Airbnb Pushes for Different Business Model

Recently reported, Airbnb has started to allow its hosts to list their properties for long-term to answer the issues that have arisen from travel bans, stay-at-home orders and cancelled bookings. 

Independent analysis firm, AirDNA, explained that the move is an emergency rescue plea for hosts to push them towards abandoning short-term listings for long-term.

Savillis reported that in London, Airbnb hosts are already converting their short-term listings offered to long-term, though Airbnb expects its income for this year to be halved. 

The hosting startup claims confidence and has assured investors that it had planned to begin offering long-term rentals before the Coronavirus began its global spread. 

Those looking for long-term listings on Airbnb, whether needing to hunker down while stuck mid-travel, or to quarantine away from others, can easily find accommodation at discounted pricing on its front page.

Airbnb is using the need for longer stays to slip into the long-term sector. In London, that means stepping on the toes of established giants like Rightmove and Zoopla. The short-term vacation rental platform has stated that it had plans to disrupt that sector for quite some time. Are property portals specializing in rentals ready for this well-known name invading their territory?