as people are losing reason to stick on one place.
What the difference between working at home, or working in a vacation home? Well, when you ask that, what's the difference between an apartment and a vacation home?
Instead of coming back from their summer vacation rentals, more people are choosing to go right into new "fall rentals." On Airbnb, guests always want amenities like pools and hot tubs, central air, Wi-Fi, great kitchens, and free parking, which they're still looking for; and the majority of these Airbnb'ers are also doing something not "strange," but curious.
They're renting spontaneously, and close to home. More than half of all bookings this summer were within 300 miles of the guest's home. We say spontaneous because they're waiting 10 less days between bookings than they were this time last year.
So yes, we're still seeing some nerves from Covid, maybe enough to keep people nearby their work (like at a rental within 300 miles), but not enough to keep people from pushing for this shift in the zeitgeist by working remotely. We've got champagne and glasses ready for the Death of Offices. Requiescat in pace, cubicles.
Airbnb is in great shape, despite their valuation dropping from thirty-something-million to eighteen million, and is even preparing for an IPO later this year. Stay tuned for more more!