Airbnb Exec: 'We've Learned a Lot About Experiences' – Full Video, Skift Asia Forum
Airbnb Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson recently spoke at the Skift Asia Forum in Bangkok, where he discussed the company's rollout of its new products for experiences and services
Airbnb first tried offering experiences in 2016 and again in 2022, but it had paused those efforts. Airbnb has 'learned a lot about experiences over the last few years," Stephenson told Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit.
Airbnb is also expanding into travel-related services such as personal chefs, photographers, and fitness trainers, services that replicate amenities often found in hotels but are now bookable through the Airbnb app. He also discussed Airbnb Originals, which include cooking lessons with Michelin-starred chefs in Tokyo and hangouts with celebrities like Megan Thee Stallion.
Watch a full video of the discussion below:
Highlights from Airbnb Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson
About Airbnb Originals: 'These are amazing experiences hosted by locals that know the cities best… high quality, interesting activities that people can do in cities all around the world.'
On Airbnb's Focus on Quality: 'We don't just let any experience onto Airbnb. We have dedicated people that are reaching out and finding experiences ... We have some amazing, iconic experiences. But we're also bringing them down to local people that know those cities best.'
About Airbnb's Ambition to Become a One-Stop Travel Platform: 'There's no app on the internet that's actually providing all of these services… We're eliminating reasons why people wouldn't want to stay in an Airbnb.'
On a Challenging Economic Environment: 'We could actually see people hosting experiences or maybe they're experts at specific services, and they can actually do these to earn more money. So in times of economic uncertainty, they can bring their time and energy to be hosts.'
About Airbnb's Expansion Into Travel-Related Amenities: "Now you can bring the spa to your Airbnb. You can bring your personal trainer to an Airbnb. You can have prepared meals or a chef come to you. So now, it's one more reason why an Airbnb is a better way to travel."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bangladesh orders 25 Boeing planes as part of push to ease US tariffs
DHAKA (Reuters) -Bangladesh has ordered 25 aircraft from Boeing (BA) and ramped up imports of key American goods in an effort to defuse trade tensions and bring down the steep tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, a senior official said on Sunday. The moves are part of a broader strategy to narrow a $6 billion U.S. trade deficit with Bangladesh and avoid a looming 35% tariff hike that has rattled the country's export sector, especially the garments industry which risks losing competitiveness in one of its largest markets. For rolling updates on tariffs, check out our liveblog > "We need new aircraft urgently, possibly within the next couple of years," Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman told reporters. "Initially, it was 14 planes — now it's 25," he said, referring to an earlier plan to purchase aircraft from the U.S.-based manufacturer. Alongside the aircraft deal, Bangladesh is boosting imports of wheat, soybean oil and cotton from the United States. A new agreement signed earlier this month will see the country import 700,000 tonnes of U.S. wheat annually over the next five years. Officials hope that these steps will help improve trade relations with Washington and soften the impact of the Trump administration's tariff measures. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
China proposes global cooperation body on AI
SHANGHAI, July 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from The Chinese government has proposed the establishment of a world AI cooperation organization as part of its efforts to bolster open, inclusive and equitable artificial intelligence development and governance globally. Premier Li Qiang announced the initiative when addressing the opening ceremony of the 2025 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai. Li emphasized the need for collaborative approaches to global AI governance to ensure that intelligent technologies are developed for the good of all. More than 1,000 high-level representatives from upwards of 40 countries and international organizations attended the opening ceremony of the three-day event, themed "Global Solidarity in the AI Era". Li said that the risks and challenges brought by AI development, such as machine hallucinations, deep fakes and AI proliferation, have aroused widespread attention. There is an urgent need to further consolidate a societal consensus on how to achieve a balance between development and security in the AI sector, he said. Li said greater emphasis should be placed on collective governance to ensure that AI ultimately benefits humanity. Given that global AI governance appears fragmented, it is essential to enhance coordination and alignment among countries around the world to establish a framework and rules for global AI governance with a broad consensus, he added. Noting that China places great importance on global AI governance and actively participates in promoting multilateral and bilateral cooperation in this regard, the premier said the nation is willing to offer more Chinese solutions to the international community and contribute more Chinese wisdom to global AI governance. In 2023, China proposed the Global AI Governance Initiative to promote an open, inclusive and fair approach to the development and governance of AI technologies. Last year, China proposed the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All to bridge the AI and digital divides, and to ensure the Global South benefits equitably from AI development. China actively promotes open source development, and is willing to collaborate with countries around the world to promote progress in software and hardware technologies, intensify open source initiatives, and collectively propel AI development to higher levels, Li said. Also on July 26, the conference adopted the Global AI Governance Action Plan, which calls on all parties to work in solidarity to advance AI development and governance. For more information: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Sign in to access your portfolio
Fox News
17 minutes ago
- Fox News
Man throws darts at world map, visits whichever country he hits: 'Are you crazy?'
