Enhancing the app’s host-to-guest experience

“Most recently, Airbnb launched its split payments feature globally, to ease the financial burden on group trip organisers. This alleviates the pain for travellers to front costs associated in booking one of the most expensive purchases on a group trip. With the new feature, 16 people from 16 different countries in 16 different currencies could split a house easily now.”

See also: 10 Airbnb Vacation Homes To Experience Living In Luxury, The Local Way

The steps that advocate user safety

“Our team is made up of engineers, 24/7 response agents, data scientists, product managers, designers, law-enforcement liaisons, crisis managers, and victim-advocacy specialists and so on. We’ve also developed features to build trust in the community, like a multi-factor authentication, risk scoring, detailed profiles, secure messaging and host guarantee.”

Host recommendations: How to make a far-from-homeplace welcoming and homely

1. Adopt a curious and patient attitude – Open-mindedness, and even some playfulness, can make the unknown less intimidating.
2. Create a warm welcome – First impressions can help diffuse anxiety and help a weary traveller feel like they’re arriving home.
3.  House rules and guidebooks – Help guests navigate the city with a guidebook filled with local insights and avoid misunderstandings by stating clear house rules.
4. Offer the right amenities and information – For a seamless stay help guests find their way around by ensuring you stay connected online.
5. Celebrate local gems – share the best of what the city has to offer and don’t be shy to brag! Visiting guests can be a delight to host as they’re often the most inspired and interested in the everyday aspects of the city.

The sky’s the limit for user experiences

“10 years on and Airbnb has grown from accommodation offering into an end-to-end trip platform. Now, there’s more than 4 million unique accommodation,  from apartments to villas to castles and treehouse in more than 65,000 cities and 191 countries. With the launch of last November’s Experiences, we have seen 20 times growth where there are now more than 3,100 Experiences in 40 cities. With Flights and Services coming onboard in 2019, we have to stay agile and ensure that our platform stays user-friendly and intuitive to the community, surfacing the best of what Airbnb has to offer for each individual host and guest.”

See also: The Founder Of Aqua Expeditions Shares His Most Memorable Adventures And Some Travel Tips

Southeast Asian user trends in picking homes

“This is Airbnb’s fast-growing region, with nearly 4.4 million guests the past year. It is no surprise when you consider the incredible variety of traditions and cultures available to explore. Hospitality is also deeply ingrained part of Asia’s culture, which makes Airbnb a perfect fit, connecting hosts with curious guests who want to experience the true character and personality of the places they visit. Millenials especially want unique and authentic experiences; the kind that lets you get under the skin of a place, discover its hidden gems and understand its real character. Malaysians enjoy travelling in groups and rediscovering their own backyard. more and more business travelers looking for unique accommodations that match their lifestyles, similar to the authentic experiences that come from leisure travel.”

The next phase for Airbnb? Moving beyond a home sharing concept

“It comprises three core elements: Homes, Experiences and Places. Trips bring unique experiences, insider guides and events designed and led by local guests.

Airbnb has traditionally been about home sharing and with Trips, Airbnb takes this a few steps further, adding bookable Experiences by way of authentic and immersive explorations of a new city.”