SAN FRANCISCO -- Ten years after it launched, Airbnb on
Thursday announced new property categories, properties with higher vetting
standards, a luxury vacation division and a loyalty program.
During the past decade, the Airbnb platform has grown to
have 4.5 million properties listed. With all that inventory, CEO Brian Chesky
said that he believes Airbnb has "something
for everyone. It's just been really, really hard to find."
To help guests find exactly what they are looking for,
Airbnb has added four new property types to its platform. In addition to its
existing Shared Space, Private Room and Entire Home categories, guests can now
search by Vacation Home, Unique Space, B&B, and Boutique,
giving hosts a total of seven categories for listings.
Chesky said that in addition to those
categories, Airbnb will be adding "thousands" of search categories,
so that guests will be able to search for categories and amenities as varied
and specific as Rustic, Balcony, Family Friendly, Near Zoo, Crib, etc.
"We are creating the world's largest home database,"
said Chesky.
The company also launched two housing collections, Airbnb
for Family and Airbnb for Work. The company said collections for social stays, weddings, honeymoons, group
getaways and dinner parties are coming later
this year.
Also unveiled was Airbnb Plus, a tier of homes that provide "outstanding
hospitality," according to the company. Airbnb Plus kicks off with 2,000
homes in 13 cities that have been verified for a higher level of quality and
comfort, such as premium bathrooms, bedding and kitchens, Chesky said. They
will also have a dedicated customer-service team. There is a one-time $149 host
application fee to apply to be listed as an Airbnb Plus property.
The company has also launched a luxury travel division,
Beyond by Airbnb. Following the acquisition of Luxury Retreats last year,
Beyond by Airbnb will offer custom-designed trips that include "the world's
finest homes, custom experiences and world-class hospitality," said
Airbnb.
Additionally, the company is expanding its Superhost program
with new and updated benefits, including more exposure, custom URLs for their
listings and exclusive pricing on smart home devices, starting with a
partnership with Nest to offer Superhosts discounted products.
And a new Superguest program will be coming later this
summer that will offer qualifying guests perks such as airport pickups,
additional services and amenities. Airbnb didn't provide too many specifics but
said it will start with 10,000 guests as a pilot program this spring.