Latest news with #DaveStephenson
Skift
11-06-2025
- Business
- Skift
Hotels Shrug Off Airbnb's Push Into Experiences – But They Still Need to Compete
Airbnb's relaunch of its Experiences platform and new offering of hotel-style à la carte services might pressure hoteliers. But so far, many hotel execs seem unfazed. Airbnb's entry into selling experiences and hotel-style services is drawing a muted response from some hospitality industry leaders. A few have minimized the threat, though some analysts warn that hotel companies risk falling behind in the race to capture lucrative ancillary revenue. Airbnb aims to offer a marketplace for a range of services, including massage, spa treatments, and personal training. These are offerings expected at many hotels but not short-term rentals - "We're eliminating reasons why people wouldn't want to stay in an Airbnb,' the company's chief business officer Dave Stephenson told Skift in May shortly after unveiling the new products. One challenge will be delivering consistent quality. "They've gone on this journey before, and what they're trying to do is really difficult," said Chris Silcock, president of global brands and commercial services at Hilton. Silcock said Hilton isn't rushing to copy Airbnb's marketplace model. "We haven't gone down that route because we're in hospitality, the business of people serving people, and that's much easier to do in a building where we can guarantee a flow of customers and when we can meet or hire or contract with people to deliver the quali
Skift
27-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
Airbnb Exec: 'We've Learned a Lot About Experiences' – Full Video, Skift Asia Forum
Airbnb thinks its focus on high-quality experiences is the way to stand out in a crowded field. 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."
Skift
15-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
Can Airbnb Experiences Stand Out? It's Betting on Quality
The platform is offering experiences only available with Airbnb, like classes with Michelin star chefs and hang-out with singers, to differentiate itself from competitors. Airbnb is betting that standing out in a crowded field of experience platforms comes down to quality. Its strategy is to focus on "unique experiences" and to emphasize local providers that have been vetted. Airbnb has 'learned a lot about experiences over the last few years," said Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson, who was speaking at the Skift Asia Forum just two days after the company relaunched its experiences product. Airbnb first tried offering experiences in 2016 and again in 2022, but it had paused those efforts. 'We've learned that people really desire them. But we need to make sure they are unique, different, and of the city,' Stephenson said. The latest experiences offerings are centered around curated activities hosted by what Stephenson called 'the world's most interesting people doing amazingly interesting things.' These curated experiences, called Airbnb Originals, include learning to make ramen with Michelin-starred chefs in Tokyo, or an experience with singer with Megan Thee Stallion. 'We don't just let any experience onto Airbnb,' Stephenson said. 'We're only bringing on experience hosts that know the city best.' 'Eliminating Reasons' Not to Stay With Airbnb 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. 'There are many reasons why you might want to go to a hotel to use the spa or gym,' Stephenson said. 'Well now you can bring your personal trainer or prepared meals or a chef to you.' These offerings are not tied to an Airbnb booking. 'You can do it in your Airbnb, in your own home, at the person's location,' he said. All bookings — stays, services, and experiences — are integrated under the 'Trips' tab in the Airbnb app. 'It makes it easy to find, easy to know where to be, when, and then it just makes the entire experience better.' 'We're just trying to make sure the stay is better, we're eliminating reasons why people wouldn't want to stay in Airbnb,' he added. 'We're trying to make these really approachable and affordable things you can do in your own town. Maybe you don't even need to travel and you can take an experience on a Saturday night,' Stephenson said. The average price of an experience is now $66 dollars, he said, with 50% of the platform's new services offerings priced under $50. Growing Local Travel Markets Airbnb is focusing on supporting travel markets differently in each community, Stephenson said. China is one of the top five outbound travel markets and Airbnb is focusing on 'making sure we support outbound Chinese travelers in the place they love to travel, like Korea and Japan,' highlighting experiences offerings like K-Pop band concerts, he said. 'In Korea, we need to make sure we show up locally - so we've added Navar Pay,' Stephenson said. Navar Pay is a mobile payment service popular in Korea. In Japan, where Stephenson noted 'very few people actually know about Airbnb', the company launched its first brand campaign last year. 'We've started to communicate it and talk to Japanese travelers that like to travel nearby, near their home, to get away for the weekend, about why Airbnb is a good way to do it.' 'Now we have a significant increase in the number of Japanese people that consider Airbnb as a way to travel. We have different approaches in each community and it's working really well,' he said.
