https://www.scmp.com/rss/517669/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on Airbnb. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Two Chinese nationals suspected of trying to intercept satellite communications from ‌a base in an Airbnb rental property in southwestern France have been placed ‍under formal investigation, the Paris public prosecutor’s office said on Thursday. Police were first alerted last week when locals noticed that a roughly two-metre (6.6-foot) wide satellite dish being installed at the property in Gironde, which coincided with an internet outage, the office ⁠said. The two Chinese nationals, and two... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342564/2-chinese-nationals-suspected-spying-french-airbnb-placed-under-investigation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342564/2-chinese-nationals-suspected-spying-french-airbnb-placed-under-investigation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:51:10 +0000 Vincent Chow,Ben Jiang Vincent Chow,Ben Jiang American tech giant Meta Platforms is reportedly using an open-source artificial intelligence model developed by Alibaba Group Holding to reinvigorate its faltering AI efforts in another likely win for Chinese AI. According to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday, Facebook owner Meta was using Alibaba’s Qwen model, along with other open-source models from Google and OpenAI, as part of the training process for a new model code-named Avocado, which was expected to be released in the spring. The report... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336073/ai-race-meta-reported-use-alibabas-qwen-avocado-model-likely-win-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336073/ai-race-meta-reported-use-alibabas-qwen-avocado-model-likely-win-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia has confirmed it will not ban holiday rental platform Airbnb after Bali said it was considering doing so to curb unlicensed hotels and villas that have mushroomed on the island. The split underscores the growing tension between Bali’s push to rein in illegal accommodations and Jakarta’s preference for regulation over platform bans. Analysts also say that a ban on Airbnb alone would not fix deeper problems such as unregistered guest houses, weak enforcement and foreigners subletting... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3336074/indonesia-closes-door-airbnb-ban-after-bali-governor-seeks-curb-unlicensed-rentals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3336074/indonesia-closes-door-airbnb-ban-after-bali-governor-seeks-curb-unlicensed-rentals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 10:30:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Bali is considering a ban on Airbnb’s accommodation, its latest attempt to impose order on a resort island struggling to cope with a record surge in tourism. Use of Airbnb-style rentals has exploded in recent years, eroding tax revenue from hotels even as foreign arrivals boom, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster told state news agency Antara. The proliferation of unregistered villas and guest houses in turn hampers the government’s ability to raise revenue to fund public services, he was quoted as... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3335324/indonesias-bali-mulls-airbnb-ban-put-lid-revenue-leak-overtourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3335324/indonesias-bali-mulls-airbnb-ban-put-lid-revenue-leak-overtourism?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 07:41:39 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao AI Singapore (AISG) – a national programme by the city state of Singapore to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence – has chosen to base its latest large language model on Alibaba’s Qwen, in a significant win for the Chinese technology giant as it promotes its AI services in Southeast Asia. AI Singapore, designed to enhance the city state’s national AI capabilities, had released a new model, Qwen-SEA-LION-v4, based on Alibaba’s Qwen3-32B foundation model to better address the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334098/singapore-picks-alibabas-qwen-drive-regional-language-model-big-win-china-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3334098/singapore-picks-alibabas-qwen-drive-regional-language-model-big-win-china-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 11:00:17 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Alibaba Group Holding’s Qwen AI models are winning over major Western firms like Airbnb, underscoring the growing global appeal of China’s open-source approach to artificial intelligence. Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based online accommodation booking giant, said Airbnb “relies heavily” on Alibaba’s Qwen models to power its AI-driven customer service agent, according to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday. Chesky, a friend of OpenAI founder and CEO Sam Altman, said ChatGPT’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3329921/airbnb-picks-alibabas-qwen-over-chatgpt-win-chinese-open-source-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3329921/airbnb-picks-alibabas-qwen-over-chatgpt-win-chinese-open-source-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Genocides committed or sponsored by the West have often been a highly profitable business. Whether it was against the native American population in the United States throughout much of the 19th century, the colonisation of the Congo by King Leopold II of Belgium, or the Nazi Holocaust, many individuals and companies have profited greatly from humanity’s worst crimes – through direct participation or by providing services and support. A new report by Francesca Albanese, the courageous UN special... