Airbnb Asia Leadership Reshuffle: Kong Zhiqiu Appointed Asia Head

Key points

• In April 2026, Kong Zhiqiu, who had long served as Airbnb's China business head, formally assumed the role of Asia business head, overseeing overall strategy and business development across China, Japan, South Korea, India, and Southeast Asia.
• Kong has been with Airbnb for over ten years and was one of the early members of the China team, with experience spanning product innovation, business growth, strategic planning, and market operations.
• In September 2026, Airbnb announced via internal letter that China growth head He Changhua would become China business head, continuing to report to Kong.
• Kong said about one-third of global travel demand comes from Asia.
• WTTC data shows that in 2025, Asia-Pacific tourism contributed $3.29 trillion to GDP, up about 8.1% year over year.
• McKinsey data shows intra-regional travel currently accounts for about 60% of Asia's international travel, expected to rise to 64% by 2030.
• PATA forecasts that by 2027, China will remain the largest international source market in Asia-Pacific, bringing nearly 127 million international visitors to regional destinations.