Despite the closure of borders in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, travel has become much more accessible to the huge number of people who have worked in the office for years and have now become tourists. Therefore, short-term booking of housing around the world has become long-term. Remote work made a breakthrough in 2020, when COVID-19 hit the world, said Brian Cesky, CEO of short-term rental company Airbnb.
According to him, the number of trips among those who work remotely will increase as the pandemic has allowed employees to show more flexibility in their work, as he does. Airbnb chief Brian Cesky plans to travel the country over the next few months, but that doesn’t mean he will pause management of the short-term rental platform.
He believes that the number of “remote” trips will be greater than ever due to the possibility of flexible working conditions. To prove that he can work from almost anywhere, Cesky plans to live and work for Airbnbs across the United States for the next few months, returning to his San Francisco home between one and two-week trips.
Travel revolution
According to Cesky, before the pandemic, customers mostly saw Airbnb as a way to find an apartment in the city where you could stay for a few days. Everything has changed in the last two years. In 2019, customers mostly booked Airbnb for a night in the city or for a few days in a certain place, while now, according to the company, about 20% of nights booked between July and September were for 28 days or longer. Half of the nights booked for the same period were at least seven days – compared to 44% in 2019.
“We are on the verge of a travel revolution. The world is being digitized. The world is getting smaller. It is becoming more global. And I think that was probably the biggest change in everyday life, “Cesky said.
Although the pandemic will not last forever, Cesky believes that the trend of removal will continue, as the “vast majority” do not sit in offices five days a week. His remarks are good news for all “remotes” who like to travel, especially for European citizens – the company recently proposed agreed rules with the EU to better support homeowners.
According to a press release published by Airbnb, with the adoption of new rules within the bloc, millions of Europeans will be able to earn on the benefits of accommodation, as well as solve problems related to real estate speculators and overtourism. “Airbnb supports regulation, and we welcome the EU’s consultation on the short-term lease initiative as a recognition of the vital role that property owners and home shareholders play in Europe’s economy,” Airbnb said in a statement.
The company also invited EU member states and Airbnb to support homeowners in the 27 countries of the bloc by creating a new EU-wide register of property owners. By creating such a platform, the company intends to provide access to fair and proportionate rules and the fundamental right to offer Airbnb services in Europe.
According to Statista, as of December 2020, Airbnb had 77,324 ads for renting rooms and apartments in London, indicating the highest rates on the European continent. Airbnb lists were also significant in Paris, Rome and Madrid.