Airbnb says more people are traveling while working remotely

Traveling has become much more accessible since remote work made a breakthrough in 2020 when COVID-19 hit the world, Brian Chesky, CEO of accommodation company Airbnb, recently pointed out.

According to the CEO, travel by remote workers will increase, as the pandemic has allowed employees greater flexibility in their work, as he himself does. Currently, he plans to live and work from Airbnbs across the United States, returning home to San Francisco every fortnight or less.

The Airbnb CEO also highlighted how the pandemic, with all its flaws, has changed the way people book accommodations. In 2019, customers mostly booked Airbnbs for a night on the town or to spend a few days in a certain location whereas now, as the company’s data shows, around 20% of nights booked between July and September were 28 days or longer, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

Additionally, half of the nights booked at this time were for at least seven days, representing a 44% increase in the figure from pre-pandemic levels.

“We are about to revolutionize travel. The world is going digital. The world is getting smaller. It becomes more global. And I think that’s probably been the biggest change in everyday life,” Chesky said.

His statements are good news for all workers who like to travel, especially European nationals, as the company recently proposed harmonized rules with the EU for better host support.

According to a press release issued by Airbnb, with the adoption of the new rules within the bloc, millions of Europeans could reap the benefits of accommodation while tackling challenges from property speculators and over- tourism.

“Airbnb supports the regulation, and we welcome the EU consultation on a short-term rental initiative as recognition of the vital role that hosts and home sharing play in the European economy,” reads Airbnb’s statement.

The company further proposed that EU member states and Airbnb support hosts in the 27-nation bloc by creating a new EU-wide host registry. By establishing such a platform, the company aims to offer access to fair and proportionate rules and the main right to offer a service to all Airbnbs in Europe.

According to Statista, as of December 2020, there were 77,324 London room and apartment rental listings on the Airbnb website, with the highest rates on the European continent. Airbnb listings were also high in Paris, Rome and Madrid.

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