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3317502/its-time-business-stop-profiting-israels-economy-genocide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3317502/its-time-business-stop-profiting-israels-economy-genocide?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 01:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said late on Sunday that trade talks with the US have resumed after Canada rescinded its plan to tax US technology firms. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was suspending trade talks with Canada over its plans to continue with its tax on technology firms, which he called “a direct and blatant attack on our country”. The Canadian government said “in anticipation” of a trade deal, “Canada would rescind” the Digital Services Tax. The tax was set to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3316318/carney-says-trade-talks-us-resume-after-canada-rescinded-tech-tax?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3316318/carney-says-trade-talks-us-resume-after-canada-rescinded-tech-tax?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jun 2025 02:58:27 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press In Barcelona’s residential Gràcia neighbourhood, known for its quaint squares, Txema Escorsa feels he is being left behind. The friendly faces of neighbours in his block of flats have been replaced by a non-stop flow of hard-partying foreigners, and his teacher’s salary cannot keep pace with the rising rent. “It is tough for me to imagine what to do next,” he said in the living room of his two-bedroom flat. “If I leave, will I be contributing to Barcelona losing its essence that comes from its... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3314532/spaniards-wield-water-pistols-against-tourism-amid-housing-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3314532/spaniards-wield-water-pistols-against-tourism-amid-housing-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jun 2025 15:50:59 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The French government is mulling measures to clamp down on adults-only hotels and restaurants, with a top official warning that hospitality venues excluding children in a so-called “no kids” strategy were dividing society. While Paris is considered one of the most child-friendly cities in the world, more venues in France have been shunning children in an effort to shield customers from kids’ unpredictable behaviour and noise. The government this week held a round table meeting with key industry... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3312069/should-adult-only-hotels-and-restaurants-be-allowed-france-considers-banning-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3312069/should-adult-only-hotels-and-restaurants-be-allowed-france-considers-banning-them?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 05:45:07 +0000 dpa dpa Airbnb has begun letting users book in-home massages, chefs and personal trainers as part of an overhaul of its app as it continues to expand beyond being just a platform for short-term lodging. “Hotels do have one thing that we don’t have and those are services,” said chief executive Brian Chesky at a launch event in Los Angeles, in the US state of California. “Who doesn’t want a quesadilla in bed?” Chesky described the addition of services to the platform as “giving you the best of both worlds... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3310297/airbnb-adds-new-services-such-home-massages-chefs-and-more-platform-expands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3310297/airbnb-adds-new-services-such-home-massages-chefs-and-more-platform-expands?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 May 2025 11:15:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Wall Street’s main indexes advanced on Friday, as signs of a de-escalation in the trade war with China and a strong jobs report calmed concerns around the economic toll of tariffs. Beijing said on Friday it was “evaluating” an offer from Washington to hold talks over US President Donald Trump’s 145 per cent tariffs on China. The tit-for-tat tariffs between the world’s two largest economies have kept investors on edge, with both sides unwilling to be seen backing down in a trade war that has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3308905/wall-street-gains-tariff-optimism-strong-jobs-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3308905/wall-street-gains-tariff-optimism-strong-jobs-data?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 14:29:43 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Now is a vital moment for family offices to move away from US assets and invest in markets such as Japan, Australia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to executives at Hong Kong-based advisory firm Topaz Family Office. US-inflicted global tariff tensions, which had hurt the US economy and could lead to a difficult domestic business environment, created a “critical moment for all the global economic major players and asset allocators to get rid of the US, in particular US equities and... