Since its creation, Airbnb has been used to shaking things up in the hotel market. But what happens when a pandemic disrupts the disrupter? This article analyzes how the Silicon Valley-based “startup” adapted its business model to the COVID-19 outbreak and why some of its actions can be of use to hotel managers.
For most hoteliers, Airbnb represents more of a threat than a role model. In its twelve years of existence, the Californian company has reshaped the world of travel like no one ever before. Indeed, by introducing a new type of accommodation, namely short-term rentals from person to person, the co-founders of Airbnb have challenged some of the age-old principles of the hotel business. By reversing this paradigm, they have sent a shockwave through the hospitality sector that has forced even the sturdiest establishments to second guess their entire strategies.
