Airbnb News and Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb continues to be a major force in the travel industry, redefining how people book and experience accommodations worldwide. At PhocusWire, we bring you the latest Airbnb news, along with broader coverage of the short-term rental sector, including platform innovation, market trends, and regulatory developments that shape this fast-moving space.

Updates on Airbnb, short-term rental trends, and regulatory shifts

Track how Airbnb is evolving its product offerings, enhancing guest and host tools, and adapting to consumer demand for more flexible, immersive travel. Our stories examine the intersection of tech innovation, policy, and platform strategy—providing insight into how short-term rentals continue to influence the broader hospitality landscape.

Zhubaijia raises $78M to mimic Airbnb in China, just six weeks after a $30M round
News / Distribution
Zhubaijia raises $78M to mimic Airbnb in China, just six weeks after a $30M round
By Kevin May | September 29, 2015
Not content with trousering a $20 million Series B round in August this year, Zhubaijia has also gone for a Series C to the tune of $78 million this week. The latest backers of the website set up t Read More
Airbnb snaps up, and shuts down, Vamo
News
Airbnb snaps up, and shuts down, Vamo
By PhocusWire | September 11, 2015
The six-employee travel-planning startup Vamo has been acquired by Airbnb, the short-term rental giant. Vamo will be shut down as of 1 October, and team members will be joining Airbnb. Deal term Read More
If homes can be used by travellers to rest their weary legs, boats can join in as well
News
If homes can be used by travellers to rest their weary legs, boats can join in as well
By Kevin May | September 10, 2015
After sharing homes, apartments or vehicles to travellers, it was only a question of time before boats became one of the next areas in play. GetMyBoat has recently tried to muscle in on the trend w Read More
Startup ecosystem continues to build in and around the sharing economy
News / Technology
Startup ecosystem continues to build in and around the sharing economy
By Linda Fox | September 4, 2015
Sharing economy startups such as Airbnb, Tujia and others have been attracting huge investment alongside column inches and predictions of future greatness. It's hardly surprising then that a whole Read More
Airbnb Apple Watch app lets hosts answer guests fast
News
Airbnb Apple Watch app lets hosts answer guests fast
By Sean O'Neil | September 3, 2015
The official tweet says it all: Hosts with an Apple Watch can now respond to bookings straight from their wrist. Our new app: pic.twitter.com/R62zg1xwOD — Airbnb (@Airbnb) September 3, 2015 T Read More
Airbnb's threat to hotels may be structural, going beyond tax fight
News / Distribution
Airbnb's threat to hotels may be structural, going beyond tax fight
By Sean O'Neil | August 27, 2015
Airbnb, originally a short-term rental listings platform, may become a direct threat to hotels, according to some asset managers and chain executives. The alarm was heightened when the San Francisc Read More
Employees shun city jobs for greener pastures at Airbnb and Uber
News
Employees shun city jobs for greener pastures at Airbnb and Uber
By Linda Fox | August 25, 2015
Here's an interesting study from Escape the City on the companies people would most like to join if they took the plunge and left their existing careers. Unsurprisingly Escape the City was set up a Read More
Sharing economy hits the mark with business travellers
News / Distribution
Sharing economy hits the mark with business travellers
By Viewpoints | August 25, 2015
The landscape of today’s sharing economy is quickly expanding across a diverse range of services. And while pioneers such as Uber continue to capture headlines and consumer market share, data shows ho Read More
Airbnb's pricing algorithm and Aerosolve, its open-source machine learning tool
News
Airbnb's pricing algorithm and Aerosolve, its open-source machine learning tool
By Sean O'Neil | August 24, 2015
A little machine learning can have a big impact. Dan Hill, product lead at Airbnb, wrote the company's pricing algorithm after the British-based rival startup he cofounded, Crashpadder, was acquire Read More
Airbnb and the case of the disgruntled super-host
News
Airbnb and the case of the disgruntled super-host
By Kevin May | August 21, 2015
In true sharing economy style, angry former hosts are turning to the web to share their grievances with Airbnb. In a Medium post by Kelly Kampen, a Bangkok, Thailand-based software developer and bu Read More
Airbnb adds local VC partners to open doors in China
News / Distribution
Airbnb adds local VC partners to open doors in China
By Martin Cowen | August 20, 2015
Airbnb has signed up China Broadband Capital and Sequoia China as strategic partners to help it capture the massive potential of the Chinese outbound market. In an official blog post, Airbnb's CEO Read More
10% of Yanks and Brits choose Airbnb- and Homestay-style lodging, lagging world
News / Distribution
10% of Yanks and Brits choose Airbnb- and Homestay-style lodging, lagging world
By Kevin May | August 7, 2015
It is not a revolution, as some commentators would have the industry believe. But 10% of travellers using a "shared accommodation"-type product is hugely significant. The number comes from a major Read More
Tujia, China's HomeAway and Airbnb hybrid, closes $300M round
News
Tujia, China's HomeAway and Airbnb hybrid, closes $300M round
By Sean O'Neil | August 3, 2015
Tujia, a vacation rental platform with a minority stake owned by HomeAway and with short-term listings that are like Airbnb's, has closed a $300 million round. The investment round valued the startup Read More
Malcolm Gladwell on what data fails to tell Facebook, Airbnb and Snapchat
News
Malcolm Gladwell on what data fails to tell Facebook, Airbnb and Snapchat
By PhocusWire | July 29, 2015
Futurist, journalist, prognosticator, and author Malcolm Gladwell recently told a data-driven marketing technologist crowd that data is not their salvation. Read More
Startup pitch: Everbooked brings Big Data to Airbnb rental management
News
Startup pitch: Everbooked brings Big Data to Airbnb rental management
By Sean O'Neil | July 28, 2015
Everbooked is a demand-based pricing service for owners of Airbnb short-term rentals. The Oakland, Calif.-based startup says it is one of the first companies to bring "big data" to the vacation ren Read More
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