How Airbnb Plans To Improve Its Search Engine

No More Hidden Fees

“Nice! Only $70 per night for this Airbnb! …Wait. How is my final price $250?”

If you’ve experienced that unpleasant surprise, you’re not alone. Over the past few years, Airbnb (ABNB) has drawn widespread criticism for the lack of transparency in its pricing model. Most commonly, many of its listings have high cleaning fees, which sometimes aren’t shown until the end of the checkout process. But starting in December, Airbnb plans to accommodate guests by improving the transparency of its pricing.

With its new pricing feature, Airbnb guests will be able to filter results by the total cost of the stay, including all fees. This change has been in the works since May 2021, when the company announced a review of its pricing following severe social media backlash.

Airbnb’s Improved Search

Going forward, you will be able to toggle the “total price” feature while browsing Airbnb listings. This will show you the total cost for different listings, including all fees (but still excluding taxes).

Additionally, Airbnb intends to improve its search algorithm by allowing listings with a better price and quality relative to other listings in their area to rank higher. Some of these changes have reportedly already been made, but Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky states the process is ongoing. The company plans to continue refining its algorithm over time to show guests listings of the highest quality and relevance.

More BNB Updates

Apart from pricing transparency, Airbnb also plans to start drawing a line on what checkout tasks are considered “unreasonable” for guests to complete. As a guest, you might still have to lock the doors and turn off the lights. But you can say goodbye to doing laundry, mopping the floors, and vacuuming.

If you are an Airbnb host, then you can also expect a new set of tools for variable pricing, so you can adjust your rates more easily during high-traffic seasons or weekends.

Airbnb’s latest flurry of updates are the result of a company listening to and incorporating customer feedback. Hopefully, it will result in an improved experience for both guests and hosts.

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