Airbnb says 1 million nights booked in one day

(The July 14 story corrects headline, first paragraph to say guests booked 1 million nights)

(Reuters) - Home rental firm Airbnb Inc said on Tuesday its guests have booked more than 1 million nights globally on July 8, offering an early sign of recovery after a slowdown in reservations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A major part of the bookings are for trips that will start on or before Aug. 7, the company said, adding it hit the 1 million mark for the first time since March 3.

Airbnb said it was partly due to pent-up demand, with affordable and closer destinations making up for the bulk. (https://bit.ly/2Cb4d10)

The home rental firm has been reeling under weak demand as millions of tourists canceled their vacation plans, work trips and family visits due to the pandemic, prompting it to suspend marketing activities for the year and cut about 25% of its workforce.

(Reporting by Neha Malara; Editing by Arun Koyyur)