Since entering the hospitality scene in 2008, Airbnb has evolved from a trendy upstart to a full-on disruptor. The online marketplace now enables people to list, discover, and book accommodations in nearly 200 countries around the world.
This new kid on the hospitality block is actually an extension of a long-standing tradition of lodging alternatives that range from renting villas in Italy to choosing timeshare properties in Florida.
“Airbnb is taking what has always been out there, localizing it, and bringing properties together in a way that provides a streamlined alternative for travelers,” says Nunzio DeSantis, FAIA, LEED AP, Director of the HKS Hospitality Group in Dallas.
Though Airbnb’s home-sharing units represent less than 3% of revenue in the overall hotel industry, the online marketplace continues to grow exponentially each year. And the hospitality industry can’t help but take notice.
“As in any industry, choice often compels people to make changes and to stop taking things for granted,” says Keith Simmel, AIA, LEED AP, Principal of the Hospitality Studio at Cooper Carry in Atlanta. “If Airbnb helps hotel brands to up their game and make decisions that help people land at their properties, then it’s ultimately good for the overall industry.”
No doubt, Airbnb—and the numerous variations it has spawned—is well positioned to attract future generations of business and leisure travelers.
“People are willing to embrace the messiness of an Airbnb because they’re getting a more flexible, locally relevant experience,” says Caleb Mulvena, Principal at Mapos in New York. “If the larger hotel players can tap into that sense of messiness and adventure, but layer on a level of service that you don’t necessarily get with Airbnb, that will be something that’s really powerful.”
Related Stories
| Jul 22, 2013
Top Hotel Architecture Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Gensler, WATG, HKS top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest hotel architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 22, 2013
Hotel business continues to shine [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Despite some economic stressors, hotel operating fundamentals are poised to remain strong in 2013.
| Jul 22, 2013
Convention Center Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of design and construction firms with the most revenue from convention center projects, as reported in the 2013 Giants 300 Report.
| Jul 19, 2013
Reconstruction Sector Architecture Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, HOK, HDR top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest reconstruction architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 19, 2013
Renovation, adaptive reuse stay strong, providing fertile ground for growth [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Increasingly, owners recognize that existing buildings represent a considerable resource in embodied energy, which can often be leveraged for lower front-end costs and a faster turnaround than new construction.
| Jul 17, 2013
CBRE recognizes nation's best green research projects
A rating system for comparative tenant energy use and a detailed evaluation of Energy Star energy management strategies are among the green research projects to be honored by commercial real estate giant CBRE Group.
| Jul 10, 2013
World's best new skyscrapers [slideshow]
The Bow in Calgary and CCTV Headquarters in Beijing are among the world's best new high-rise projects, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
| Jul 10, 2013
TED talk: Architect Michael Green on why we should build tomorrow's skyscrapers out of wood
In a newly posted TED talk, wood skyscraper expert Michael Green makes the case for building the next-generation of mid- and high-rise buildings out of wood.
High-rise Construction | Jul 9, 2013
5 innovations in high-rise building design
KONE's carbon-fiber hoisting technology and the Broad Group's prefab construction process are among the breakthroughs named 2013 Innovation Award winners by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
| Jul 8, 2013
RSMeans cost comparisons: hotels, motels, and apartment buildings
Construction market analysts from RSMeans offer construction costs per square foot for hotels, motels, and apartment buildings.
