Airbnb is one of the leading names in the vacation rental business promising its clients amazing, professional service. 12 years post its foundation, Airbnb continues to grow with steep figures every passing year.
However, not everyone knows about their humble beginnings when the company was still in its budding stage. Their future plans, numbers, and social work is far more interesting than what appears on the surface.
Here are 10 fun facts about Airbnb that will have you looking at them in a different light:
- “Air” bnb:
The very first item to be rented by the founder Brian Chesky and his roommates was an air mattress on their living room floor. They did it as a desperate attempt to pay rent. The “air” in Airbnb is a tribute to their humble beginnings.
- Standing out on breakfast:
Founded in 2008, the very first funding for Airbnb came from selling repackaged boxes of cereal ‘Obama O’s’ and ‘Cap’n McCain’s’ which was popular then due to the Presidential elections. It helped generate $30,000 by selling each box at $40.
- Small in size, Big on experience:
A one-square meter water-proof construction house in Germany, one of the smallest houses and intended for one, was listed on Airbnb. It had a desk, a bed, and a chair.
It was one-euro-a-night rent on wheels and was the cheapest listing in Europe at the time. This inspired a young artist in Boston, Massachusetts to build a similar house which was a hit as well.
- Variety of living spaces:
There is a huge variety of living spaces that Airbnb offers on rent which are not just limited to villas and apartments. Some of the other options include tree houses, igloos, lighthouses, castles, and yachts. Furnished caves and private islands are also not off the list!
- The OG B&B on Airbnb:
Brian Chesky, the CEO of Airbnb, had his own property and the original Airbnb headquarters listed on the site as well up until 2015. The experience was said to be quite professional and hospitable in addition to Brian Chesky being very down-to-earth.
- Proactive members of society:
Hurricane Sandy in 2012 inspired Airbnb to launch the emergency Disaster Response & Relief program. It works towards providing free shelter to people fallen prey to natural disasters as well as volunteers. As of 2018, it has aided about 100 evacuations centers over the world.
- Skyrocketed bookings:
In 2008, the year of its launch, Airbnb ended up catering to 400 guests in total. 10 years later, its sales have rocketed with hosting more than 400 guests every 2 minutes! In other words, this company has seen an immense increase of 26,280,000%!
- Spread across the globe:
Airbnb is present all across the world in almost all countries except a handful which consists of Iran, Sudan, Syria, and North Korea. That’s 95.97% of the world!
- Future of Airbnb:
Although as of 2020, Airbnb isn’t a publicly shared company yet. However, it intends to do so in the next few years.
- Story in the logo:
Airbnb’s logo is nothing but an upside-down heart. However, there’s more to it. The loop within the logo resembles a map pin indicative of their omnipresence. Officially known as Bélo, the Airbnb logo represents the idea of belonging for people, places, and love which is the core strength of the company.
Summing it up:
Airbnb is as promising as it can get. It boasts of immense professional service that is only upgrading with time and technology. It has achieved quite a spectacular growth as a company and serves as an excellent example of how to run a vacation rental business.
