Airbnb’s decision to allow its employees to work from anywhere is not just a way to lure talent. The room rental platform wants users to book increasingly long stays in Airbnb homes. Permitting its workforce to move around freely is a high-profile advertisement for that lifestyle.
Focusing on domestic travel and long-term stays — now a fifth of all nights booked — is the right decision. International business trips remain below 2019 levels. Corporate travel is still under 50 per cent of pre-pandemic spend, according to a report by Deloitte. A new Covid variant could push it down further.
Pent up demand for holidays is more resilient. After a terrible few months in 2020 when travel collapsed and Airbnb was forced to cut jobs, raise $2bn and focus on its core business, bookings have returned in full force.