Airbnb Adds New Services

Airbnb, the renowned short-term rental platform, has unveiled a significant overhaul of its app, introducing a suite of luxury services that blur the line between traditional vacation rentals and high-end hotel accommodations. The company's chief executive, Brian Chesky, emphasized that this move combines the spaciousness of Airbnb rentals with the premium services typically associated with hotels.

The revamped app now offers users the ability to book personal chefs, massages, trainers, and other upscale services. These offerings will initially be available in 260 cities, with prices starting at a modest $50. Notably, these luxury services are not exclusive to Airbnb guests, potentially opening up a new revenue stream for the company.

In addition to these opulent offerings, the app features an enhanced experiences tab for booking bespoke tours and activities, building upon a service first launched in 2016. The new 'originals' tab takes experiential travel to new heights, providing users with the opportunity to engage in exclusive activities with celebrities, such as playing beach volleyball with an Olympian or spending time with NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes.

This strategic pivot reflects the evolving preferences of modern travelers, who increasingly seek personalized and unique experiences. As Gary Bowerman, director of travel marketing firm Check-in Asia, notes, "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."