A man has made travel an unpredictable adventure by throwing a dart at a map of the world while blindfolded — and visiting whichever country his darts happen to hit. Sorin Mihailovici, 48, a small business entrepreneur, started the journey in 2012 after telling a friend he wanted to "wake up one morning and throw a dart at a map and go there." Mihailovici began by visiting far-flung places like the North Pole, Russia and Indonesia, originally taking annual trips but now traveling to up to 16 destinations a year. The trips were initially funded by his savings and later through partnerships with companies, per SWNS. He doesn't travel to the exact spot where his dart lands, but begins in the country's capital because some nations, such as Uruguay, are too small for precise targeting, said Mihailovici. Mihailovici's favorite countries so far include Iceland, Argentina and Thailand, while Madagascar ranked "hands down" as his least favorite, he said, due to a "misconception" shaped by the animated movie sharing its name and locals who "didn't have the best intentions." Praising Vietnam, Mihailovici, a Canadian, insisted its cuisine is "the best street food I've ever had," and noted it was the cheapest destination that he's traveled to, SWNS reported. Some countries, especially in Scandinavia like Norway and Sweden, and places like Switzerland and the Maldives, can be quite expensive, he pointed out. Mihailovici's travel show, "Travel by Dart," features footage from his trips. He began editing and publishing the clips during the COVID pandemic, eventually selling the concept to a distribution company, as SWNS reported. "While we were at home, I started editing all those materials from every country and created a season of 13 episodes," he said. "Most of the time it's just me on location. I hire a local videographer, film and create episodes for YouTube — and over the years, I've started doing a show for Amazon Prime." Despite the unpredictable nature of his travels, Mihailovici said he isn't afraid of dangerous destinations. He was in Iraq recently, he said. "People said, 'Are you crazy?' Maybe it was not safe, but nothing happened to me. We went to Baghdad and Babylon. It was great. I was eating camel every day," Mihailovici told SWNS. He admitted he was "a little scared" about going to Iraq given the political situation, but was determined to follow through with wherever the dart suggested he go. "It was great. I was eating camel every day." "The idea is to visit the whole world, each and every country by dart," Mihailovici said. "I did all the big ones that are larger on the map," he said. "The smaller ones are hard to hit, and I'm also blindfolded [while throwing the dart], so I can't pinpoint it to a certain continent." Mihailovici said he hopes to continue expanding his travel list. He said Australia and Spain are his next dream destinations, though he admits they're "hard to hit" and plans another dart throw in August, according to SWNS. Among the countries he's traveled to so far are Easter Island, Indonesia, Bermuda, Portugal, Cuba, Thailand, Colombia, Brazil, Italy, Iceland, Greece, Japan, Antarctica, Germany, Vietnam, India, Turkey, South Korea and Yemen, SWNS reported. Mihailovici said hotels sometimes offer gratuities to be featured in his show, per SWNS.
