Airbnb announced a new product suite at its third-annual Airbnb Open host conference held in Paris, France, that was attended by 5,000 Airbnb hosts representing 110 nationalities. The event was reported to have more than quadrupled in size when compared to last year’s event held in San Francisco.
A number of new personalized tools and services were revealed to help hosts simplify the listing process. Additionally, to attract a new type of traveler and expand the Airbnb for Business program, hosts can now add a badge noting that their listings meets certain common expectations of business travelers.
“Our team has spent countless hours working with hosts through feedback sessions, research and testing, to understand their needs, which led us to build a suite of tools that provide tailored insights to help our hosts meet their goals,” said Joe Zadeh, vice president of product, Airbnb. This product suite simplifies many aspects of being a host and allows them to … provide truly great hospitality.”
The “Business Travel Ready” badge hopes to allow more hosts to tap into the rapidly growing universe of business travelers already staying on Airbnb. Listings that are Business Travel Ready will be identified by hosts as having business-friendly amenities, including Wi-Fi, a designated workspace, iron, hair dryer, hangers, as well as 24-hour check-in and a policy of no host cancellations within seven days.
Other upgrades included easier scheduling for keyless entry for guests, smart pricing features that automatically update a listing’s price to remain competitive, and a new community center.
More information on the business update is available at www.airbnb.com/business-travel-ready.
Editor's Note: Airbnb canceled all sessions on the final day of its annual conference following the Paris attacks. The company used the Disaster Response section of its website to connect those stranded or in need of shelter with its Paris hosts. For more information check out https://www.airbnb.co.uk/disaster-response.