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3308668/hong-kong-family-offices-should-unload-us-assets-look-japan-uae-advisory-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3308668/hong-kong-family-offices-should-unload-us-assets-look-japan-uae-advisory-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 May 2025 07:16:26 +0000 Lynn Farah Lynn Farah Joe Gebbia is the latest high-profile name to join US President Donald Trump’s increasingly high-profile administration, which now includes two members of the Kennedy clan and former college footballer – and twice-failed Congress candidate – Bo Hines. Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, will be serving in the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), headed by Elon Musk. According to Newsweek, Gebbia’s background with Airbnb illustrates his experience with disruptive business... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3300080/meet-airbnbs-joe-gebbia-who-trump-appointed-doge-alongside-elon-musk-billionaire-once-lived-monk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3300080/meet-airbnbs-joe-gebbia-who-trump-appointed-doge-alongside-elon-musk-billionaire-once-lived-monk?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Feb 2025 22:00:18 +0000 One of our most popular travel stories of 2024 looked at how more trekkers are flocking to the Himalayas of Nepal, facilitated by companies out to make a quick buck. Mountaineers and guides, however, have voiced concerns about the safety risks that underprepared trekkers pose, and the growing amounts of waste left on mountain slopes. Readers were also shocked by the story in March of a Brazilian-Spanish influencer who was gang-raped in India while camping during a motorbike trip. Here’s the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3292439/travel-stories-you-read-most-2024-about-horror-gang-rape-trains-china-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3292439/travel-stories-you-read-most-2024-about-horror-gang-rape-trains-china-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Dec 2024 08:18:53 +0000 Paris has unveiled new regulations tightening restrictions on holiday apartment rentals, hoping to ease a housing shortage with measures including fines of up to €100,000 (US$105,000) for breaches. France’s parliament approved a bill this month allowing cities to clamp down on short-term furnished rentals to combat a lack of affordable housing. The French capital, one of the world’s top tourist destinations, is among many cities worldwide where officials and activists complain rentals are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3288604/paris-joins-clampdown-holiday-apartment-rentals-blamed-housing-shortage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3288604/paris-joins-clampdown-holiday-apartment-rentals-blamed-housing-shortage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2024 06:15:07 +0000 Croatia is set to become the latest European country to tackle a tourism-related housing price crunch, although some property owners fear the proposed legislation will affect business. A package of draft laws was approved in the Croatian parliament last week, but the final nationwide legislation will only be passed after wider discussion and likely amendments. Cities from Malaga and Barcelona in Spain to Athens, Greece, and Budapest in Hungary have clamped down on short-term rentals to alleviate... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3287542/croatia-latest-nation-consider-restricting-short-term-tourist-rentals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3287542/croatia-latest-nation-consider-restricting-short-term-tourist-rentals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Nov 2024 05:15:06 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A woman in China mistook the Chinese yuan symbol for the Korean won while booking a hotel apartment in South Korea on Airbnb, ultimately paying 60,000 yuan (US$8,300) for a single night. The woman, surnamed Xiao, from Jiangsu province in eastern China, recently sought help online regarding her payment with Airbnb. On October 13, she booked a serviced apartment on Jeju Island through the holiday rental platform for a night’s stay with a friend. After returning to China, Xiao was shocked to... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3287200/china-woman-mistakenly-pays-us8300-hotel-room-confusing-yuan-and-korean-won-symbols?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3287200/china-woman-mistakenly-pays-us8300-hotel-room-confusing-yuan-and-korean-won-symbols?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Nov 2024 01:00:07 +0000 The Colosseum in Rome will be the venue of gladiator fights for the first time in two millennia under a US$1.5 million sponsorship deal with Airbnb that aims to promote “more conscious tourism”. But visitors to the monument, and housing activists in Rome, were sceptical about the value of the arrangement. They cited controversies in many cities over short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb fuelling overtourism and limiting the availability of affordable housing for residents and students. The... