Airbnb Launches Global Booking for Chefs, Trainers, Celebrity Experiences

Airbnb is unveiling a major redesign and expansion of its platform to transform into a comprehensive travel app that goes beyond home rentals by adding services like personal chefs, masseuses, and trainers available at users' stays. This move aims to compete more directly with hotels and travel platforms by offering amenities and experiences that enhance travelers' stays, addressing the lack of on-site services that typically draw customers to traditional hospitality. The company is also launching Airbnb Originals, featuring curated, once-in-a-lifetime experiences hosted by celebrities such as Megan Thee Stallion, Sabrina Carpenter, and Patrick Mahomes, with bookings available on a first-come, first-served basis. CEO Brian Chesky views this expansion as monetizing people's time and earning potential, offering both everyday and extraordinary activities that can be booked easily and socially, allowing guests to connect before and after. Despite these innovations, Airbnb faces challenges including economic uncertainty, regulatory pressures, and stiff competition from hotels that offer consistency and amenities. The new offerings, available in hundreds of cities, reflect Airbnb's ambition to become an end-to-end travel service appealing to diverse traveler preferences.