Airbnb, Expedia latest to signal holiday-season uptick

They challenge the narrative established last quarter by online travel companies, airlines and resorts that a general travel slowdown was coming

A few months ago, travel companies warned that the post-pandemic travel surge was slowing. However, last week, three major online booking platforms - Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia - presented a more optimistic outlook, with stronger-than-expected projections, driven in part by international demand.

Key takeaways

• Airbnb announced on Thursday that its key metric, nights and experiences booked, will grow this quarter, likely surpassing the 8.5% growth rate from last period;
• Expedia, also reporting Thursday, raised its full-year gross bookings growth forecast to 5% from 4%;
• The week before, Booking, which owns brands such as Kayak and Priceline, reported unexpectedly positive guidance, sending its shares higher;
• Taken together, these forecasts provide some optimism as policymakers and investors assess the strength of the U.S. economy.

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