By XIE Yixin
Airbnb is shutting down in China from July 30, according to Airbnb China chairman Nathan Blecharczyk.
All homes and experiences listed in China will be removed from apps and websites. The company will waive service fees for hosts in China until July 29.
Since the company entered China in 2016, more than 250 million people have stayed in Airbnb rentals. But Covid kiboshes business and stays in China over the last few years only made up one percent of Airbnb’s revenue.
Airbnb China will continue to serve Chinese customers with a team of 100 in Beijing, focusing on outbound tourism. Data from The World Tourism Organization showed that 155 million people in China traveled abroad in 2019.
An Airbnb survey in China showed that 63 percent of people planning to travel abroad once the borders are open.
