Airbnb on Tuesday began letting users book in-home massages, chefs and personal trainers in an overhauled app as it continued to expand beyond being just a platform for short-term lodging.
“Hotels do have one thing that we don’t have and those are services,” said chief executive Brian Chesky at a launch event in Los Angeles.
“Who doesn’t want a quesadilla in bed?”
Chesky described the addition of services to the platform as “giving you the best of both worlds – amazing homes with services that make them even more special.”
People also have the option of using the Airbnb app to schedule the services in their own homes when they are not travelling.
Airbnb basically competes with hotels, with some people hankering for resort experiences along with the comfort of a home, according to independent tech analyst Rob Enderle.
“Airbnb is providing a way to have an overall better experience and not a bad vacation in a remote location you don’t know very well,” Enderle said.
“Some folks want the pampering and to save a little money, because the resort experience can be pricey.”
A key for Airbnb will be to make sure that in-home services booked on its platform are safe and satisfying, according to the analyst.
“If Airbnb doesn’t assure the experience, this will only hurt them,” Enderle said.
Services are vetted for quality, with identities of providers verified and required licenses or certifications checked, according to Airbnb
“Many hosts are renowned in their fields — including chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants, award-winning photographers and elite trainers,” the platform said.
Airbnb has logged more than 2 billion guest arrivals since it first launched its website in 2008, according to Chesky.
“Seventeen years ago, we changed the way people travel,” Chesky said.
“More than two billion guests later, Airbnb is synonymous with a place to stay.”
The overhauled Airbnb app rolled out Tuesday was redesigned to make it easier to book homes, services and experiences in one place, according to the company.
Airbnb also “reimagined” an experiences option added nearly a decade ago that lets travellers join with locals to see cities through the eyes of insiders.
Experience options now include landmarks, museums, food tours, water sports, wildlife adventures and more, according to Airbnb.
The company also added an “Originals” feature for booking “extraordinary” experiences such as learning pastry making at French Bastards bakery with chef Raphaelle Elbaz or playing beach volleyball with Olympian Carol Solberg on Leblon Beach in Rio de Janeiro.
“With the launch of services and experiences, we’re changing travel again,” Chesky said.
“Now you can Airbnb more than an Airbnb.”
