Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Home affairs under fire

      24 June 2025

      Samsung to unveil new folding phones at July event

      24 June 2025

      Capital Appreciation banks on payments to offset software slump

      24 June 2025

      Crypto is becoming a ‘practical payment method’ in South Africa

      24 June 2025

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025
    • World

      Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines hits $10-billion valuation

      24 June 2025

      Watch | Starship rocket explodes in setback to Musk’s Mars mission

      19 June 2025

      Trump Mobile dials into politics, profit and patriarchy

      17 June 2025

      Samsung plots health data hub to link users and doctors in real time

      17 June 2025

      Beijing’s chip champions blacklisted by Taiwan

      16 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025
    • TCS

      TechCentral Nexus S0E3: Behind Takealot’s revenue surge

      23 June 2025

      TCS | South Africa’s Sociable wants to make social media social again

      23 June 2025

      TCS+ | AfriGIS’s Helen Hulett on how tech can help resolve South Africa’s water crisis

      18 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E2: South Africa’s digital battlefield

      16 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025
    • Opinion

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025

      South Africa risks being left behind as stablecoins reshape global finance

      6 June 2025

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » Airbnb CEO unveils SA expansion plans

    Airbnb CEO unveils SA expansion plans

    By Duncan McLeod27 July 2015
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Brian Chesky
    Brian Chesky

    Fast-growing online lodging service Airbnb has outlined plans to expand its presence in South Africa.

    The company’s CEO, Brian Chesky, who was in Johannesburg on Monday, said the country is already Airbnb’s biggest market in Africa.

    It will now look to grow this further with the appointment of Nicola D’Elia as its GM for the Middle East and Africa.

    Previously, D’Elia was responsible for Facebook’s growth and partnerships in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

    D’Elia said that although Airbnb has no immediate plans to establish a physical presence in South Africa, it is inevitable that it will open a local office to serve the market.

    “It’s important to have a local presence to engage the community. We have meet-ups in other cities. We will start having a team in place… It’s the natural thing to do,” D’Elia told journalists on Monday.

    Chesky said that of the 30 000 Airbnb homes in Africa, about a third are in South Africa.

    Airbnb has 1,5m homes worldwide listed through its service. These homes are to be found in 34 000 cities in 191 countries, said Chesky.

    “We’ve now had 45m guests all over the world use Airbnb,” he said.

    Airbnb said that South Africa has 9 400 homes listed through its service, an increase of 138% in the past 12 months. The number of people staying in venues booked through Airbnb in South Africa increased by 257% in the same period.

    South African travellers are embracing the service as well, with those using Airbnb to travel in the past year increasing by 163%. Most use Airbnb to travel within the country. The most popular international destinations for South African travellers include the US, Italy, France and the UK.

    Across Africa, two of the five largest markets for Airbnb are in South Africa, namely Cape Town and Johannesburg.

    Airbnb was founded in San Francisco in 2008. In March 2015, the company raised a new round of funding giving it a valuation of US$20bn.  — © 2015 NewsCentral Media



    Airbnb Brian Chesky
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleBackspace: ‘Laughing matter’
    Next Article Telkom paid ex-CFO Jacques Schindehütte R18,8m

    Related Posts

    The 10 most expensive homes on Airbnb in South Africa

    9 September 2024

    How much Airbnb contributes to South Africa’s GDP

    25 October 2023

    How Airbnb became a money-making machine

    15 February 2023
    Company News

    TechCentral: South Africa’s premier platform for ICT leaders

    24 June 2025

    Section 18A deductions and BEE points – a strategic choice for business compliance in 2025

    24 June 2025

    Huawei Watch Fit 4 Series: beauty, brains and a battery that won’t quit

    24 June 2025
    Opinion

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    AI and the future of ICT distribution

    16 June 2025

    Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

    13 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.