Airbnb offloads host data to Chinese competitors as it departs country
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Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) is transferring its customer and host data in China to competitors as it shutters the business, per Reuters.

The online rental provider will transfer housing and host data to a number of domestic competitors, according to a Friday report. Specific providers targeted for transfers include Meituan (OTCPK:MPNGY), Xiaozhu, and Tujia.

The transfer comes just about a week after the company forecast its full withdrawal from the Chinese market.

âWe have made the difficult decision to refocus our efforts in China on outbound travel and suspend our homes and Experiences of Hosts in China, starting from July 30, 2022,â chief strategy officer Nathan Blecharczyk said in late May.

The company cited stringent government regulations and lockdowns that have closed off tourism in China since early 2020 and general reticence to travel amid shifting restrictions among Chinese nationals as leading to the shutdown. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the internet-based travel provider had struggled to carve out a place in the market, spending significant amounts to gain market share. 

As of Friday, that market share is being transferred in an orderly manner to its former rivals.
That said, the company will reportedly maintain operations to facilitate stays for outbound Chinese travelers in the hopes that anti-tourism regulations are lifted in the near future. According to travel data provider Skift, Chinese outbound tourism spend topped $277B in 2019, leading the globe in total spend by a wide margin. Since the pandemic, that spending has evaporated as the Chinese government essentially bans outbound travel.
Read more on the companyâs efforts to gain ground in China in recent years.