Boosted by resilient global travel demand, Airbnb raises its annual revenue growth forecast

Reuters, November 5 - Airbnb (ABNB.O) on Thursday raised its full-year revenue growth forecast for 2026, as the vacation rental platform expressed confidence in the resilience of global leisure travel demand.

The company also approved a new share repurchase plan, authorizing the buyback of up to an additional $12 billion worth of Airbnb Class A common stock.

Despite rising inflation and increasing geopolitical uncertainty, travel companies continue to rely on steady international travel demand, supported by business travel and spending from high-net-worth customers.

Airbnb said that while the company is closely monitoring the latest developments in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, underlying global travel demand remains strong.

The San Francisco-based company now expects revenue in 2026 to grow at a “higher teens percentage rate,” compared to its previous guide of “at least mid-teens percentage growth.”

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The company said that about 35% of guests who first book a hotel via Airbnb subsequently book a vacation rental again.

Globally, third-quarter nights and experiences booked (a measure that covers both accommodation and service bookings) rose 16% year on year to 155 million.

Quarterly bookings in North America rose by a “low double-digit” percentage year on year, while the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region grew by a “mid-teens” percentage.

Hotel operators such as Hilton (link) and Marriott (link), as well as online travel agencies like Expedia (link) and Booking Holdings (link), maintained a cautious outlook for the fourth quarter, citing airfare hikes driven by the war in Iran and unrest in parts of Europe.

Airbnb said that in the reporting quarter, its customer support cost per booking dropped by more than 17% year on year, as about 40% of customer service issues were resolved without human agents, compared with only one-third in the second quarter.

The company reported diluted earnings per share of $3.16 for the quarter ended September 30, compared to $2.21 in the same period last year.

Third-quarter revenue grew about 19%, reaching $4.87 billion.

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