It is hit head-on by the prolonged confinement of half of humanity. The housing reservation platform Airbnb announced Monday that it has raised a billion dollars (920 million euros). The San Francisco-based company said it had obtained the debt and equity funds from Silver Lake and Sixth Street Partners.
"These new resources will support Airbnb's work to invest in the long term in its host community," said the company, which did not specify the financial impact of the crisis linked to the coronavirus pandemic. .
A "desire for connections" after confinement
In its press release, the platform defends its potential for post-containment. She is betting on a rebound when people can move again. "The desire for connections and travel is a foolproof human truth, which will emerge stronger from this period of separation," said Brian Chesky, co-founder of Airbnb. The fundraising must in particular be used to invest in the development of the offer of long-term stays, for students or employees on the move, for example.
"Although the current environment is clearly complicated for the hotel industry (…), Airbnb's diversified, global and resilient economic model is particularly well placed to prosper when the world is restored and we can all benefit from it again" said Egon Durban, co-CEO of Silver Lake.
Support funds for "super hosts"
Of the billion raised, 5 million will go into the support fund for "super hosts", hardworking and highly rated renters, who need help to pay their rent or repay their loan. Last week the platform also indicated that it would release 250 million dollars (230 million euros) to mitigate the financial losses of the "hosts" and who were faced with a wave of cancellations.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, Airbnb had planned to go public in 2020 at an estimated value of up to 35 billion dollars (32.2 billion euros).
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- Tourism
- Airbnb
- Coronavirus
- Economy
- Containment