A Host of New Features
Airbnb (ABNB) is addressing the elephant in the room(s).
Although it remains popular, Airbnb has received its fair share of criticism. Common guest complaints include hefty hidden fees and long lists of chores required when checking out. The company is listening and responding to customer feedback with four new features set to roll out this summer:
• “Airbnb Rooms”: allows guests to book individual rooms, in select homes, at lower rates.
• “Host Passport”: provides guests with more information about their host, such as their interests, background, and the language(s) they speak.
• Transparent pricing: discloses all fees in the initial price of the booking.
• Responsibility list: clearly defines checkout expectations for guests — so they can factor that into their booking decision.
On top of these features, Airbnb is committed to faster customer service, and plans to provide a credit if a host cancels within 30 days of the planned arrival date.
Winning Favor
When Airbnb first launched, it was viewed as a less expensive alternative to hotels. But, since the platform’s subsequent explosion in popularity, average prices have increased substantially.
The app is no longer solely a platform for homeowners to make passive income from short-term rentals of their property. It’s now overrun by professional hosts operating multiple Airbnb rentals full-time. With hosts looking to maximize profitability, some have even pushed cleaning responsibilities onto guests while still charging a cleaning fee.
Summer Spike
Industry experts expect this summer to be one of the busiest travel seasons of the past few years. With these new features, Airbnb aims to swing the pendulum back in its favor when it comes time for travelers to book.
If you’re planning a trip this summer, it’s worth noting that Airbnb will soon provide customers much more transparency when booking. And while the changes won’t necessarily get you off the hook for washing the dishes come checkout, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect from your stay ahead of time.
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