Airbnb has always been more than just a way to book a vacation rental or experience—it has also inherently been a way to connect with people around the globe. Now, the San Francisco-based company is doubling down on those personal connections by introducing social features to its experiences platform.
Going forward, guests who book an Airbnb Experience and choose to share their profiles will be able to see who else signed up and where they are from, keep in touch with people through direct messaging, and see people they’ve met through a “Connections section.” The options are part of more than 60 new features Airbnb announced this week in its latest update spanning all aspects of the platform from searches and payments to customer service and hosting. Many of the improvements were made based on guest feedback, CEO Brian Chesky said.
“One of the best parts of traveling is meeting new people,” Chesky said in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “Now, when you book an experience, you can actually see who’s going.”
Airbnb first launched its experiences in 2016 and now offers them around the globe. Travelers can sign up to try mosaic art in Amman, Jordan; enjoy a tuktuk street food tour in Bangkok; or go on a horseback ride through the Utah backcountry. The company also partners with celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter to offer unique experiences where guests can live out their pop star dreams for a day.
In addition to making experiences more social, Airbnb upgraded its maps feature, which Chesky admitted was a pain point for users. In one of the greatest overhauls, Airbnb maps will now show nearby restaurants, public transportation stops, and places to shop as well as automatically showing how many minutes it takes to get there on foot or by car.
“Let’s say there’s this really cool restaurant you want to try,” Chesky said. “You can tap it, you can actually see the information that you need to book a trip here.”
That feature is already live and easy to use. But later this year, alternative map views will also be rolled out, including satellite, street, and transit views.
The company’s booking process was also streamlined with “flexible carousels.” In practice, that means if a user is searching for a stay in a particular area with certain criteria that isn’t available, Airbnb will now suggest other rentals with similar prices and amenities in nearby areas.
Another popular feature is the company’s “Reserve Now, Pay Later” option, which was launched in the United States earlier this year and will roll out globally next year. Offering more flexibility, guests can put down $0 to reserve eligible homes, putting Airbnb one step closer to the risk-free process of booking a hotel room.
The company will also expand its AI-powered customer service. The AI assistant will be able to offer more tailored responses and help with common tasks, like cancellations or date changes. The service will be available in English, Spanish, and French for users throughout North America.
Chesky said he continues to welcome feedback. “Go through the app, try it out, and let me know what you think,” he said. “Anything else you want to fix, just DM me. Be nice when you DM me!”
