Airbnb targets independent hotels

By targeting boutique and independent hotels with lower commissions and brand appeal, Airbnb aims to carve out a niche beyond the big OTA model

Airbnb is ramping up hiring across multiple regions to expand its hotel business — an effort that analysts say could take years to deliver meaningful growth. The company aims to add tens of thousands of hotel listings globally, but success will depend on manual onboarding and independent property partnerships.

Key takeaways

• Global hiring push: Airbnb has listed new hotel-focused positions across the U.S., Europe, Canada, Mexico, and Australia, reflecting ambitions for a worldwide expansion.
• Hands-on growth strategy: Roles like “senior market manager” and “supply acquisition manager” will work directly with hotels to secure listings and manage relationships — a process described as “door-to-door.”
• Chesky’s growth ambitions: CEO Brian Chesky said Airbnb’s revenue growth of 9.8% in early 2025 is too slow, and he wants to see it exceed 20% in the future.
• Analyst outlook: BTIG projects Airbnb could reach 100 million hotel room nights annually by 2028–2030, but expects slower growth per property than Booking.com due to Airbnb’s home-rental focus.
• HotelTonight advantage: Airbnb’s 2019 acquisition of HotelTonight provides existing hotel relationships and infrastructure, potentially accelerating expansion.
• Independent hotel focus: Rather than relying on large bed banks, Airbnb plans to attract boutique and independent hotels, leveraging its lower commissions and brand appeal to differentiate from OTAs.

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