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3286986/airbnb-brings-gladiator-fights-rome-colosseum-after-2000-years-scorned-new-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3286986/airbnb-brings-gladiator-fights-rome-colosseum-after-2000-years-scorned-new-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2024 08:45:08 +0000 A Liverpool house famous for hosting some of The Beatles’ first gigs in the basement has been given a new lease of life, being listed on Airbnb. Mona Best, the party-loving mother of the band’s original drummer Pete Best, opened the Casbah Coffee Club in the English city’s West Derby suburb in 1959, just before the group formed. The band went on to perform more than 40 times in the basement of the property, on a leafy residential street, after it had also hosted 13 gigs by John Lennon’s first... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3275446/house-used-early-beatles-gigs-turned-airbnb-rental-fab-fours-original-drummer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3275446/house-used-early-beatles-gigs-turned-airbnb-rental-fab-fours-original-drummer?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Aug 2024 10:15:11 +0000 If, like us, you always pictured Silicon Valley’s key players sitting around in trendy San Francisco coffee shops giving each other advice on world domination, billionaire to billionaire – it turns out you were probably right. In a recent interview at the Aspen Ideas Festival, Open AI founder Sam Altman admitted that it’s Airbnb’s CEO Brian Chesky who has been helping him navigate the politics and policy of the company he has created. “Brian was the person who would just sit down with me for... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3273239/who-brian-chesky-airbnb-founder-worth-us86-billion-he-pals-barack-obama-arnold-schwarzenegger-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3273239/who-brian-chesky-airbnb-founder-worth-us86-billion-he-pals-barack-obama-arnold-schwarzenegger-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Aug 2024 21:00:12 +0000 Imagine planning a holiday and not being able to use Airbnb or similar sites to book an apartment. This will be a reality for visitors to central Barcelona in four years. To safeguard and expand the housing supply for full-time residents, local authorities want to rid the Spanish city, known for its architecture, beaches and Catalan culture, of the 10,000 apartments licensed as short-term rental properties. Barcelona City Hall announced last month it would not renew any tourist apartment... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3272567/barcelona-ban-airbnb-style-short-term-apartment-rentals-will-other-cities-follow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3272567/barcelona-ban-airbnb-style-short-term-apartment-rentals-will-other-cities-follow?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jul 2024 08:15:10 +0000 Two years ago, YouTube star Luan Palomera paid US$1.5 million for a chic holiday home in Palm Springs, California. Today, he’d be lucky to get US$1 million for it. As cities around the world continue to crack down on Airbnb, officials can turn towards the Californian desert for an example – perhaps a cautionary tale – of the potential side effects of curbing the short-term rental market. In Palm Springs, a cap on short-term rentals in specific high-demand neighbourhoods has all but frozen the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3250977/how-one-us-citys-cap-airbnb-and-short-term-rentals-had-knock-effects-home-prices-and-its-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3250977/how-one-us-citys-cap-airbnb-and-short-term-rentals-had-knock-effects-home-prices-and-its-property?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Feb 2024 20:15:19 +0000 From a tour of the Chinese city of Shenzhen, a popular day-trip destination for Hong Kong people, to a look at things travellers don’t get told by tourism boards, we look back at our most popular travel and leisure stories of 2023. 1. Morbid art gets star treatment In May, we looked at how an Alien special effects designer’s works are the star of two Swiss medieval towns that offer an unlikely mix of idyllic backdrops and morbid art. H. R. Giger was born in the Swiss city of Chur, where his... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3246495/most-read-2023-airbnb-crackdown-penang-swiss-towns-morbid-art-alien-movie-effects-designer-7-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3246495/most-read-2023-airbnb-crackdown-penang-swiss-towns-morbid-art-alien-movie-effects-designer-7-world?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Dec 2023 08:17:08 +0000 Starring Timothée Chalamet, Willy Wonka’s origin story is now showing in cinemas – a century after the character’s creator, Roald Dahl, was discovering his love of sweets while growing up in Wales. “The sweet shop in Llandaff in the year 1923 was the very centre of our lives,” wrote Roald Dahl in Boy: Tales of Childhood (1984), which is not an autobiography, he insisted, but a collection of stories detailing the most impressionable episodes of his young life. The sweet shop in question –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3246004/loved-wonka-stay-sweet-shop-author-roald-dahl-adored-its-now-holiday-rental-available-airbnb?