Airbnb has been giving the hotel industry a run for its money since it first exploded onto the scene nearly eight years ago, but now, it’s reigning itself in — just a little bit. In what is seen as a largely pacifying move, the San Francisco based company is cracking down on illegal rentals on its home turf, which may comprise up to 10 percent of listings in the city, and up to 17 percent of total revenue. But regardless of how much money they bring to the business, Airbnb says hosts who have transformed homes illegally into hotels (and list multiple properties) will be stopped.
“We want to continually evolve the platform so it serves the best interest of each city we’re in,” Airbnb spokesman Chris Lehane told the SF Chronicle. “This is a step in that direction, to make sure that each host has only one listing in San Francisco.”
Editors' Recommendations
- The amount users spent on iPhone apps in the U.S. rose 23 percent last year
- What is AirBnb? Here’s all you need to know about being a guest or host
- Airbnb purges half of its San Francisco listings overnight
- Airbnb will now help you explore Philadelphia with new experiences
- Google makes good on promise to offset 100 percent of its electricity use