28 BCBusiness august 2015
the traditional industries that have operated
in them, is the seductive language used by the
Ubers and Airbnbs—with messages designed to
evoke the idea of a new utopia and reœect the
preoccupations of a 21st-century generation.
"It really provides a smart-city solution," says
Xavier Van Chau, Uber Canada's spokesperson.
It is an essential part of the new economy "that
is asking for more options for people." Airbnb's
"country manager" in Canada, Aaron Zi¤in,
also talks about how his company makes the
world a better place: "This model could change
humankind—we have -gured out a way to cre-
ate trust among strangers."
When pressed about the impact they're
having on existing businesses—which labour
under the burden of taxes and regulation that
the sharers don't have—both of these new pow-
erhouse operations say they're expanding the
market, not taking anything away. Van Chau
says that San Francisco's taxi industry used to
be a $140-million-a-year sector, but with taxis
plus Uber it's now a $500-million-a-year opera-
tion. Zi¤in says hotels are seeing their highest
When pressed about the impact uber and airbnb are having
on existing businesses–which labour under the burden of taxes
and regulation that the sharers don't have–both of these new
powerhouse operations say they're expanding the market,
not taking anything away
Air BNB (Moscow)
Air BNB (London)
Air BNB
Craigslist Rent the Runway
Share A Desk
Task Rabbit
Lending Club Indie Gogo Kick Starter Crowd Funding
A RECENT
TEXAS STUDY
CONCLUDED
THAT HOTEL
REVENUES
DECLINED BY
ABOUT HALF A
PER CENT FOR
EACH 10 PER
CENT INCREASE
IN AIRBNB SUPPLY
