Wander Woman

Robin Kwok, Airbnb country manager for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, tells Hong Xinyi how the platform is offering a personalised experience unmatched by the largest hotel chains

- Hong Xinyi

EVEN BEFORE SHE JOINED Airbnb, Robin Kwok was no stranger to the art of wanderlust. In fact, it was a 2014 trip to Puerto Rico that sparked her resolve to apply for a job with her current employer. “We decided to book a stay in these tents on a beach,” she recalls. “The host was a young woman using Airbnb to generate supplemental income for her studies. The tents were in immaculate condition, with luxurious memory foam mattresses. She had hung up flashlights to guide our way, and prepared thoughtful pouches of toiletries and locks for the tents. I fell asleep under the stars and woke up next to the sea. It was a really special, transformational experience.”