Airbnb steps it up with new bookable options over and above just the home you stay in

After hosting 2 billion guests over almost 17 years, Airbnb is adding a range of new bookable services to their website and app to become the one stop shop for travellers.

There’s three core parts of today’s news from Airbnb. Firstly, an all-new redesigned app will launch to “make it easy” to book your stay and the new add-on options with Airbnb.

Secondly, there’s new “Experiences” coming to over 250 cities around the world. These experiences allow you to find things to do when you’re staying in a city you don’t know, using trusted guides and hosts.

And finally, Airbnb “Services”. There’s ten different categories of services which will be available in a range of places around the world as things to add onto your stay.

“Seventeen years ago, we changed the way people travel. More than two billion guests later, Airbnb is synonymous with a place to stay,”, said Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO. “With the launch of services and experiences, we’re changing travel again. Now you can Airbnb more than an Airbnb.” 

An experience might take a boys weekend and make it easy with catering booked and sorted all in advance. Or perhaps you want to turn it into a spa weekend with a range of spa treatments booked at your Airbnb.

The range is quite wide and seems aimed at people trying to step up their stay with some special additions.

All ten categories of services coming to Airbnb are:

• Chefs – Fully customisable in-home meals from professional chefs.
• Photography – Personalised photo sessions from experienced photographers.
• Massage – Restorative massages including Swedish, deep tissue and reflexology from certified therapists.
• Spa treatments – Facials, microdermabrasion, body scrubs and other treatments provided by licensed estheticians.
• Personal training – Yoga, strength training, HIIT and more, with personal trainers, including renowned fitness professionals and world champion athletes.
• Hair – Professional haircuts, blow dries and more from experienced stylists.
• Makeup – Makeup for everyday or special occasions from professional makeup artists.
• Nails – Manicures and pedicures from experienced nail specialists.
• Prepared meals – Ready-to-eat meals prepared by professional chefs.
• Catering – Full-service catering with custom menus, decor and equipment, plus set-up and clean-up.

“People choose hotels for their services. People choose Airbnbs for the space,” added Chesky. “Now, we’re giving you the best of both worlds—amazing homes with services that make them even more special.” 

Now if you’re travelling to a city you’ve never been to before and want to know what to do when you’re there, Airbnb is adding “Experiences” for that very reason.

“Today’s travel activities offer no real connection to the city you’re visiting,” said Chesky. “The most authentic way to explore a city is with the locals who know it best. With Airbnb Experiences, don’t just see a place—experience it.” 

So now, you find a city to go to, find a home to stay in and find and book things to do. Let’s say you’re travelling to a city famous for it’s art or museums, you might book a local guide to take you on a museum tour. Perhaps you like to cook, you might book a culinary experience with a chef who can teach you some special skills.

Airbnb will vette each of the experiences for quality to ensure there’s genuine authenticity in them. And, they will also become social, allowing you to see in the app who is going before you book a group activity and even message people from the group to stay in touch afterward.

When it comes to money can’t buy, Airbnb is also launching Airbnb Originals – these experiences are “extraordinary”. Get this, according to Airbnb, you could “spend a Sunday with Patrick Mahomes, learning how to throw the perfect spiral and enjoying a Kansas City BBQ”.

I’d suggest that’s a group event, and it wouldn’t be cheap.

Nor would “step inside the short n’ sweet set with Sabrina Carpenter for a day of glam, dancing and espresso”.

Pretty epic things to promote, we don’t know how often they’ll be available 🙂

All of this will be available to book in the city you are staying, and all through the Airbnb app.

It’s a big leap forward in connecting tourism operators to tourists in the modern world. Instead of a board full of flyers at a hotel, travellers using Airbnb will find experiences within the Airbnb app.

Trevor Long travelled to Los Angeles as a guest of Airbnb Australia.