The concept of Airbnb has taken root in Kenya, with the majority listing their apartments to the site's portal in order to attract suitable clientele and earn a supplementary income.
Founded in 2008 in California, United States of America (USA) the concept became a global success, attracting lucrative investors and customers.
Locally, the uptake has increased in recent years, with data from Airbnb showing a 10 percent rise from 25 percent in October 2021 to 35 percent in December 2021.
However, the concept was relatively new before 2015, until a trip by Brian Chesky who is the Airbnb Chief Executive Officer and one of the founders, arrived in the country for an official trip.
At the time, Chesky was part of the delegation accompanying former US President Barrack Obama to Nairobi. Seizing the opportunity, Chesky created an enormous charter about the concept, urging influential persons and tourists to book an apartment using their portal.
Obama made the two-day visit while still in office in to discuss issues revolving around security, trade and rights.
Through Chesky's intervention, Kenya's listings grew to over 1,400 in less than a year- with over 788 of them being booked in Nairobi alone.
Speaking in a past interview, Chesky noted that the concept was extended to those traveling either for business or leisure purposes. He added that tourists from around the world would still access the listings on the portal.
"Kenyans are increasingly embracing Airbnb as a way of traveling and finding accommodation, with the number of Kenyan guests using Airbnb to find suitable accommodation around the world tripling in the last 12 months alone," he stated during the trip.
History
The concept came out of an idea from Chesky and his roommate Joe Gebbia who were seeking to earn extra income by renting out their apartment in California.
They wanted to cash in on tourists and investors attending an upcoming big conference since hotels' accommodation prices were unstable at the time.
The duo, who acted as tour guides to the investors and designers, created a site for easy navigation. 12 years later, the concept is worth Ksh3.6 trillion.
