Airbnb is a community marketplace for people to list, discover and book unique spaces around the world through mobile phones or the internet. Airbnb connects travelers seeking authentic experiences with hosts offering unique, inspiring spaces around the world.

Airbnb is a trusted online marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations and experiences around the world. Unlock local experiences and travel through the eyes of a local.

Whether the available space is a castle for a night, a sailboat for a week, or an apartment for a month, Airbnb is the easiest way for people to showcase these distinctive spaces to an audience of millions. By facilitating bookings and financial transactions, Airbnb makes the process of listing or booking a space effortless and efficient.

With 4,500,000 listings in over 65,000 cities in 191 countries, Airbnb offers the widest variety of unique spaces for everyone, at any price point around the globe.

Airbnb was founded in August 2008 Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, and is currently headquartered in [San Francisco, California.

A‌i‌r‌b‌n‌b‌,‌ ‌I‌n‌c‌.‌ is a privately held global company headquartered in San Francisco that operates an online marketplace and hospitality service which is accessible via its websites and mobile apps. Members can use the service to arrange or offer lodging, primarily homestays, or tourism experiences. The company does not own any of the real estate listings, nor does it host events; as a broker, it receives commissions from every booking.^[3]

Investor Info

Product overview

Guests

Guests can search for lodging using filters such as lodging type, dates, location, and price. Before booking, users must provide personal and payment information. Some hosts also require a scan of a government-issued identification before accepting a reservation.^[4] The company also provides travel guides, entitled “Neighborhoods”, which provide details about staying in specific neighborhoods in various major cities.^[5]^[6]

Hosts

Hosts provide prices and other details for their rental or event listings. Pricing is determined by the host, with recommendations from Airbnb.^[7] Hosts may be required to report income and pay income taxes on income received via Airbnb. In the US, homeowners who refinance their mortgages with some agencies are able to count income they earn from Airbnb rentals on their refinance loan applications.^[8]

Legality of hosting

Some cities have restrictions on subletting for a short period of time. Airbnb has published a list of regulations and requirements for cities in the United States. In some cities, collection of a transient occupancy tax by Airbnb is required. In many cities, hosts must register with the government and obtain a permit or license.^[9] Landlords or community associations may have restrictions on short-term sublets.

Safety mechanisms

Founder Joe Gebbia has said that Airbnb is specifically “designed for trust” and provides a variety of safety mechanisms,^[10] including US$1,000,000 of secondary insurance, which covers property damage by guests due to vandalism and/or theft,^[11]^[12] and connection to multiple social media channels.^[13]^[14]^[15]