Airbnb is becoming Airb-n-bigger.
In an attempt to become what is something of an all-encompassing trip platform, Airbnb announced several new features and offerings on Wednesday, including a redesigned homepage, new service categories (such as airport pickups, grocery-delivery options, luggage-storage, and car rentals, along with new experiences), and even the ability to book rooms at boutique or independent hotels.
That’s right: the company that built a name for itself offering alternatives to hotels is now folding some of them into its platform.
Airbnb inflates
The new features are wide-ranging, and users can even take advantage of social elements, like the ability to add friends or family members as connections to see their previous itineraries. There’s a new AI assistant feature, too, and later this year, the platform will incorporate a travel map, which will allow users to see nearby points of interest, among other things. In all, Airbnb is making it easy to plan an entire trip on its platform—far beyond merely finding a place to stay.
“It’s funny how it comes full circle,” says Jud Coplan, Airbnb’s VP of product marketing. “We’re adding boutique hotels, and Airbnb all started with an air bed.”
Coplan says that the main idea behind the new upgrades and updates was to make it as easy as possible to organize and plan a trip, and to get inspired for future trips. The new features—such as the ability to book a private car for airport transfers, or finding a place to store luggage—were added in response to user feedback, as more and more people wanted to use the Airbnb platform for other aspects of their trip, not just finding and booking lodging.
“Our expansion started last year in a big way,” says Coplan, referring to when Airbnb introduced Services and Experiences to the platform. “And we’re going much further this year. The idea remains the same, though: the things we offer, we have a very unique perspective on them, in that they’re provided by people, by hosts, and you can’t get the same experience anywhere else.”
Creating separation from the other “everything” apps
That’s an important detail, too, as Airbnb is facing other platforms that are likewise expanding into “everything” apps. Uber, for instance, recently announced a host of similar upgrades and new features—such as hotel bookings, Travel Mode, and more—taking it far beyond its original ride-hailing services.
Coplan says that it’s the unique offerings made by hosts—and the company’s focus on curated experiences and other services—that will allow it to stand out among the competition going forward.
“The thing that we do, that nobody else does, is put everything together in a travel app that feels different. We have a clear perspective on how to bring you on a journey,” he says, noting that each Airbnb host offers an experience that differs from the others, unlike most hotels or tourist-focused attractions. “We’re offering a thoughtful, well-designed journey through the app,” he says.
“We’re not just trying to pipe in an API and get as many hotels on the platform as possible.”