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3246004/loved-wonka-stay-sweet-shop-author-roald-dahl-adored-its-now-holiday-rental-available-airbnb?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Dec 2023 09:15:09 +0000 Once a niche market for frugal, globetrotting young people, hostels are becoming a popular form of alternative lodging. No longer just rows of bunk beds, some hostels now offer private rooms and amenities like rooftop pools and spas. Take the Selina Boquete hostel in Panama, Central America. Guests are served an evening welcome drink. While there’s a shared option called a community room, the hostel offers hotel-style private rooms and the unique option of a pod-style room made from an... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3243375/better-experience-airbnb-how-hostels-are-going-upmarket-offering-hotel-experiences-much-lower-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3243375/better-experience-airbnb-how-hostels-are-going-upmarket-offering-hotel-experiences-much-lower-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Dec 2023 08:15:12 +0000 Airbnb is looking to capitalise on a growing swathe of empty houses in Japan, hoping to convince owners to remodel the vacant homes into tourist attractions. “It can be a good source of income after people retire as our lifetime gets longer. If the owners of idle assets refurbish them and convert them into lodgings, that would be a solution,” Airbnb’s head of Japan, Yasuyuki Tanabe, told Nikkei. Airbnb hopes to partner with businesses and local governments to encourage homeowners to invest in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3243294/japans-85-million-empty-houses-rot-airbnb-wants-turn-them-tourist-lodgings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3243294/japans-85-million-empty-houses-rot-airbnb-wants-turn-them-tourist-lodgings?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Nov 2023 01:29:26 +0000 In a world where travel is not just a journey but an enchanting experience, Airbnb has redefined how we explore the globe. No longer wanting to be confined to cookie-cutter hotel rooms, travellers today instead seek unique and opulent escapes that redefine the very notion of luxury. From a secluded glass house in the middle of the desert to an enchanting castle in the heart of Scotland, these are some of the most luxurious and unique Airbnb properties you can book for your upcoming holidays. 1.... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3241357/7-unique-luxury-airbnbs-book-your-next-holiday-bali-and-koh-samui-costa-rica-mexico-italy-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3241357/7-unique-luxury-airbnbs-book-your-next-holiday-bali-and-koh-samui-costa-rica-mexico-italy-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Nov 2023 02:00:36 +0000 Italy’s financial police on Monday seized more than €779 million (US$835 million) from online accommodation service Airbnb for alleged tax evasion. The seizure was carried out on the order of Milan prosecutors, who accuse the site of having failed to collect a rental income tax from landlords in the period from 2017 to 2021. Airbnb did not collect the required 21 per cent flat rate tax on all short-term rentals, according to a summary of the accusation signed by Milan prosecutor Marcello Viola... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3240569/italy-police-seize-us835-million-airbnb-tax-investigation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3240569/italy-police-seize-us835-million-airbnb-tax-investigation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Nov 2023 22:43:15 +0000 Airbnb superhost Princess Lou Marzo, 47, says it was her adventure-loving father who convinced her to register their family properties on the online accommodation marketplace in 2016. The former sailor wanted to bring the multicultural atmosphere he had encountered on his voyages back home to San Fernando, in the Philippine province of La Union, but he didn’t have the patience to answer email inquiries or manage day-to-day business affairs. Those chores would fall to his daughter. They had... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3237531/airbnb-hosts-know-theres-no-place-home-thats-why-they-open-theirs-people-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3237531/airbnb-hosts-know-theres-no-place-home-thats-why-they-open-theirs-people-around-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Oct 2023 03:15:07 +0000 A newly-wed couple from China whose Malaysian honeymoon was ruined after they discovered a hidden spy camera pointed at their bed in an Airbnb homestay have told how the host initially accused them of online “smears”. The couple said on the social media platform Xiaohongshu that a hidden camera had been installed inside a wall power socket at the homestay in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. Their discovery, which prompted a police investigation, has led to travel warnings and tips from experts on how to... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3235870/china-couple-who-found-spy-camera-pointing-malaysia-honeymoon-bed-accused-smearing-airbnb-host?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3235870/china-couple-who-found-spy-camera-pointing-malaysia-honeymoon-bed-accused-smearing-airbnb-host?