Airbnb Exec Thinks The Company Should Win A Nobel Peace Prize

Chip Conley, head of hospitality for Airbnb, has high hopes for the short-term rental site.

According to Fortune, at a recent executive retreat he told Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky his 10-year goal was for the company to eventually win the Nobel Peace Prize.

By staying in someone's home instead of a hotel, travelers are learning more about other cultures than would otherwise be possible, he says.

"A lot of times, we tend to villainize the other," Conley said to Fortune. "But when people are traveling, getting to know others and turning strangers into friends, we create a world where there are a lot fewer people who seem alien to us."

It's an interesting goal for a company that has seen problems like illegal squatters, orgies, and thousands of dollars in property damage.

Conley, who previously founded the Joie de Vivre hotel group and still owns 18 hotels, defended Airbnb from the controversy.

"Will there occasionally be activities that are abhorrent on the site? Yeah, but I'm really proud of our trust and safety team," he said.