Airbnb confidentially files for IPO as short-term rental market rebounds

Short-term home rental company Airbnb Inc said on Wednesday it filed confidentially for an initial public offering with US regulators, setting the stage for one of 2020’s marquee US stock market debuts.

The move underscores a rebound in parts of the travel industry, which was battered this year by restrictions and shutdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

San Francisco-based Airbnb said in July that customers had booked more than 1 million nights in a single day for the first time since March 3, in part as U.S. travelers shy away from hotels and prefer to drive to local vacation rentals.