CEO Brian Chesky outlined some of the 103 changes and updates which are being implemented on the Airbnb platform in a video published on the company’s website. The updates place a particular emphasis on flexibility, improving guest experience, making it easier for hosts to sign up, and providing “world class” support for its global host and member community.
Shares of Airbnb [ABNB] on the NASDAQ had jumped .89 per cent at the close on Monday, when Airbnb made the announcements.
Despite reporting increased Q1 revenue, the home-sharing platform’s first quarter net loss tripled due to a number of “one-off” costs, namely debt repayments and restructuring expenses, but its nights and experiences rebounded 39 per cent from the previous quarter and were up 13 per cent year-on-year.
Here is a summary of Airbnb’s latest changes and updates:
Flexibility
With guests desiring greater flexibility in terms of where they stay and work, how they stay and work, and when they stay and work, Airbnb has announced the introduction of three updates including ‘Flexible destinations’, ‘Flexible matching’ and ‘Flexible dates’, which will open up new ways for guests to uncover unique destinations, and allow them to shape their trip better according to their trip preferences and the timeframe for their travels.
A “simpler and more inspiring” guest experience
Airbnb is setting out both to “clarify” and “simplify” the booking process, whether it comes down to detailing amenities within listings, filtering searches and providing a better desktop experience.
Significantly, the platform is targeting greater accessibility and inclusivity, both online and in-person, to cater its stays and experiences for more traveller demographics, including the disability community and carers of those with disabilities [free pricing and inclusive experiences].
Nine new unique home categories and ‘one-of-a-kind stays’ have been added to the platform, ranging from adobe houses to wagons, bubble tents and working ranches, reflecting the urge for urban dwellers to book getaways in leisure or rural destinations after an extended period of self-isolation. It is all the more timely ahead of ShortTermRentalz’ upcoming webinar on ‘The great outdoors: Breaking new ground in the short-term rental sector’ on Tuesday 1 June [4pm BST] – sign up at this link.
Meanwhile, in response to the backlash Airbnb received last year surrounding its cancellation policies, the company has “refreshed” its policies for travellers who are no longer able to fulfil their bookings, which it says will “increase clarity for both guests and hosts”.
‘Easier ways to host – from signup to Superhost’
The next batch of changes and updates centres around making hosting easier, garnering brand loyalty and attracting more Superhosts.
As well as the hosting page being redesigned, Airbnb is providing new and existing hosts with more guidance, intro to hosting classes, one-to-one mentoring, the ability to change listing titles and descriptions to generate more views, and faster messaging between hosts and guests.
Likewise, the platform is encouraging its hosts to share hosting details across social media, which could be seen as an indirect response to Vrbo’s more blatant referencing of “Superhosts” when launching its Fast Start program recently.
Fast Start is a new program by Vrbo that increases the visibility of new properties in the first 90 days and displays a review score based on reviews from other travel sites.
Vrbo’s use of the term ‘Superhost’, which was originally coined by Airbnb, is a telling tactic as it suggests the former is pursuing a more aggressive strategy to entice new hosts by offering greater incentives to those who achieve review scores of 4.8 or higher. The launch of the host recruitment program came in response to what Vrbo called an “influx” of hosts joining the company, claiming that individual property owners who joined in 2020 made an average of almost US$6,000 per property, 50 per cent more than on other travel sites.
“World class” support for Airbnb’s global community
Finally, Airbnb is pledging “world class support” for its global host and guest community, offering everything from emergency information, community leader support, updated safety resources and a redesigned help centre.
The services will ensure a more coordinated response to violence or illegal parties in short-term rentals, both of which have flared up during Covid-enforced lockdowns. Similarly, Airbnb has launched review dispute updates to allow hosts to dispute reviews left by guests who violate party bans, and developed new city portal tools to help city officials manage short-term rental policies and regulations, to enhance trust and the reliability of Airbnb’s service now it must answer to its shareholders.
To read the full list of updates and changes being introduced by Airbnb, follow the link to the company’s website.
