Airbnb Set to Transform into All-Inclusive Lifestyle Application
Airbnb Evolves: A Lifestyle Revolution
Seventeen years ago, Airbnb disrupted the travel industry. Today, it's aiming to revolutionize lifestyles with its newest offerings - Airbnb Services, an upgraded Airbnb Experiences, and a transformative app experience.
Embrace the convenience of having everything from chefs to therapists at your fingertips with Airbnb Services. Need a private chef or personal trainer? Click, book, and relax. The app has got you covered.
Experiences, earlier known for local skill-sharing, has leveled up. Want to uncover the secrets of Notre Dame in Paris? Get a personalized tour from an architect who helped restore the iconic landmark. Or, how about helping restore a painting in Rome with the duo behind three Caravaggios' restoration? The possibilities are endless, spanning over 650 cities worldwide, including wrestling with a Lucha Libre in Mexico City and learning ramen-making in Tokyo with a Michelin-starred master.
In 2024, Airbnb launched ICONS, offering exclusive stays in iconic locations like Prince's home in Minneapolis and movie sets like the 'Up' house. In 2025, the exclusivity intensifies - imagine getting glam with Sabrina Carpenter or delving into anime with Megan Thee Stallion.
We sat down for an exclusive interview with Airbnb's San Francisco-based co-founder and CEO, Brian Chesky. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design, Chesky's design background profoundly influences Airbnb's user-centric approach.
Why was this the right time for Airbnb to launch a service app?
"I've always thought Airbnb could become more than just a place to stay, but we had to be ready. We had this idea 17 years ago, and it grew beyond our wildest imagination. But if you go back to that very first weekend when we started Airbnb, we had three people stay with us, they came as strangers but left as friends. I think it was always about more than a functional place to stay. It's about connection, it's about people having an authentic travel experience anywhere in the world."
How did you create a real connection with travelers in each city?
"We did a lot of research on our guests and wanted to provide them with all the same services [of] a hotel but in a much more authentic, local, special way. So, we rebuilt the product from the ground up. With services, we are starting with ten categories, from chefs to masseuses and hair stylists - just Airbnb this whole world of offerings and do it very simply in an app."
Services, unlike experiences, are about bringing everyday luxuries to your doorstep, whether you're traveling or not. From photography sessions to catering, personal trainers, and more, booking these services is as easy as running an Uber.
While Services cater to your everyday needs, Experiences are designed for immersive city exploration with locals who know their cities best. Airbnb Originals, the future of this product, offers unique experiences with famous faces like Sabrina Carpenter or Megan Thee Stallion, as well as hands-on activities with celebrities behind-the-scenes.
Authenticity and real-world interactions are key to Airbnb's vision. In a world dominated by social media and AI, the company wants to encourage users to engage with the real world – to ride trends, but also to seek the opposite. In a digital age, disconnect and live for the real experiences.
So, are these updates simplifying travel for both guests and hosts? Absolutely. The revamped app boasts host-friendly tools for adjusting listings and a user-friendly interface for guests to find and book their perfect experiences and services comfortably.
The curation process for artists, restaurants, and activities in each city is meticulous. Airbnb spent years evaluating what makes a good-quality, unique, and authentic experience in each city. A community of tastemakers was built, and tens of thousands of interesting people worldwide were recruited. From chefs and trainers to walking tour guides and masseuses, everyone is handpicked for quality and expertise and thoroughly vetted for licenses and certifications.
Ultimately, Chesky and his team believe these updates mark a reinvention of Airbnb – shifting focus from just a home to a platform for Airbnb-ing the whole world.
Experience the seamless integration of lifestyle components with the touch of a button, as technology advances Airbnb's offerings beyond travel, transforming it into a comprehensive platform for everyday luxuries and immersive experiences, anywhere in the world. Whether you desire a personalized sightseeing tour in Paris or a cooking class with a Michelin-starred master in Tokyo, or even a private session with Sabrina Carpenter, Airbnb's evolution promises genuine connections and real-world interactions that transcend digital borders.
