AirbnbChinatapsseniorcitizensashosts

More than 3.5 million Chinese travellers have used Airbnb outside China, with the number increasing by 500% during 2015.

It also said that its Chinese hosts have welcomed nearly one million guest arrivals.

The numbers were revealed in an official blog post, which also heralded the launch of Airbnb China, a distinct unit within the overall business that has been set up to address specific Chinese regulations around data sharing.

The note talked the talk in terms of its Chinese “community” – it said that outbound travellers “serve as cultural ambassadors for China, educating their hosts in countries around the world about the Chinese culture.”

But it also referenced the Chinese government’s positive regulatory approach to the “sharing economy” which, the government says, will account for 10% of China’s GDP in 2020.