NEW YORK, Jan 15, 2026, 05:06 EST — Premarket
- Airbnb shares dropped 5.2% Wednesday, ending the day at $132.79 and underperforming other online travel stocks.
- A tourism industry report highlighted a decline in foreign visits to the United States in 2025, even as global spending showed signs of strength.
- Airbnb named a former Meta generative AI chief as its new CTO. A filing also revealed co-founder Joseph Gebbia sold shares via a trading plan.
Airbnb shares dropped 5.2% on Wednesday, closing at $132.79 ahead of Thursday’s session. Booking Holdings fell 2.3%, while Expedia Group slid 3.1%.
Shares of online travel companies tumbled after the World Travel & Tourism Council reported a 6% decline in foreign visitors to the U.S. in 2025, despite a 6.7% rise in global tourism spending that pushed the total to $11.7 trillion. “We have not seen the impact of overtourism,” said WTTC interim President and CEO Gloria Guevara. Reuters
This hits Airbnb hard since a drop in inbound trips can undercut demand in major destination markets. Investors tend to react swiftly to any early signs of weaker discretionary spending. The stock, which has leaned heavily on travel momentum and steady margins, now faces added volatility.
On Wednesday, Airbnb announced the hiring of Ahmad Al-Dahle as its new chief technology officer (CTO). Al-Dahle joins from Meta Platforms, where he was known for his work in artificial intelligence. CEO Brian Chesky described him in a company email as “one of the world’s leading experts in AI.” Airbnb Newsroom
Airbnb’s new CTO comes amid talk of product tweaks and ramped-up AI features in the app. Back in November’s earnings call, the company mentioned experimenting with “AI-powered search” and promised to reveal more about its 2026 plans during the February update.
A separate regulatory filing showed co-founder and director Joseph Gebbia sold roughly 58,000 shares on Jan. 12 via a trust, with weighted average prices between $137 and $140. The moves happened under a 10b5-1 plan — a pre-set trading agreement — established on Aug. 29, the filing noted.
Executive hires and insider sales don’t always line up neatly with demand. Should inbound travel continue to falter, and if more cities clamp down on short-term rental regulations, growth could face hurdles in key markets that drive both new supply and pricing.
Airbnb has yet to reveal a date for its fourth-quarter earnings report or the next investor call. Its official investor site shows no scheduled events at this time. However, earnings calendars tracked by Seeking Alpha suggest a Feb. 13 release after the market closes.
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