Never say never in travel. Airbnb has moved away from Google marketing in years' past, but recently it's found a way to play there more efficiently.
Reading between the lines, Mertz was saying that Airbnb didn't offer experiences at the right time, and they weren't personalized and cheap enough. Like Booking.com, Airbnb does want a dose of the connected trip.
For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to...