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Oct 2023 01:00:09 +0000 Malaysian police are looking for those responsible for placing a hidden camera within a wall power socket in a room of a lodging establishment in Sabah state where a newlywed Chinese couple had stayed in earlier this month. This was after the tourists’ claims were published in a Chinese social media platform and went viral on Saturday. It was subsequently picked up by a number of online sites and news portals. Kota Kinabalu police chief assistant commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah confirmed the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3235617/malaysian-police-investigate-after-spycam-found-newlywed-chinese-couples-airbnb-room?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3235617/malaysian-police-investigate-after-spycam-found-newlywed-chinese-couples-airbnb-room?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Sep 2023 04:47:44 +0000 Home-sharing giant Airbnb said it has had to stop accepting some reservations in New York City as new regulations on short-term rentals went into effect on September 5 that will mean big changes for travellers hoping to avoid the high cost of a Big Apple hotel. The new rules are intended to end a free-for-all in which city landlords and residents have been renting out their flats by the week or the night to tourists or others in town for short stays. Under the new system, rentals shorter than 30... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3233594/crisis-time-airbnb-new-york-new-rules-make-rentals-shorter-30-days-more-difficult-big-apple?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3233594/crisis-time-airbnb-new-york-new-rules-make-rentals-shorter-30-days-more-difficult-big-apple?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:45:16 +0000 It’s another day ending in -y, and Gwyneth Paltrow is yet again facing public blowback. This time she’s being “called out of touch” for her partnership with Airbnb that she said is aimed “to make the world a little less lonely”. The Marvel actress and entrepreneur announced on Instagram on Tuesday that her one-bedroom property in Montecito, California, will be available for a free one-night stay for up to two guests in September. Paltrow touted the brand partnership as a way to combat... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3230266/peek-gwyneth-paltrows-montecito-home-airbnb-us0-marvel-actress-giving-away-1-night-stay-her-airy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3230266/peek-gwyneth-paltrows-montecito-home-airbnb-us0-marvel-actress-giving-away-1-night-stay-her-airy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Aug 2023 21:00:08 +0000 Come on, Barbie, let’s go party – at the real-life Malibu Dreamhouse. Airbnb announced this week that the hot-pink, beachside mansion inspired by the toy home of the same name will be available to book for a limited time next month – with a twist. This time, Barbie’s blond beau, Ken, will be hosting. The property rental company and Warner Bros. have joined forces to promote Barbie – the summer comedy starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling – by inviting “everyone in Barbie Land” to enter for a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3226312/inside-barbies-malibu-dreamhouse-rent-airbnb-ken-has-taken-over-replica-pink-toy-mansion-complete?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3226312/inside-barbies-malibu-dreamhouse-rent-airbnb-ken-has-taken-over-replica-pink-toy-mansion-complete?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jul 2023 03:00:16 +0000 One of Malaysia’s top tourist draws, Penang Island, has slapped a partial ban on Airbnb Inc. and similar short-term rental services, following complaints of tourists behaving badly. “Housing premises, be it in the form of landed properties (housing estates) or strata (high-rise) properties, are not allowed to operate as short-term rental accommodation,” Penang Island Mayor Rajendran Antony said in a statement issued on May 30. Rajendran said full implementation and enforcement of the ban would... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3223530/malaysias-penang-island-imposes-partial-ban-airbnb-tame-rowdy-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3223530/malaysias-penang-island-imposes-partial-ban-airbnb-tame-rowdy-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jun 2023 07:57:09 +0000 From now on, visitors to the Unesco-listed Malaysian island of Penang will have fewer accommodation options. After mulling it over for more than a year, on May 25, the Penang state government imposed a ban on almost all forms of short-stay accommodation in residential units – the kind typically found listed on Airbnb and Booking.com – throughout the island, with immediate effect. Penang is the first state in Malaysia, and the first tourist hotspot in Southeast Asia, to take such measures –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3223080/malaysian-island-penang-bans-airbnb-and-other-short-term-lets-bid-reduce-number-undesirable-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3223080/malaysian-island-penang-bans-airbnb-and-other-short-term-lets-bid-reduce-number-undesirable-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jun 2023 04:45:08 +0000 A couple from China staying at an Airbnb home in South Korea left the gas on and taps running for 25 days in revenge after the host refused their request to cancel their booking. The unidentified couple reportedly wasted 120 tonnes of water and left a water and electricity bill of US$116 and a gas bill of about US$730, NetEase News reported. The couple booked the stand-alone villa in the capital city of Seoul for 25 days and paid in full without looking at the price or checking where the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3216933/used-120-tonnes-water-5-days-chinese-couple-take-revenge-airbnb-host-south-korea-who-refused-cancel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3216933/used-120-tonnes-water-5-days-chinese-couple-take-revenge-airbnb-host-south-korea-who-refused-cancel?