The Greater Good | Airbnb and the travel sector after COVID-19 with Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb Country Manager Australia and New Zealand

The Economists' Corner

In today's episode of The Greater Good, CEDA CEO Melinda Cilento is joined by Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb Country Manager Australia and New Zealand.

Travel industries were hit hard by COVID-19. In the space of a few months tourism went from Australia’s fourth largest export to all but stopping, leaving many Australians without a source of income.

As a leader in the short-term rental market, Airbnb and its hosts have been particularly affected by this downturn. With the pandemic winding down, the platform is now a weathervane for the recovery of the sector.

While dealing with the challenges of COVID-19, Airbnb has also been facing questions about its responsibility to its hosts and the communities it operates in. Those questions have taken on more urgency since the company’s much touted IPO in December.