Airbnb’s newly appointed head of public policy, David Spielfogel, most recently chief business officer at electric bike company Lime, presumably learned a few things fighting back against municipalities seeking to limit or ban his company.
Airbnb is looking to tap into that experience and regain its own momentum after landmark regulatory setbacks in places like New York City and Barcelona.
From Airbnb’s perspective, it doesn’t hurt that Spielfogel understands the perspective of regulators, as well. Working for the then-mayor, Rahm Emanuel, Spielfogel was involved in early efforts by the City of Chicago to regulate Airbnb.
He has that regulatory experience, and a track record in operations, too, which should help as Airbnb fights regulators and expands into newish businesses like hotels and services.
Skift Global Forum
Every travel company started 2026 with a plan, and most have already rewritten it.
On September 22–24 in New York City, the CEOs of Uber, Hilton, Booking Holdings, and Expedia take the main stage to pressure-test what changed and decide what travel does next.
Standard pricing ends tomorrow.
WUNDERKIND + SKIFT
Wunderkind’s new report explores where AI earns traveler trust, where it falls short, and what brands can do next.
EDITOR’S PICKS
Google Is Leaning on Travel to Sell Its AI Ad Story
July 28, 2026
Retail and finance drove Google's search ad revenue this quarter. But Google chose travel — IHG for its newest ad format, Booking Holdings for cloud and AI-powered transactions — to show investors where its AI business lines are converging.
Why American Express Wants to Buy TheFork: New Cardmembers
July 27, 2026
In acquiring TheFork, American Express wouldn't be merely adding some dining reservations' bookings. Instead, it's adding valuable data about discretionary spend, expanding its global footprint, and enticing nonmembers to become cardholders.
SKIFT PODCAST NETWORK
The Henley Passport Index is out and the US is no longer at the top.
In this clip from the Skift Travel Podcast, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down what the rankings actually reveal, why the average passport now grants access to nearly 90 countries compared to around 20 two decades ago, and whether the era of expanding global mobility has finally peaked.
SKIFT TRAVEL 200
How are public travel tech companies performing around the world? The Skift Travel 200 pulls the data you need to know to understand the market. Paid subscribers get full access here.
