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Airbnb Reveals Its First Major Redesign In A Decade, Here Are 3 Major Updates
Airbnb just announced it’s biggest redesign in a decade, according to CEO Brian Chesky on Wednesday.
The new features, revealed during Airbnb’s virtual summer event, include guest booking protection, the ability to split stays between properties and a new way to search for places to stay. The updates are just in time for a busy summer travel season.
The new features are available on the app in the U.S. and will roll out globally this week.
Here’s what you can expect:
New Search Function
The company has designed a new search function to make it easier to travelers to discover new homes and locations through categories.
“Airbnb Categories organize homes by what makes them unique, which helps people discover places they wouldn’t have otherwise found. This can help alleviate over-tourism by redistributing travel to new locations beyond the same popular destinations,” says Airbnb in a release.
Categories range from “castles” to “amazing views” and travelers are able to choose from 56 categories, organized based on design, location, style, or distances from a travel activity.
Travel Protection
With AirCover, travelers will be guaranteed booking protection.
“AirCover has been designed directly into the Airbnb app and website, making it easy for you to contact an agent and resolve issues quickly. We created a team of specially trained agents for last-minute rebooking assistance,” says the company.
Before the update, only hosts were protected for damages and liability. AirCover is free and will over- booking protection if a host cancels a reservation within 30 days of check-in. Airbnb will find a similar or better home for the traveler or give a full refund. If the traveler runs into issues at check-in or the home isn’t as advertised, Airbnb will issue a refund or find a replacement for the duration of the booking.
There will also be a 24-hour safety line for travelers, with 16 language options.
Split Stays
Since the pandemic, remote work has been on a rise. As a result, people have been booking for longer periods. Airbnb saw an opportunity to create Split Stays, allowing travelers to split their trips between two locations.
The option will appear in search results for specific destinations including national parks and skiing with 15 categories. The company says this will show users they can stay in two destinations for a longer trip.
Airbnb says, “For example, when browsing the National Parks Category, Split Stays might suggest a pair of homes near Zion National Park and Grand Canyon.”
The app will show the distance between the two homes and users will be guided through the process to book both homes.
What do you think of these updates? Will you be using them on your next trip?
