Thinking about making some extra cash this summer? Or maybe you’ve been eyeing a trip that you just haven’t taken yet? Look no further than Airbnb’s 2023 Summer Release. With over 50 new improvements for both hosts and guests across the board, this brand update is revolutionizing travel.
Guests
Last year, Airbnb saw a record-breaking number of guest arrivals, surpassing 1.4 billion in the company’s history. As the pandemic slowed down, guests wasted no time in planning their long-awaited trips. This year alone, Airbnb expects over 300 million guest arrivals.
This summer, over 72,000 stays have been planned in towns and cities across the world. Guests have booked stays in categories, including Beach, Amazing Pools, Trending, Iconic Cities and National Parks. Take a look at some of the popular locations travelers are visiting this year.
Hosting
Hosting on Airbnb has also seen a significant increase, with 900,000 more listings compared to when the platform first launched in 2008. Hosting has provided a lifeline for many, with 39% of hosts using their income to support raised living costs or make ends meet. In the past year, private room hosts earned over $2.9 billion globally, with a typical private room host earning more than $1,300, a 20% increase since 2021.
Private Rooms
For budget-conscious travelers, private rooms on Airbnb have proven to be an affordable and safe accommodation option.
Survey data shows that price is a crucial factor for nine out of 10 guests when choosing Airbnb over other accommodations. With 80% of private rooms priced under $100 per night and an average rate of $67 per night, it’s no wonder there has been a 40% increase in private room stays over the past year. Travelers now have over one million private rooms available across 60,000 cities and towns to choose from.
Guests have found that staying in private rooms provide a unique opportunity to connect with locals, with 60% of survey respondents stating that private rooms offer a higher quality stay and a level of connection not experienced since pandemic lockdowns. These positive experiences have led 14 million guests to book another stay, often with the same host.
Airbnb Rooms
In preparation for the summer release, Airbnb Co-Founder and CEO Brian Chesky explained that the team “held workshops around the world and have had over 3,000 conversations with hosts,” to analyze customer feedback in curating the company’s latest upgrades.
This was evident when the company announced its biggest change: Airbnb’s relaunch of the “Rooms” category, which mirrors earlier versions of the platform.
This change aims to increase visibility for hosts who are unable to rent an entire property while improving the guest experience. With four out of five reviews giving private room stays a five-star rating, this update promises to provide travelers with cheaper stays while building a loyal customer and host base.
Host Passport
To enhance safety and trust, Airbnb has introduced the Host Passport, which provides guests with essential information about the host, ratings, and a deeper profile with information hosts choose to share such as work experience and language skills. The new profile system also allows hosts to provide more information about themselves to add trust and connection to those booking a stay.
“These host passports are really fun to look at and they’re a great way to get to know your host before you meet them in person,” said Chesky, who believes the move aligns with the mission of Airbnb. “The most memorable part of traveling is the other people you’re with . . . meeting someone new, walking in their shoes, and seeing a city through their eyes. This is the soul of Airbnb and of Airbnb rooms.”
Other Changes
Both hosts and guests benefit from several other improvements introduced in the Summer Release. Hosts now have redesigned Co-Host permissions and layouts, a streamlined onboarding process, built-in checkout instructions and the ability to see if guests have read their messages.
Guests can enjoy revamped pricing tools, lower stay prices, restrictions on chore lists, improved listing comparison, a yearly view and clearer distinctions in what an offering includes and what it doesn’t.
Airbnb’s Summer Release reflects the growing prevalence of travel and aims to make hosting more mainstream. Airbnb hopes the changes will raise company awareness, improve host support systems and ultimately help guests to best book their dream vacation.
View Airbnb’s full Summer Release here.
