Airbnb Expands Services, Experiences Across 650 Cities

Airbnb has announced a major transformation of its platform, expanding beyond short-term rentals to include a wide range of services and experiences accessible through a redesigned app. The new offerings include Airbnb Services, allowing users to book professionals such as chefs, massage therapists, personal trainers, and makeup artists in 260 cities, often without needing to stay in an Airbnb property. Additionally, Airbnb Experiences has been relaunched with 22,000 curated activities across 650 cities, featuring unique and celebrity-led options like tours with architects and podcast studio visits. CEO Brian Chesky emphasized that Airbnb aims to compete with hotels by offering in-home services and transforming travel into more personalized, local experiences. While the initiative has drawn comparisons to past Silicon Valley trends of becoming "an Uber for everything," Airbnb is leveraging partnerships with over 10,000 vendors and plans to introduce an AI-powered concierge to help users navigate its expanded offerings. Despite shares rising nearly 3%, retail investor sentiment remains mixed, with some skepticism about the company's new direction and its potential financial impact still unclear.