(New York) Airbnb recorded sales in the third quarter significantly higher than the same period of 2019, a sign that the accommodation reservation platform now has a higher activity than before the coronavirus pandemic.
During the three months from June to September – the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere, and therefore the most active for the platform – Airbnb generated revenues of $ 2.23 billion, better than expected.
Like a growing number of companies, Airbnb compares its financial results to those of 2019, the year 2020 having been weighed down by COVID-19, especially in the tourism sector.
In the second quarter, the group had already achieved a turnover higher by 10% than the corresponding period of 2019, that is to say before the start of the coronavirus pandemic. This time, it is 36% above the third quarter of 2019.
“The rebound in travel that started earlier this year accelerated in the third quarter, resulting in the best quarter” Airbnb has ever seen, the company said in its letter to investors, released Thursday.
“But something deeper than the trip’s only rebound is happening,” the San Francisco group continued. “The world is experiencing a revolution in the way we live and work. ”
In fact, Airbnb says it has observed new trends, such as long stays (20% of reservations were for more than 28 days), trips close to home (40% of rentals within 500 km of home) and more. often in the countryside (+ 40% compared to 2019).
“The new flexibility” thanks to teleworking “has brought about a revolution in the way we travel”, underlines Airbnb. “Millions of people can travel more often, longer, to more places. ”
The group also saw its net profit almost quadruple (+ 280%), to 834 million dollars, the largest ever made by the company.
In the fourth quarter, Airbnb expects revenue of between $ 1.39 billion and $ 1.48 billion, which would correspond to an increase of 25% to 33% compared to the last three months of 2019.