The way consumers look for properties on Airbnb has just undergone a facelift. Users who don’t already have a destination in mind can explore travel using category search. Instead, they can search for A-frames, rural properties, or locations close to fantastic golfing opportunities. The firm also developed AirCover for guests, which ensures they’ll be protected if a host cancels, the location isn’t up to snuff, or they can’t check in to their Airbnb. Split stays allow customers to book two distinct listings for a long-term stay in a single user flow.
All of this is intended to encourage individuals to resume their travels and leave their homes. To talk about the new release, the direction Airbnb is taking, and his future plans, we met down with founder and CEO Brian Chesky. The following is Chesky’s interview with TechCrunch. For length and clarity, it has undergone minimal editing.
TechCrunch: What would you say this release’s ultimate objective is? What do you want to accomplish with these features in the end? The purpose of this publication, according to Brian Chesky, is to encourage people to explore their options for living and traveling abroad. The fundamental premise is that the globe grew more adaptable last year. Though they weren’t chained to an office, many nonetheless felt uneasy boarding airplanes.
Therefore, we made a great effort to concentrate on those who were traveling in the area for a bit longer. We’re essentially saying right now, “Hey, you don’t need to visit the same 100 cities, and you don’t need to be restricted to the same search box.” Your eyes will be opened to a universe of possibilities that you would never have entered into a search engine. That’s essentially the plan. We believe that people are ready to dream once more. For the past two years, many individuals have been confined to their homes. For the first time since the outbreak, many individuals have not made that lengthy trek. We wish to inspire individuals to leave their homes and explore the wider world.
One of the world’s most coveted pursuits is travel. When you graduate, when you get married, and when you retire, you travel. On several websites, it’s offered somewhat similarly to the online casino. In order to present individuals a vast array of opportunities they had never considered looking for, we wish to restore the magic to this area. “We predict that this will be the century’s biggest travel resurgence. We’re stepping on the gas since many people will be traveling. We are not reversing course.
So, in essence, that is what Categories are. If you’re searching for a stay longer than a week, Split Stays is designed to provide you additional possibilities. And the core idea behind AirCover is that many people haven’t taken a lengthy vacation in the past two years. In a similar vein, if you used to ski but haven’t done so in five years, you might not feel entirely confident when you return to the slopes. Travel is something similar to this. You could be traveling abroad for the first time in a long time or crossing a border. You’ll feel a bit more at ease with AirCover.
But it all comes back to the notion that there is a new world of travel, and in order to give you more options, we are developing a new Airbnb. When we last spoke, the firm was concentrating on certain hosts. This most recent modification appears to have a significant advantage for individual hosts as well as the end customer, who may be inspired and begin planning their next trip. With the new search, they ought to be much more visible. However, a career in professional hosting has evolved into something extremely glam and Pinterest-like. Even HGTV has programs on remodeling a home so that it may be rented out. How do you envision the conflict between corporate and private hosts evolving in the future?
I would still classify an ordinary person as an individual host even if they desire to remodel their house or have one or two houses. If someone has, perhaps, 50 or 100 residences, staff members donning logo-embellished corporate t-shirts, and 25-year-olds are typically there to check you in, I believe that’s a bit more professional. Individuals really get a lot from this product. I believe it also helps those who live outside the top 100 cities. However, it is not intended to assist only individuals or residents in rural areas. Our categories are quite urban. We’re attempting to transcend merely existing as a commodity. Just consider how travel is typically portrayed.
