ITV

Tag: Brian Chesky

  • Airbnb teams up with FIFA for three World Cups and global fan stays

    Airbnb teams up with FIFA for three World Cups and global fan stays

    MUMBAI: Fans won’t just be travelling for the beautiful game, they’ll be checking in for it too. In a landmark move that blends football fever with hospitality hustle, Airbnb and FIFA have announced a three-year global partnership across three blockbuster tournaments: the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, FIFA World Cup 26, and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027. Airbnb will serve as Official Fan Accommodation across all events with perks that include booking fan experiences, stadium adventures, and even one-on-one training with football legends like Tim Howard.

    From Dolby Atmos goal celebrations in Miami to melt-in-your-mouth brisket tacos in Houston, this tie-up isn’t just about beds, it’s about bringing the soul of the Host City to the fan’s front door.

    “The World Cup brings the world together and so do we,” said Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky, adding that the partnership will help create “once-in-a-lifetime experiences” for fans while fuelling local economies.

    With fans expected to flood the 16 host cities of the FIFA World Cup 26, a Deloitte study estimates that over 380,000 Airbnb guests will contribute nearly 3.6 billion dollars to local economies. Hosts alone could rake in up to 210 million dollars, with Airbnb’s stays projected to support the equivalent of 34,000 full-time jobs through 2026.

    The collaboration will also see Airbnb roll out a 5 million dollars Host City Impact Fund, supporting local initiatives and enhancing the visitor experience through targeted investments in community infrastructure.

    Football meets fandom in a more literal way too Airbnb is offering original fan experiences like watching matches with Cobi Jones, dissecting tactics with FIFA’s Technical Study Group, or suiting up for a private goalkeeping session with Tim Howard. All these are bookable during the Club World Cup 2025, kicking off 14 June at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.

    With 89 per cent of fans worldwide planning to travel for matches, Airbnb’s bet on blending the love of sport with the love of stay is shaping up to be a golden goal.

    Or in this case, maybe a golden guest room.

  • Airbnb’s Varun Raina elaborates on marketing plans for India

    Airbnb’s Varun Raina elaborates on marketing plans for India

    MUMBAI: Airbnb, the America-based marketplace and hospitality service brokerage company recently announced its intent to double market spends in India  for better visibility. Airbnb Asia-Pacific regional director Siew Kum Hong mentioned that one of the prime reasons behind this move is the increasing number of listings within the country, which went up by 150 per cent the last year.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Airbnb India marketing lead Varun Raina said that tourism in emerging economies is expected to increase at twice the rate as compared to other global markets and India is playing a crucial role in this growth, making it important for the company to expand its footprints here.

    He said, “Airbnb’s growth in India has been phenomenal on all fronts – the number of listings, hosts and the travellers choosing the service in India. There are approximately 50,000 Airbnb homes and more than 250 unique Airbnb Experiences across the country.”

    Quoting Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, Raina shared that the aim is to get over 1 billion people to join the platform by 2027 and India is expected to be a huge contributor to this number owing to its huge millennial demographic and growing middle class.

    He added, “The dominant segment of Indian consumers is led by 410 million millennials who have a very progressive travel mindset.” Raina went on to reveal that India has been performing phenomenally good for the platform. He mentioned that over two million Indian guests travelled using Airbnb globally in 2018. “Our Host community has welcomed more than 1.25 million travellers since 2016, over 60 per cent of which occurred in 2018. That growth isn’t just limited to foreign travellers; domestic travel on Airbnb in India has increased by 78 per cent in 2018.”

    The focus of India’s marketing communication will be about Airbnb’s availability for all. With every communication the goal is to highlight that with Airbnb, one can get unprecedented access to travel on one’s own terms. The media are chosen based on its target audience. Its latest campaign, “That’s Why We Airbnb” is running across TV (music, news, GEC impact, sports) outdoor, airports, digital, and social media.

    Elaborating more on the campaign, Raina noted, “Our newest campaign highlights real travellers discovering real places solely while in an Airbnb home. With their Airbnb as an anchor, the brand aims to guide travellers through their new environments and experience what truly interests them in and around the home. Given that there is an Airbnb for everyone, it’s only natural that our campaigns relate to every type of traveller-whether it’s a couple, a family, movie stars or workgroups.”