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US: Airbnb has quietly reopened the application process for hosts to submit their ‘Experiences’ listings to the platform, a year and half after pausing new Experiences submissions and removing an estimated 5,000 individual tours and Experiences listings that did not generate enough bookings and did not meet the company’s standards.
As part of the company’s second quarter earnings call last month, Airbnb revealed plans to reignite its Experiences program next year, which includes immersive experiences such as tours and activities with hosts and / or locals. The home-sharing firm had halted new Experiences submissions so that it could instead re-divert its focus towards its core platform offerings.
After the removal of underperforming listings, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky admitted that the relaunched Experiences would have to be “more affordable” and unique if the company were to improve its product offering.
In May’s Summer Release, Airbnb also unveiled Icons, a new category of experiences hosted by stars from across music, sport, film and more, as well as new group trip planning features. The company initially introduced its first 11 Icons from the fields of music, film, television, art and sport, all of whom host “extraordinary” experiences in unique locations, letting guests “step into worlds you’ve only ever dreamed of”.
Prior to that, the company first launched Experiences in 2016 before pausing them at the onset of the pandemic, and it later created ‘Online Experiences’ to help hosts earn a revenue stream in the midst of global lockdowns.
Airbnb is positioning Experiences as one way to help it expand beyond its core short-term rental offering and to diversify into “services that will make it better for guests to stay in Airbnbs”. Bloomberg reported in August that the home-sharing firm is supposedly considering adding luxury-style services such as personal chefs, massages, mid-stay cleaning, easier check-ins, spa services and refrigerator stocking in order to woo travellers back to short-term rentals from hotels.
In addition, Airbnb will imminently introduce a co-hosting marketplace, which it says will unlock untapped inventory and connect homeowners with no time to manage their listings with those who do.
Airbnb’s Help Centre currently says that Experiences are designed to be “highly unique and interactive”, enabling tourists and guests to have a more intimate, personal and immersive experience beyond simply staying in short-term accommodation. The resource also provides information on hosting standards and requirements.
