From Berlin to Barcelona; will Airbnb ruin our most loved cities?

The accommodation website has become so successful that hotels are losing business and tourist sites face being ruined

To use the industry jargon, it is the ultimate "disruptor". Airbnb, the website that allows homeowners around the world to rent out their spare rooms, has had a seismic impact on the travel market.

Hotel chains are reportedly feeling the squeeze as the US upstart - which has attracted $2bn in funding in less than a decade - eats into their business model by offering travellers the opportunity to "live like a local" and "belong anywhere" in one of the two million rooms and properties that are listed on its site.