There’s now an Airbnb for Airbnb: Can I Stay with You While I Rent my Place on Airbnb is here December 29, 2014 Much has been made of the fact Airbnb's model has been copied to such an extent there's now an Airbnb for pretty much everything – from boats, with Boatband, to toilets, with, er, Airpnp. But now there's a new one: Can I Stay with You While I Rent my Place on Airbnb is designed for people [...]
BMW taps into London’s sharing economy: Who else is there? Airbnb, Uber and Zipcar December 1, 2014 Earlier this month, it was revealed the sharing economy could net up to £9bn a year for the UK by 2025. The independent review, commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, also laid out a road-map to ensure the UK becomes a center for this growing scene. Big businesses are eager to capitalise [...]
Barcelona star Andres Iniesta lists family vineyard on Airbnb November 28, 2014 Fancy sipping on a glass of red in the beautiful Spanish countryside with the scorer of the winning goal in a World Cup final? Barcelona star Andrés Iniesta is giving you the chance to do just that, by placing a one-off listing for a night at his family vineyard, "Bodega Iniesta", on Airbnb. All [...]
The UK could be the world capital of the sharing economy if we take these steps November 25, 2014 EVERYONE seems to be talking about the “sharing economy”, and while this may not be a model that will work for every industry, it is a trend that requires attention. So much so that, in September 2014, the UK government raised the need for an independent report to examine the social and economic potential of [...]
Airbnb given boost as IoD says sharers should not pay tax on first £10k November 24, 2014 Rental groups such as Airbnb could soon become even more attractive if the Institute of Directors (IoD) gets its way. The business group has called on the government not to tax sharers on the first £10,000 they make by monetising their assets. Currently, those renting their home get £4,250 tax-free under rules first created 18 [...]
Business minister Matthew Hancock’s fury over Airbnb crackdown by Westminster council November 20, 2014 Business minister Matthew Hancock accused Westminster council last night of “over-zealously” clamping down on holiday rental sites, after it emerged that the Tory authority has been tracking down Airbnb users in the borough and taking enforcement action against them. The discovery comes as the government prepares plans to sweep away the legislation that bans [...]
Airplane-bnb: KLM takes Airbnb’s sharing economy to a luxury jet November 13, 2014 ental app Airbnb has teamed up KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to offer tech-savvy travellers the chance to stay in what Airbnb call a “pimped out” jet. For anyone looking to take up the offer, they need not fear landings or takeoff as the plane will remain grounded at Amsterdam's biggest air traffic hub. The "pimped [...]
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky: “We want to be regulated because to regulate us would be to recognise us” November 4, 2014 Six-year-old spare room rental app Airbnb has enjoyed an almost meteoric rise – along with Uber, it has become the tip of the spear of the so-called "sharing economy". The firm reached a $10bn (£6bn) valuation in April as part of a fundraising round where it received a $450m investment led by TPG Capital. Peter [...]
After tourist gets trapped in Waterstones, Airbnb teams up to offer a night’s stay in Piccadilly store October 21, 2014 When the story of David Willis, the man who was stuck in a Waterstones store at night, emerged last week, team Airbnb smelled an opportunity. Why not offer a night’s stay in the store? Luckily Waterstones’ retail director Rik McShane agreed. “Amidst the story were a great many messages from people exclaiming how much they [...]
Why I’m backing Maaxi – to launch a new black cab ride-sharing revolution October 1, 2014 GPS-enabled smartphones and apps have transformed urban commutes more than any technological advancement in the last 100 years, as former mayor Ken Livingstone outlines in a remarkable letter (see below), calling for action to ensure the controlled adoption of disruptive technologies in transport. While trains, buses and cars have evolved in speed and comfort, these [...]