Coronavirus: Airbnb separates from a quarter of its employees

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Hit hard by the coronavirus crisis, Airbnb decided on May 5 the dismissal of a quarter of its employees. The CEO of the Californian company announced it in a letter sent to his employees and published on the company's website. "We are collectively going through the most painful crisis of our lives," says Brian Chesky.

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With our correspondent in San Francisco, Eric de Salve

Between the coronavirus and containment, Airbnb is hit hard, says its CEO from his California home where he lives confined. In his letter, Brian Chesky told his employees that a quarter of them were losing their jobs. "  The trips are stopped , justifies the 38-year-old billionaire. We do not know when they will resume. But when they resume, everything will be different. Travel to this new world will be different  . ”

" Back to basics  "

This flagship among the best known in Silicon Valley and which he confused in 2008, expects a halving of his revenues compared to 2019. To cope, the Californian rental giant between individuals has already reduced costs and raised $ 2 billion but that is not enough, says Brian Chesky.

Of its 7,500 employees, Airbnb therefore decides to lay off 1,900. The platform that has revolutionized world tourism in a few years now announces a "  refocusing  " of its strategy, a "  return to the basics  " of the company, explains Brian Chesky . Because the coronavirus will durably change world tourism with customers who, according to him "  will want offers closer to home, cheaper and more secure  ".

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