Millennials drive Airbnb growth

ALMOST 70% of Airbnb
bookings in the past three
years have been made by
guests under the age of 40,
and millennials account for
nearly half of the platform’s
revenue to date, according to
stats the company released at
the end of March.
The platform, launched in
2007, now offers over six
million homes in 191 countries
and 81 000 cities worldwide.
Hosts have earned $65bn
(R920,6bn) while millennials
have spent over $31bn
(R438,6bn). Today, three
guests check in to an Airbnb
every half-second.
The platform has also
expanded to included unique
accommodation: over 14 000
tiny houses; 4 000 castles
and 2 400 tree houses.
At the end of 2016, Airbnb
launched experiences such
as violin making in Paris,
truffle hunting in Tuscany, and
marathon running in Kenya.
Today, there are over 25 000
experiences bookable.
Earlier this year, the platform
announced plans to establish
itself as an end-to-end travel
platform, hinting that flights
may be on the horizon. “We
are focused on reimagining
travel by building an end-to-end
travel platform that combines
where you stay, what you do,
and how you get there, all in
one place.