No place like home

Visitors to Hong Kong can now rent a room in someone’s home rather than a hotel room as couch surfing grows up.

What is airbnb doing in Hong Kong?

With extra space in high demand, Hong Kong is one of our most exciting markets for growth. We felt it was important to get on the ground in order to meet and hear from our existing users; while at the same time using the opportunity to spread the word about our company to new hosts and those in the position to profit from renting their extra space. The feedback has been amazing.

How did airbnb get started and who is behind it?

Founded by Joe Gebbia, Brian Chesky, and Nathan Blecharczyk, Airbnb begins in the living room of Joe and Brian’s San Francisco loft in 2007. Alumni of the Rhode Island School of Design, they knew that a prominent design conference was coming to town, but that all the nearby hotel rooms had been booked solid. Living the ‘creativity can solve problems’ creed of their alma mater, they decided to offer up their place, along with tasty breakfast and local hospitality, to a few friendly strangers attending the event.

As it turned out, there were many people out there looking for places to stay where the hospitality was genuine and the M&Ms didn’t cost $6. In staying this way, their guests also gained insight into the city from a fresh, local perspective, making for a truly authentic and memorable experience. Two air mattresses, a thousand dollars, three new friends, and many high fives later, the entrepreneurs realized an opportunity.

Offering a diversity of accommodations - from private homes to private islands in over 8,000 cities in 168 countries - Airbnb unlocks the doors to unique spaces around the globe. Now people can discover an authentic, local side of the cities and cultures they visit while providing their hosts with a new stream of income. Our community is comprised of users, passionate and eager to explore and enrich the world through the sharing of space.

To date, Airbnb has raised $7.8M in total funding from Sequoia Capital, Greylock Partners, and other prominent angel investors. The capital will be used to fuel product innovation, to accelerate expansion into more cities and countries around the globe, and to advance the company’s rapid growth and hiring of a world-class team.

What are the cultural or other differences in HK compared to the states?

Some of the biggest differences that we’ve found, are that obviously the spaces are smaller in HK and the idea of sharing one’s home with guests seems a bit more foreign. Nonetheless, people are finding success and realizing that their space is worth money, however small it might seem. Whether renting a futon or a twin bed, anyone has the ability to host on Airbnb and make some extra money.

What is proving most popular on Hong Kong compared to other places?

I think that Hong Kong compared with some other places, provides a much richer and more rewarding local experience. To the uninitiated, Hong Kong might seem a bit overwhelming and is bit harder to discover the hidden gems, off the beaten path, type places the city has to explore. Having a local host to point you in the right direction is a huge boon for visitors.

Who uses airbnb?

One of the most encouraging things we’ve discovered, is the degree to which this marketplace offers something for everyone. Whether you are looking to rent someone else’s space, or trying to monetize your own. Our users range from young to old, those with budgets big & small, and hosts renting anything from a small bedroom in Hong Kong, to an entire island in Fiji. Our users tend to be well traveled.