News.com.au
14-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Airbnb launch new original ‘experiences' and ‘services' as part of the platform's app expansion
Short-term rental booking giant Airbnb has announced sweeping changes to its platform, with the $84 billion company intent on becoming a one-stop shop for a traveller's wants and needs. On Tuesday, the company's cofounder Brian Chesky announced that the new offerings to the platform — including 'Services' and 'Originals' — would help bolster the company for the future of travel and strengthen its appeal against the increasingly fierce competition with hotels. Unveiling the new aspects of the app in Los Angeles, Mr Chesky said Airbnb Services — which essentially allows people to hire on-site professionals, such as chefs, hairdressers and personal trainers direct from the app — will allow an Airbnb property to become more of a 'hotel' in nature. Speaking to Business Insider, Dave Stephenson — Airbnb's chief business officer — said the beauty of 'Services' means that people can combine the appeal of a short-term rental with amenities typically offered by a hotel. 'People choose Airbnb often because of their location and amenities, but our amenities usually are maybe more space, more bedrooms, maybe a washer-dryer,' he said. 'But then there are still things that we don't provide that a hotel does.' Airbnb said that services are available in 260 cities, including some services in Sydney — such as a personal trainer in Bondi — and even in Melbourne, and that many start below $50. 'Originals' on the other hand, is marketed at travellers who want the ultimate in travel experiences. Dubbed as 'extraordinary experiences hosted by the world's most interesting people', these curated 'originals' include learning pastry-making at the renowned French Bastards bakery with chef Raphaelle Elbaz, or playing beach volleyball with Olympian Carol Solberg on Rio's iconic Leblon Beach. And if you're a celebrity-lover, some of the selections named so far include hanging out on the Short n' Sweet tour set with Sabrina Carpenter, creating an anime alter-ego with Megan Thee Stallion and throwing a ball with NFL star Patrick Mahomes. The announcement of 'Originals' and 'Services', which will be available as part of the reimagined app from today, follows the success of ventures like the Barbie Malibu DreamHouse and Bluey's House in Queensland. Last year, the short-stay giant introduced a permanent category called 'Icons,' which featured exclusive stays in partnership with brands and celebrities that promise unforgettable experiences. One of those was Pixar's UP house, which was a home suspended over the New Mexico desert by a giant crane. Other 'Icon' listings included a two-dimensional replica of the mansion from the 'X-Men '97' cartoon, a stay at the Ferrari Museum in Italy and the Minneapolis house immortalised in Prince's 'Purple Rain.'
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Airbnb announces huge ‘beyond stays' plan as it ramps up competition with hotels
Airbnb has announced a major revamp of its app and services, introducing features that allow users to book experiences and services alongside their accommodation. The update, described as "transformational" by Airbnb chief business officer Dave Stephenson, marks a significant expansion for the company. Inspired by Amazon 's evolution beyond its online bookstore origins, Airbnb now enables users to book add-on services such as private chefs or personal trainers. The redesigned app also features a revamped experiences section, offering access to sightseeing tours, classes, and other activities. This centralised platform allows users to manage all aspects of their trip within a single app. Stephenson highlighted this as a deliberate move to broaden Airbnb's offerings beyond its core property rental business. 'We're talking about expanding beyond the core (of the service),' he told PA. 'We've thought of Airbnb like Amazon – Amazon moved from books to many, many things; Airbnb moved from stays to many, many things. 'It's really the first day of expanding into these new areas and rebuilding even the way in which you interact with Airbnb, the way the app works, the way in which you experience things.' 'We are redoing the app, so you'll have stays, you'll have services and you'll have experiences and when you book them, the app works with you so that it integrates it into your itinerary. 'You can actually know who else is travelling on these trips and interact with them through messaging, and there are also brand new tools for hosts.' 'We have an incredible business, but I'd call it a nice two or three-storey building, and now we're building the foundation that will enable this to a hundred-story skyscraper.' Airbnb said that, at launch, it will have 10 categories of services available in 260 cities around the world, with more to be added in the future. Those include spa treatments, hair and make-up, nails, prepared meals and catering services. The upgraded experiences feature will allow users to book things such as landmark, museum and cultural experiences, led by local experts, as well as outdoor and wildlife tours and other classes. Airbnb confirmed these would be available in more than 650 cities around the world, with more to be added. The site's co-founder and chief executive Brian Chesky said the revamp of the platform meant users no longer had to choose between a hotel or an Airbnb when they were deciding on if they wanted amenities or space. 'Seventeen years ago, we changed the way people travel. More than two billion guests later, Airbnb is synonymous with a place to stay,' he said. 'With the launch of services and experiences, we're changing travel again. Now you can Airbnb more than an Airbnb.' 'Now, we're giving you the best of both worlds – amazing homes with services that make them even more special.'
