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Big changes are afoot at Airbnb

Airbnb

New experiences, new destinations and new categories are on their way.

Airbnb is rather a behemoth of the accommodation world these days. The travel concept currently has rooming options in 81,000 cities worldwide, experienced 300 million guest check-ins over the past ten years, and seen $41 billion earned by hosts in the past 10 years.

And it’s popularity looks only set to flourish, with Airbnb unveiling its plans for 2018, and proving nothing short of impressive. Think new categories, new destinations, and new experiences.

First and foremost is the introduction of added tiers, including Airbnb Plus. “Starting with 2000 homes in 13 cities available to book right now, Airbnb Plus is intended for guests looking for beautiful homes, exceptional hosts and added peace of mind. Airbnb Plus homes have been inspected and verified in person against a 100+ point checklist covering cleanliness, comfort and design,” explains Airbnb. There will also be the introduction of the Luxury tier, a selection of custom-designed trips that involve a collection of the world’s finest homes, custom experiences and world-class hospitality.

Four new property types will be landing; Vacation Home, Unique, B&B and Boutiques (in addition to existing Entire Home, Private Room and Shared Space). “This will give greater choice of accommodation options to guests, provide greater transparency over the types of accommodation available, and help hosts better showcase what’s unique about them to better match with guests’ preferences.”

And then there’s Collections – those homes specified to occasion. There’s Airbnb for Family and Airbnb for Work with Collections for Social stays, Weddings, Honeymoons, Group getaways and Dinner parties coming later this year.

The Experiences option – introduced last year – will similarly grow, rolling out to 1000 destinations as far flung as Easter Island. New passion categories will also be welcomed, that range from Airbnb Concerts to Social Dining, and Adventures.

With a focus on host benefits and loyalty programs to boot, it looks like Airbnb’s 2018 will be rather busy.

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