Airbnb Expands Booking Options with Services Experiences and AI Social Features

Airbnb has expanded its platform beyond traditional home stays by introducing a new feature that allows travelers to book a variety of services and experiences. These include massages, haircuts, chef-prepared meals, and activities such as tours and workshops. Users can book these offerings independently or add them to their existing stays, providing greater flexibility and enhancing the travel experience.

This move marks Airbnb's renewed effort to diversify its offerings after pausing a previous version of experiences in 2023. By leveraging the platform’s massive traffic—over 1.5 billion devices accessed Airbnb in the past year—this expansion aims to convert more visitors into active customers. It also positions Airbnb in direct competition with established travel and service platforms like Tripadvisor, Booking.com, and Yelp.

Initially, Airbnb offers services in 10 categories, including chefs, catering, photography, spa treatments, and personal training, across 100 cities in eight countries. Experiences cover 19 categories such as cultural tours, outdoor activities, food and cooking classes, art workshops, and wellness. Many experiences require traveling to venues, while services can complement stays or be booked separately.

Airbnb Originals, exclusive experiences featuring celebrity partnerships, add unique offerings like pastry making with renowned chefs or beach volleyball with Olympians. These curated experiences aim to provide authentic local engagement, aligning with Airbnb’s ethos of unique travel opportunities.

The platform’s new app update supports these features by allowing guests to explore and book stays, services, and experiences seamlessly. Hosts benefit from enhanced calendar and listing management tools. Additionally, Airbnb plans to introduce social features later this year, including group chats for shared experiences, fostering community and encouraging repeat travel.

Privacy is a key consideration in these social features, with Airbnb developing safeguards to ensure safe user interactions. This follows a successful profile update last year that increased user engagement by allowing travelers to share more about themselves, highlighting the importance of connection in travel experiences.

On the technology front, Airbnb is enhancing customer service through AI. Its new AI-powered assistant provides direct answers within chat, moving beyond simple redirection to support articles. Initially available to English-speaking users in the U.S., the assistant will expand globally and gain features like personalized trip advice and quick action buttons for bookings.

By integrating services, experiences, social connectivity, and AI-driven support, Airbnb is transforming from a lodging platform into a comprehensive travel ecosystem. This evolution not only enhances user engagement but also opens new revenue streams and competitive positioning in the travel industry.