LOS ANGELES: India has the highest population of GenZs and millennials in the world and Airbnb, an American company operating an online marketplace for short- and long-term homestays and experiences, has decided that youth, along with group travel, will be its key focus area in the country.
As Airbnb works out its international expansion plan, the company believes that India is a key player, with its internal analysis showing that 1 in 3 travellers from top urban geos are potential first time bookers in India and around 90% first time bookers from India in 2023 were millennials and GenZ.Also group travel, whether with friends or family, is extremely popular in India, and Airbnb too saw a spike by 75% y-o-y in international bookings from group travellers (2023 vs 2022).
“India is huge for us in terms of domestic and international travel. We are very excited about India and it plays a huge part in our expansion plan. We have seen 30% year-on-year growth in India. We know that most people who will book on Airbnb in India will be first-time bookers and we are super excited about it,” said Hiroki Asai, global head of marketing, Airbnb.
Recently, Airbnb launched 11 global icons, with one from India. The icon is Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor welcoming Airbnb guests into “her legendary, never-before-seen family home in Chennai”. “You will see a lot more such icons coming from us, across different areas and cultures, nations and different markets. It is for all age groups, but much of the icons are for the younger audiences. We plan to introduce such icons much more frequently to broaden our reach,” said Asai.
In India, Airbnb will focus on families and groups travelling for special occasions, holidays and religious tourism, besides promoting lesser-known destinations. “We are excited about future of Airbnb in India. Our launch of Icons on Airbnb and our campaign with Janhvi Kapoor exemplify our commitment to offering unique and unforgettable experiences to guests. With innovative offerings and growing community, we envision a bright future for Airbnb,” said Amanpreet Bajaj, GM, Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
(The writer was in LA at the invitation of Airbnb)
As Airbnb works out its international expansion plan, the company believes that India is a key player, with its internal analysis showing that 1 in 3 travellers from top urban geos are potential first time bookers in India and around 90% first time bookers from India in 2023 were millennials and GenZ.Also group travel, whether with friends or family, is extremely popular in India, and Airbnb too saw a spike by 75% y-o-y in international bookings from group travellers (2023 vs 2022).
“India is huge for us in terms of domestic and international travel. We are very excited about India and it plays a huge part in our expansion plan. We have seen 30% year-on-year growth in India. We know that most people who will book on Airbnb in India will be first-time bookers and we are super excited about it,” said Hiroki Asai, global head of marketing, Airbnb.
Recently, Airbnb launched 11 global icons, with one from India. The icon is Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor welcoming Airbnb guests into “her legendary, never-before-seen family home in Chennai”. “You will see a lot more such icons coming from us, across different areas and cultures, nations and different markets. It is for all age groups, but much of the icons are for the younger audiences. We plan to introduce such icons much more frequently to broaden our reach,” said Asai.
In India, Airbnb will focus on families and groups travelling for special occasions, holidays and religious tourism, besides promoting lesser-known destinations. “We are excited about future of Airbnb in India. Our launch of Icons on Airbnb and our campaign with Janhvi Kapoor exemplify our commitment to offering unique and unforgettable experiences to guests. With innovative offerings and growing community, we envision a bright future for Airbnb,” said Amanpreet Bajaj, GM, Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
(The writer was in LA at the invitation of Airbnb)