SAN FRANCISCO — Airbnb, the accommodation platform that was launched by Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia 10 years ago, has unveiled a ‘roadmap’ to even greater success for the next 10 years.
Starting with just three airbeds in Chesky’s and Gebbia’s apartment in 2008, to over 4.5 million accommodation options in 81,000 cities today, Airbnb’s success has been rapid and remarkable. Said Chesky: “Ten years ago we never dreamed of what Airbnb could become. In fact, people thought the idea that strangers would stay in each other’s homes was crazy. Today, millions of people every night do just that.”
Chesky added that the company wants to go even further “by supporting and expanding our community so that in 10 years time, more than one billion people per year will experience the benefits of magical travel on Airbnb.”
As outlined by the new roadmap, the company will focus on four key areas in the next decade: New property types; New tiers; Airbnb collections; and Community investment.
New Property Types:
Currently, Airbnb offers three property types: Shared Space, Private Room, and Entire Home. With limited options, hosts often find it difficult to stand out and guests are not always able to find accommodations suited to their needs. To address this, the company will add four new property types to its platform: Vacation Home, Unique Space, B&B, and Boutique. All seven property types will launch to guests this summer.
New Tiers:
To recognize hosts who go above and beyond to provide outstanding hospitality, Airbnb has launched a new tier of homes on the platform that have been personally verified for quality and comfort. Starting with 2,000 homes in 13 cities available to book right now, Airbnb Plus is intended for guests looking for beautiful homes and exceptional hosts. These accommodations have been inspected and verified in person against a 100+ point checklist covering cleanliness, comfort and design. Airbnb Plus hosts benefit from top placement, in-home services such as expert photography, and premium support.
In addition, following last year’s acquisition of Luxury Retreats, Airbnb will launch Beyond by Airbnb this spring. It will offer custom-designed trips of a lifetime, including the world’s finest homes and custom experiences.
Airbnb Collections:
To meet the needs of a diverse range of travellers, the company is launching Collections, comprising of perfect homes for every occasion. Launched on Feb. 22, Airbnb for Family, and Airbnb for Work are now available, with Collections for Social stays, Weddings, Honeymoons, Group getaways, and Dinner parties coming later this year.
Community Investment:
Airbnb has announced an expansion of its Superhost program, which now includes 400,000 hosts around the world. With the expansion, there are 14 new and updated benefits for hosts including better exposure, custom urls and exclusive perks on smart home products. Go to airbnb.com/superhost to see the full range of benefits.
Moreover, later this year the company will also recognize its best guests with a new guest membership program, featuring benefits across the entire trip. Superguest will launch initially to 10,000 guests as a trial this summer before being rolled out to the wider guest community before the end of the year.