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:00:08 +0000 A few weeks ago, Airbnb published its users’ most wish-listed properties around the world that are new to the home-rental site. The list includes properties from the United States to Australia. There are one-bedroom cabins in the mountains, five-bedroom villas near the beach and secluded retreats in the high desert. The homes vary in size to accommodate romantic getaways, family reunions or adventures with friends. While all have scenic landscapes and convenient amenities, there are three that... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3209791/10-most-incredible-wish-listed-properties-airbnb-2023-ancient-mill-france-and-treetop-cabin-nova?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3209791/10-most-incredible-wish-listed-properties-airbnb-2023-ancient-mill-france-and-treetop-cabin-nova?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Feb 2023 00:00:19 +0000 Princess Olga Romanoff is a royal rebel that defies all the rules of a “typical” noble. The energetic, “potty mouth” Russian princess is known to use quite a colourful array of swear words and live her life outside the royal norms. A descendant of the Russian Romanovs and cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth, she has starred in multiple reality TV series and has openly talked about her life to the public. She is set to star in a new reality show called The Big Celebrity Detox (working title)... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3198741/meet-queen-elizabeths-russian-cousin-princess-olga-romanoff-potty-mouth-royal-almost-married-king?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3198741/meet-queen-elizabeths-russian-cousin-princess-olga-romanoff-potty-mouth-royal-almost-married-king?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Nov 2022 21:00:23 +0000 Just by the size of its economy and population, China has long stood as a market that global businesses cannot afford to ignore. Yet a string of recent exits, including Airbnb and Amazon, shows the country is increasingly becoming a cautionary tale for multinational firms. While economic reforms started almost half a century ago, a recently emergent middle class has made China even more appealing to many global firms seeking a toehold in the world’s second largest economy. Not even one of the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3181275/chinas-hostile-environment-western-tech-pushed-out-amazon-and-airbnb?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3181275/chinas-hostile-environment-western-tech-pushed-out-amazon-and-airbnb?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Jun 2022 02:00:25 +0000 Nike’s running and working out app, Nike Run Club (NRC), has informed mainland Chinese users that it will end the service in the country next month, a move that follows similar announcements in China from Kindle, Airbnb and LinkedIn. NRC, along with the Nike Training Club (NTC) app, notified mainland Chinese users on Wednesday that they would halt operations as of July 8 “due to business reasons”. While Nike did not provide further details on why it was stopping the services, the decision comes... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3180906/nikes-running-app-stop-service-china-next-month-following-similar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3180906/nikes-running-app-stop-service-china-next-month-following-similar?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jun 2022 11:36:28 +0000 Amazon.com will close its Kindle e-book service in China by next June, the company said on Thursday, becoming the latest US business to pull the plug on mainland operations after home rental firm Airbnb, professional social media platform LinkedIn, and internet portal Yahoo. The Kindle unit said it has stopped selling e-book devices to distributors starting Thursday, and will shut down the online bookstore service on June 30, 2023. Users will not be able to purchase new e-books after that date,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3180170/amazons-kindle-close-its-china-e-book-service-next-year-following?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3180170/amazons-kindle-close-its-china-e-book-service-next-year-following?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jun 2022 09:01:47 +0000 US home rentals firm Airbnb is pulling out of mainland China, home to one of its least profitable markets, citing challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, it said in a note posted on its website on Tuesday. The company, which has faced fierce local competition, said it will concentrate on serving the Chinese market by providing options for accommodation when Chinese people travel out of the country. “In the face of the challenges of the epidemic, we reconsidered and made this difficult... