Lollapalooza weekend breaks Airbnb booking record in Chicago

Already, some 22K people have booked rentals on the platform, a new record for Chicago

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber (Credit: Getty Images, iStock, and Airbnb)
(Credit: iStock)

Guess what, millennials? It’s Lollapalooza weekend, and if you didn’t book your Airbnb already, you’re likely out of luck.

Some 22,000 people have made reservations this weekend with the short-term rental platform in Chicago, a record-breaking number for the Windy City, according to the Chicago Tribune. But it’s not unexpected.

“This is what happens with big events like Lolla or the marathon,” said Ben Breit, Airbnb head of trust and security communications for the America, according to the Tribune. “Whatever is causing hotels to fill up is going to be big for our hosts.”

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While many have already said yes to festival-goers, some Chicagoans fear the repercussions, like theft or the dreaded surprise “party house.” And to soothe such anxieties, Breit recently held a forum with local hosts.

“With huge weekends like this one, you get a lot of people who are using the platform for the first time,” he told the Tribune. “So we tell hosts to help them out, guide them through the process, over-communicate the house rules.”

Communication might be fine with some rental markets, but in cities like Los Angeles, which was 2018’s top Airbnb destination, or New York, lawmakers are starting to crack down on the platform. [Chicago Tribune] — Matthew Corkins