And why it’s about more than just finding a place to sleep
In 2007, two roommates in San Francisco couldn’t afford their rent. A big design conference was coming to town, and every hotel was booked. So they put an air mattress on their apartment floor, made a basic website, and offered a simple deal: a place to sleep, breakfast in the morning, and a chance to connect.
That tiny idea became Airbnb. Today, the company is worth over 90 billion dollars and has hosted more than 1.5 billion guests in over 220 countries. But this isn’t just a success story about a startup that made it big.
This is a story about how Airbnb completely redefined travel, created a new category, and taught us that sometimes the best way to win is not to compete at all.
From Booking to Belonging
Before Airbnb, travel was predictable. You booked a hotel. You stayed in a room that looked like every other room. You were a tourist, separate from the real life of the city.
Airbnb flipped that.
Suddenly, travelers were staying in cozy flats in Barcelona, treehouses in Bali, or converted barns in upstate New York. They were meeting hosts, sharing stories, and living like locals. Airbnb didn’t just offer a place to sleep. They offered a sense of belonging.
That word 'belonging' became the company’s North Star. In fact, its original brand message was “Belong anywhere.” And that simple shift from booking a room to feeling at home created an emotional connection hotels couldn’t compete with.
Creating a New Category
Airbnb didn’t try to build a better hotel. It didn’t offer turndown service or free chocolates. Instead, they asked a new question: What if anyone could be a host?
That question created a new category: home-sharing.
Hotels had been around for hundreds of years. Vacation rentals existed too. But Airbnb made it easy, affordable, and scalable. It introduced a new way to think about space, trust, and experience. It changed what we expected from travel.
And by doing that, it didn’t have to fight for a piece of the old pie.
They made a new pie entirely.
Impact on the Industry
Hotels didn’t see it coming. In the early days, they called Airbnb a “fad.” But by 2016, a study showed that in markets like Austin, Airbnb was responsible for reducing hotel revenue by up to 10 percent.
Cities started passing new laws. Hotel lobbyists pushed back. But Airbnb kept growing. Why? Because travelers wanted choice. They wanted authenticity. They wanted to feel connected, not just checked in.
And Airbnb kept evolving. It added categories like Experiences (where locals offer cooking classes, walking tours, and more), Airbnb Plus for higher-quality listings, and Live Anywhere on Airbnb for remote workers.
This wasn’t just about vacations anymore. It was a shift in how we live and move.
Redefining Trust
One of the boldest things Airbnb did was redesign how people trust strangers.
Think about it: before Airbnb, the idea of sleeping in someone’s house, or letting someone stay in yours seemed crazy. But Airbnb made it normal. It introduced reviews, identity checks, and safety protocols. It built systems that let humans trust each other at scale.
That wasn’t just smart business, it was social innovation.
What Startups Can Learn
The Airbnb story isn’t just for travel companies. It holds lessons for anyone building something new.
Don’t try to be better. Be different.
Airbnb didn’t try to beat hotels at their own game. It made a new game.Solve a hidden problem.
Hotels solved comfort. Airbnb solved connection.Lead with emotion.
“Belong anywhere” is more powerful than “book a room.”Create the category, then own it.
Airbnb didn’t wait for the home-sharing category to exist. It gave it a name, a shape, and a story and became the leader by default.
The Future of Belonging
Today, Airbnb isn’t just a company. It’s a verb, a cultural shift, and a global movement. It’s how millions of people travel, host, work, and live.
But the most powerful part of its story isn’t just growth or valuation.
It’s this: Airbnb didn’t try to fit into the travel industry.
It redesigned it.
by
Marzuq Kalmata
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