Airbnb looks to expand Cuba listings to international travelers

Online home-rental service Airbnb says it is exploring a significant expansion of its operations in Cuba two months after it became the first major U.S. business to enter the island in decades. Chief technology officer Nathan Blecharczyk said on Wednesday during his first trip to Havana that Airbnb had requested a special license allowing people from outside the U.S. to use the service to reserve stays at private homes inside Cuba. Permitted by Obama, Airbnb currently books lodging only for U.S. residents going to Cuba for 12 special purposes, including educational travel, religious outreach and appearing in athletic and artistic events.

Here is an island where there is a lot of pent-up demand to visit. We expect a lot of travelers to want to come here and yet there isn’t a lot of hotel infrastructure.

Nathan Blecharczyk, one of the firm’s three co-founders

Airbnb has become an important player in international travel by connecting private home owners around the world with travelers who want to rent spaces ranging from a room in an occupied home to an entire house. Blecharczyk said homeowners renting through Airbnb have earned $650 apiece so far, a significant amount of income in a country where the average salary is around $30 a month. He said he expected great future growth in Cuba, particularly if the U.S. continues to loosen restrictions on travel.

Business Cuba