[Airbnb] says its model—stay in somebody’s home, pay less than a hotel would charge—will help it facilitate travel that won’t pave over Cuba’s unique character, forged by decades of isolation from its northern neighbor.
“Think about the big hotel chains coming in, with mass development,” says Nathan Blecharczyk, Airbnb co-founder ... “The idea here is to support growth in travel that isn’t disruptive, that actually celebrates and preserves Cuba as a distinct destination.”
— bloomberg.com
According to bloomberg.com, Airbnb is one of the first U.S. companies to extend operations into Cuba since diplomatic ties between the two countries were re-opened last December. The article refers to "a broad range of colonial architecture ... at extremely low rates". Apparently Airbnb was quick to jump on the market, heading to Cuba in January to meet with locals operating in the preexisting network of casas particulares (home-based vacation rentals for tourists).
But managing a listing when only 4% of Cuban homes have any internet access is no easy feat. Along with continued restrictions of which countries can see Cuban listings, Airbnb's presence in Cuba lands quietly, but nonetheless dramatically – before anyone else's.
9 Comments
Does Cuba know about this? Nice intro to 21st century locust capitalism
I rather see Airbnb moving into the Cuban market than big corporate hotel conglomerates. People making profits directly by renting their homes/rooms couldn't be so bad instead of money harvested by the Hilton Corporation and such. If it is between two models of capitalist corporations and models, Airbnb benefits local economy in more direct ways. Plus, the beautiful architecture of Havana would be appreciated by the visitors in direct use and making friends with the local population.
It always starts off innocent enough and then the game begins and winners start to take all and the protection for the individual that once was there will get distorted.........in NYC occasionally the local person gets greedy and turns their Airbnb into a pseudo hotel and then building department has to come and shut them down.....this will happen and a Hilton like organization will arise (this is called emergence, a basic complexity theory) and then the real Hilton will buy them out......isn't the goal of every young Kickstarter to be bought out by Google? ..........the only thing that would prevent Cuba from doing this is Cuba.
We couldn't take Cuba down with covert military action, overt military action, by assassination or with economic embargoes and blockades, so now we've opened the doors and are going to let JPMorgan and CitiBank do it. Cuba is doomed, they just don't know it yet.
I can't speak to the politics, because what Cuba has now is pretty screwed up by any standard, but I sure hope they save what looks to be a gem city.
I guess that depends on your standard.
Cuba has one of the best health care systems in the world, unencumbered by insurance and drug cartels, and everyone has free access.
^yeah but can you get a double mocha frapachino at 2am?
A target rich environment for opportunism.
My standard is how the people feel about living there. I'm not saying America is some kind of nirvana, but when you can't get enough food or can't express themselves freely, or when people die trying to leave...then I think it's pretty much screwed up. That said, I envy the Cuban's social and human connections with each other. Ideally, I'd like to have the internet, double mocha frapuchinos, and a wonderful sense of community, but you can't have it all.
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