Brand: Airbnb
Country of Origin: United States 🇺🇸
Founded: 2007
Company Incorporated: 2008
Industry: Travel, Hospitality & Digital Platforms
Company: Airbnb, Inc.
Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
Co-founder & CEO: Brian Chesky
Official Website: Airbnb
Featured By: ASIA Best Brands — Global Brands
About Airbnb
Airbnb is a global travel marketplace connecting guests with homes, experiences and services offered by hosts around the world.
As of May 2026, Airbnb reported more than 9 million active listings across over 220 countries and regions, while hosts had welcomed more than 2.5 billion guest arrivals since the platform began.
From Airbeds to a Global Travel Platform
Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nate Blecharczyk (2020). Image Source: A letter a day.
Airbnb’s story began in 2007, when Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia welcomed three guests into their San Francisco home.
Nathan Blecharczyk later joined them as a co-founder, helping develop the technology behind the platform.
The business was incorporated as AirBed & Breakfast, Inc. in June 2008 and changed its corporate name to Airbnb, Inc. in 2010.
What began as a way for people to share spare space evolved into a worldwide marketplace for short-term accommodation.
Building a Global Marketplace for Homes
Airbnb’s core model connects hosts who have places to offer with travellers searching for accommodation.
The platform now spans more than 150,000 cities and towns, with homes ranging from apartments and houses to cabins and other distinctive stays.
Unlike a traditional hotel company, Airbnb generally does not own the properties listed on its platform. Instead, it provides the technology, marketplace and payment infrastructure connecting hosts and guests.
Moving Beyond Places to Stay
Airbnb has expanded beyond accommodation as it works to become a broader travel platform.
In 2025, it launched redesigned Airbnb Experiences alongside Airbnb Services, initially covering categories such as chefs, photography, massage, personal training and beauty services.
The company also redesigned its app so guests could book homes, experiences and services through one platform.
In 2026, Airbnb expanded further into areas including car rentals, grocery delivery, airport pickups and boutique hotels.
AI and Smarter Travel Discovery
Airbnb adds AI search, more social features. Image Source: TechCrunch.
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly important to Airbnb’s product strategy.
Airbnb now uses AI-powered search that allows travellers to describe or dictate what they are looking for rather than relying entirely on traditional destination and filter searches.
The company has also introduced AI-powered tools designed to help guests plan trips and receive customer support.
These developments move Airbnb toward a more personalised travel experience where technology helps travellers discover stays and activities based on individual needs.
Asia as a Growth Market
Asia is increasingly important to Airbnb’s international expansion.
In the first quarter of 2026, Airbnb reported particularly strong growth in Japan and India, both of which the company identifies as key expansion markets.
Origin nights booked in India grew approximately 50% year over year, while first-time booker growth accelerated particularly strongly in India and Japan.
Airbnb also operates across major Asian travel markets including Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and India, connecting local hosts with both domestic and international travellers.
Scale Behind the Platform
Airbnb generated US$12.2 billion in revenue in 2025, representing 10% year-over-year growth.
Gross Booking Value reached US$91.3 billion, while Nights and Seats Booked totalled approximately 533 million during the year.
Growth continued into 2026.
For the second quarter, Airbnb reported:
- US$3.6 billion in revenue
- US$27.2 billion in Gross Booking Value
- 10% growth in Nights and Seats Booked
- US$816 million in net income
A Community Built Around Hosts
Airbnb’s business depends heavily on its host community.
As of May 2026, Airbnb reported more than 5.5 million hosts worldwide, who had collectively earned more than US$380 billion since the platform began.
This marketplace model allows individuals and professional hospitality operators to reach travellers through the same global platform while giving guests access to accommodation beyond traditional hotels.
Why Airbnb Is Featured on ASIA Best Brands
Airbnb helped reshape global travel by turning homes and local hosting into a mainstream part of the hospitality industry.
From three guests in a San Francisco apartment to a marketplace spanning homes, experiences, services and AI-powered travel discovery, Airbnb has continually expanded the meaning of its platform.
Its growing momentum across India, Japan and wider Asia also highlights the region’s increasing importance to its international growth.
By combining technology, hospitality, local experiences and global accessibility, Airbnb remains one of the world’s most influential travel brands featured on ASIA Best Brands.
Official Website:
Airbnb Official Website
Category: Travel | Hospitality | Digital Platforms
Tags: Airbnb, Travel Platform, Vacation Rentals, Airbnb Experiences, Airbnb Services, Travel Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Asia Pacific, Hospitality, ASIA Best Brands
Sources
1. Airbnb — About Us
Official current figures covering listings, hosts, countries and guest arrivals.
Airbnb About Us
2. Airbnb — 2025 Annual Report
Official financial and business information covering Airbnb’s marketplace, revenue and operations.
Airbnb 2025 Form 10-K
3. Airbnb — FY2025 Results
Official information covering revenue, Gross Booking Value and Nights and Seats Booked.
Airbnb FY2025 Results
4. Airbnb — Q2 2026 Results
Latest available quarterly information covering revenue, bookings and profitability.
Airbnb Q2 2026 Results
5. Airbnb — 2025 Summer Release
Official information covering Airbnb Services, redesigned Experiences and the new Airbnb app.
Airbnb 2025 Summer Release
6. Airbnb — 2026 Travel Expansion
Official information covering car rentals, airport pickups, grocery delivery, boutique hotels and AI-powered tools.
Airbnb 2026 Expansion
7. Airbnb — Q1 2026 Results
Official information covering growth in India, Japan and other expansion markets.
Airbnb Q1 2026 Results
8. Airbnb — AI-Powered Search
Official information covering Airbnb’s current AI-assisted travel search functionality.
Airbnb Search Tools