Airbnb files confidentially for IPO, setting stage for marquee market debut

Short-term home rental company Airbnb 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 US travellers shy away from hotels and prefer to drive to local vacation rentals.