The travel industry has been taking a major hit with the Coronavirus outbreak. Hotels are closing and planes are flying fewer and fewer passengers. Spring and summer are typically big vacation seasons, so this untimely quarantine is leaving tourism companies like Airbnb ($PRIVATE:AIRBNB) at risk.
Towards the end of last month, Airbnb’s app store ratings fell 12%.
But, with the launch of “Online Experiences,” the company could curb the impact. Hosts who previously offered listings like baking lessons and tango dance classes can now do so online.
While Airbnb’s Facebook mentions have fallen significantly since the end of February, they’ve been rising since the company announced “Online Experience.” At 12,100, mentions are up 252% from last week.
As things get back to normal and people slowly start to vacation again, we will have to find new ways to travel and interact with one another. Maybe you'll go to California, but feel less inclined to eat at a crowded restaurant. A virtual cooking class from a Cali local might be just what you need.
About the Data:
Thinknum tracks companies using the information they post online - jobs, social and web traffic, product sales and app ratings - and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales.
Further Reading:
- Coronavirus outbreak threatens global economies - but here's who's hiring
- Tesla job postings plunge amid factory shutdowns
- Uber hiring plummets amid sharing economy downturn