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3178971/airbnb-exits-china-beijings-tough-covid-19-containment-measures-add-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3178971/airbnb-exits-china-beijings-tough-covid-19-containment-measures-add-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 May 2022 10:05:30 +0000 Beijing is one of the least profitable cities for Airbnb landlords, who would need a paying customer for 3,771 nights, or more than 10 years, to recoup their investment, according to a UK insurer. Rugby, England-based CIA Landlords tracked more than 50 destinations across the globe as part of a study and based its findings on the average price of a one-bed flat divided by the average Airbnb price per night. In Beijing, the average price of a one-bed flat is £648,595 (US$805,000) while the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3178365/beijing-among-least-profitable-airbnb-destinations-owners-would-need?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3178365/beijing-among-least-profitable-airbnb-destinations-owners-would-need?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2022 11:45:18 +0000 Mark Zuckerberg may be having a hard time at the moment due to the recent Facebook outage and whistle-blower scandal, but he’s still the US’ richest person under the age of 40. So who else is hot on his heels? Forbes has just published its list of the youngest billionaires in the country, so read on to find out who made the cut, in order of oldest to youngest. The world’s 6 richest families making – and spending – billions 10. Nathan Blecharczyk, Airbnb co-founder Age: 38 Net worth: US$10... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3151844/meet-10-youngest-billionaires-us-facebooks-mark?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3151844/meet-10-youngest-billionaires-us-facebooks-mark?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Oct 2021 23:00:29 +0000 Airbnb is looking for guinea pigs. Specifically, nomadic, remote-working guinea pigs. The “Live Anywhere on Airbnb” programme is seeking 12 individuals prepared to travel and live in accommodation listed on the site for 10 months, until July 2022, and in return help the online marketplace tailor its product for what it sees as an increasingly important market segment: the digital nomad. A diverse set of participants is sought, including creatives, empty-nesters and young families. “Whether it’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3137240/airbnb-seeks-12-digital-nomads-live-10-months-any-listing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3137240/airbnb-seeks-12-digital-nomads-live-10-months-any-listing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jun 2021 20:15:00 +0000 Who would not want to stay in a monarchical mansion or princely palace, experiencing the kind of privileged and pampered life usually confined to the upper echelons of society? Well, no longer relegated to the fairy-tale fantasies of yore, it is now very possible to enjoy a stately sojourn of this most opulent nature. From India to the Caribbean, many of the planet’s most impressive royal homes and dwellings have been made accessible to the public, not just as tourist attractions, but also as... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3122936/4-royal-homes-available-rent-night-princess-margarets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3122936/4-royal-homes-available-rent-night-princess-margarets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Feb 2021 22:00:17 +0000 The Chinese capital has dealt a significant blow to Airbnb in the city by banning short-term stays in the city’s heart, saying they could create a security problem.  The ban affects the Dongcheng district, which includes famous tourist attractions like Tiananmen Square, Zhongshan Park and the Forbidden City. It also applies to the Xicheng district, a popular area for dining. A ban on short-term stays essentially kills the Airbnb business model in the areas.  Beijing said criminal networks and... https://www.scmp.com/society/want-tour-beijing-airbnb-may-not-be-feasible-option/article/3115695?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/want-tour-beijing-airbnb-may-not-be-feasible-option/article/3115695?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Dec 2020 10:42:59 +0000 Beijing has banned Airbnb-style short-term lettings in the heart of the Chinese capital citing security concerns. It is part of a move to tighten control of short-term apartment rentals across the city and to ensure safety in the “core central administrative zone”, an area of 92.5 sq km (35.7 sq miles) around the Forbidden City and the Zhongnanhai compound that houses the top Chinese leadership, according to a directive issued by four government agencies. The new policy left business operations... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3115464/beijing-city-authorities-ban-airbnb-style-lettings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3115464/beijing-city-authorities-ban-airbnb-style-lettings?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Dec 2020 10:00:18 +0000