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Image Credit Airbnb
As BBC’s Adam Hancock reported, Airbnb is broadening its scope beyond short-term rentals by offering luxury services like personal trainers, massages, and private chefs via its redesigned app. The services will initially be available in 260 cities.
Details on Airbnb’s New Service Offerings
Airbnb’s chief executive, Brian Chesky, highlighted the goal of the new services in a recent statement: “People choose hotels for their services. People choose Airbnbs for the space… now, we’re giving you the best of both worlds.” The move to offer luxury services comes despite the company’s warning of a potential slowdown in bookings due to President Trump’s unpredictable trade policies.
The new services, available to Airbnb guests and non-guests, include personal trainers, massages, private chefs, spa treatments, photographers, and makeup artists. Prices for these services start below $50 (£37.57).
Airbnb’s Redesigned App
The company’s redesigned app does not just add luxury services. It also includes an updated experiences tab, enabling users to book bespoke tours and activities. The experience service, launched in 2016, has been enhanced in the updated app.
The app also introduces an originals tab, which offers exclusive experiences worldwide. Examples include playing beach volleyball in Rio de Janeiro with Olympian Carol Solberg or spending a Sunday with National Football League superstar Patrick Mahomes.
Aligning with the Changing Needs of Tourists
Gary Bowerman, director of travel marketing firm Check-in Asia, told the BBC that Airbnb’s new hotel-like features reflect tourists’ changing needs. “Travellers are now thinking much more about how to customise the trip for themselves, not just the actual functional parts of how they get there and where they stay,” Bowerman said.
Likewise, luxury travel consultant Anastasia Oriordan pointed out that bespoke options like those offered by Airbnb are part of a wider trend as tourists seek out unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences. “There are so many people that have travelled and done so many things, that the benchmark or the goalpost for unique experiences is constantly moving,” Oriordan said.
