Airbnb CEO on the company's new business strategy
Airbnb is known for offering home rentals around the world. Now, as part of a business strategy, the company is moving into entertainment.
The company is making its big-screen debut Monday, with the premiere of a feature-length documentary, "Gay Chorus Deep South," at New York's Tribeca Film Festival. The film follows the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus as it spreads a message of love and acceptance.
The documentary is part of the company's new push to create original travel content, including magazines, all intended to aid consumers.
"We have hundreds of millions of people come to Airbnb every year and they're basically looking to answer a question: Where should I travel to?" Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said on "CBS This Morning" Monday. "We started realizing, what if we just created content to really help them? We started with a magazine (Airbnb Magazine), one of the biggest travel magazines in the country [with] a circulation of 1.2 million."
Branching out into films, Chesky said, is a way to express the company's values. "It's really about reminding the world that people are fundamentally good and are mostly the same. And If you bring people into other people's space that are very different than you, you'll be reminded we're not so different after all."
To watch a trailer for "Gay Chorus Deep South" click on the video player below:
Co-host John Dickerson asked, "In five years what will we think of when we think Airbnb?"
"I think you'll think of Airbnb to plan your entire vacation at all price points, at all geographies in the world," Chesky replied. "So we're going to combine where to go, what to do, and how to get there all in one place, the whole end-to-end-trip, not just housing, not just homes."
He said he also wants Airbnb to partner with airlines, to help "elevate" the travel experience. "We don't have too much to announce now, but I do think the experience of flying could be a little bit easier," he said.
Chesky also addressed questions about the safety of guests at Airbnb-listed properties, given recent reports of Airbnb customers having found cameras hidden in the properties.
"Safety is our number one principle at Airbnb," Chesky said. "The entire thing only works if you feel safe and trusted." He said all cameras in common areas have to be disclosed, and that Airbnb has a zero-tolerance policy regarding cameras inside of homes. He said Airbnb's Trust & Safety Team, and a new program called Airbnb Plus (in which rental properties undergo a 200-point inspection) work to make sure such invasions of privacy do not occur.
Chesky was also asked by co-host Norah O'Donnell about a Wall Street Journal report today that Marriott is getting into the home rental business as soon as next month. "Does it make you nervous now that a hotel giant, a company as powerful and well-respected as Marriott, is now maybe going to challenge Airbnb?"
"No," Chesky replied. "Ten years ago, I remember I was in a hotel, I was telling somebody about the idea of Airbnb. And they looked at me and they said, 'Brian, I hope that's not the only idea you're working on!' People thought this idea was crazy. The fact that the largest hotel company in the world is going into home sharing is pretty much an incredible testament – and the fact that we have half a billion guest arrivals on our platform. So, we welcome them."
And in terms of reports of the company going public, he said, "No news today. But we are actively working and will be ready later this year."
For more of Brian Chesky's interview watch the video above.
