The Great Wall of AirBnB China

Airbnb has over 2 million listings worldwide of which less than 2 percent are in China. This case study identifies the key marketing challenges faced by Airbnb in China. It faces stiff competition from a number of local companies, such as Tujia and Mayi which grabbed market share in China, long before AirBnB. Moreover, AirBnB caused quite a stir in the market when they launched a new brand name for the company: Aibiying. This translates to “welcome each other with love.” Not only did this fail to win over Chinese travelers, but also seemed to backfire on the company when travelers deemed the new brand name to be meaningless and confusing. Airbnb has faced a number of setbacks in the world’s largest travel marketing, many of which are rooted in cultural issues, the speed and convenience between platforms, and the strict regulatory environment. The Chinese market has always been an extremely difficult market for Western tech companies to prosper and profit. Even though Airbnb has not entirely lost the attention of its Chinese tourist, it is critical that this company find its niche in China’s hospitality market instantly. The case questions help evaluate AirBnB’s current and future marketing strategy in China