Airbnb CEO suggests redistribution as a solution to overtourism

Sunday, September 29, 2024

Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky believes that redistribution, not fewer travelers, is the key to solving the issue of overtourism. Chesky shared his insights during a recent conversation with Skift co-founder Rafat Ali at the Skift Forum in New York.

Chesky emphasized that overtourism occurs when too many people visit the same destination at once, overwhelming local communities and creating a negative tourist experience.

He suggested that distributing travelers across different dates and destinations could alleviate this problem.

“I think the holy grail for overtourism is redistribution of travel,” Chesky said. “But that requires us, the travel industry, to inspire more long-tail destinations.”

Chesky also discussed how Airbnb is using innovative marketing strategies, such as the Icons program, to attract travelers to lesser-known destinations. This program involves partnering with popular movies and TV shows to create unique Airbnb experiences.

“Icons are a great way to go into international markets,” Chesky said. “We’ve got Janhvi Kapoor, one of the biggest Bollywood actresses in the world, and that was massive in India.”

While Airbnb has faced challenges in China, Chesky remains optimistic about the company’s future in the region. He stated that Airbnb is focused on attracting Chinese travelers to other countries and has shut down its domestic business in China to allocate resources towards this goal.

Overall, Chesky’s comments highlight the need for innovative solutions to address the growing issue of overtourism and the potential role that companies like Airbnb can play in promoting more sustainable and equitable travel experiences.

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