Airbnb plans to expand in Europe, use AI to revamp user experience

The US-based accommodation platform Airbnb said Tuesday that it plans to grow in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, reported dpa.

When announcing its plans, Airbnb explicitly referred to its recent successes in Germany - although it believes it is only just beginning there.

Airbnb is also relying on artificial intelligence to completely change the user experience in the app, said co-founder and chief executive Brian Chesky.

Airbnb's revenue rose by 17% year-on-year to $2.2 billion in the past quarter. More than 7.7 million flats and houses were offered for overnight stays on the platform at the end of the year - 18% more than a year earlier. The biggest growth was in the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America.

At the same time, there are still nine Airbnb customers for every one who stays in a hotel instead, Chesky said in a conference call with analysts. Therefore, there is still plenty of room for growth.

Airbnb posted a loss of $349 million in the last quarter, following a profit of $319 million a year earlier. The company cited a one-off tax charge of around $1 billion as the reason for this.