Airbnb to develop travel shows to take on rival sites

Airbnb, the high-flying start-up for booking home rentals around the world, has ambitions to develop a slate of original shows to whet customers’ appetite for travel.

The strategy, previously unreported, is crucial for the company, which is privately valued at $31bn (€28bn) and is gearing up for an initial public offering of stock expected next year. Airbnb must distinguish itself from Booking.com, Expedia and others in the fiercely-competitive and consolidating travel industry, where apartment-renting services are increasingly common.