People want to travel and work, Airbnb announces more product updates based on the new travel trends
- AirCover, Translation Engine, and I’m (even more) flexible are just a few of the new upgrades of the platform designed to improve the experience for guests and Hosts as the world undergoes a travel revolution.
- Based on a 7,500-consumer survey Airbnb commissioned across five countries[1], a majority (64%) say that after the pandemic, they plan to travel less for work, and more for leisure.
- Since the launch of “Im Flexible”, people have used the tool +500 million times, the company is expanding the date range where guests can search to 12 months out (from six) and included four new categories of unique stays: off the grid, ski-in/ski-out, luxe, and offbeat homes.
- Cross-border travel has been increasing from 20 percent of gross nights booked in the first quarter, to 33 percent in the 3rd; to ensure the best experience Airbnb launched “Translation Engine” to provide a seamless experience for the Hosts and guests in over 60 languages.
- The company launched AirCover, which provides top-to-bottom protection for every Airbnb Host with $1 million in damage protection and $1 million in liability coverage. AirCover also includes income loss protection, pet damage protection, deep cleaning protection, and more.
A revolution is changing how we live and work, bringing about a revolution in how we travel. The COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly untethered tens of millions of people from the need to work in specific places at specific times. They can now work from anywhere, travel any time, and stay for longer. While technologies like Zoom make it possible to work from home, Airbnb is making it possible to work from any home—and ultimately, to live anywhere.
Based on a 7,500-consumer survey Airbnb commissioned across five countries[2], the company found that more than one third (38%) of self-identified hybrid/remote employees say they would rather quit their jobs than go back to work in-person full-time, and that nearly two thirds (63%) of all respondents say they have come to expect more flexibility from their employers.
Also, a majority (64%) say that after the pandemic, they plan to travel less for work, and more for leisure, and a similar proportion (63%) say that in a post-pandemic world, business travel will not just mean traveling for work, it will also mean traveling for fun while working remotely[3].
The ways guests are using Airbnb as parts of the world begin to emerge from the pandemic shows that people are living in listings on Airbnb. This newfound flexibility is bringing about a revolution in how we travel. Millions of people can now take more frequent trips, longer trips, travel to more locations, and even live anywhere on Airbnb. In fact, 20% of our nights booked between July and September were for stays of a month or longer, and nearly half (45%) were for stays of at least a week[4].
“For Airbnb, 2021 has been a year of relentless innovation to refine our core service,” said Brian Chesky, CEO and Co-Founder of Airbnb. “With the Airbnb 2021 Winter Release, we’ve delivered more than 150 upgrades and innovations this year. Our design-driven approach means that we’re constantly improving our service to adapt to this changing world. For the first time ever, millions of people can now travel anytime, anywhere, for any length, and even live anywhere on Airbnb. This is a travel revolution.”
Based on this travel, the company presented +50 new products upgrades, including:
I’m (even more) Flexible
Earlier this year, the company introduced I’m Flexible, a whole new way to search on Airbnb when you are flexible about where or when you are traveling. Since then, guests have used I’m Flexible more than 500 million times. Due to the popularity of this feature, the company is expanding the date range where guests can search to 12 months out (from six). Airbnb is also expanding I’m Flexible to include four new categories of unique stays: off the grid, ski-in/ski-out, luxe, and offbeat homes.
Translation Engine
Even before the latest announcements about lifted border restrictions, we were seeing recovery in both longer-distance and cross-border travel. Overall, cross-border travel has been increasing steadily throughout the year, from 20 percent of gross nights booked in the first quarter, to 27 percent in the second, to 33 percent in the third. For October 2021, cross-border travel gross nights booked hit approximately 80 percent of levels from October 2019.
As cross border travel returns, Airbnb’s new Translation Engine will provide a seamless experience for Hosts and guests in over 60 languages. Translation Engine removes the need for click to translate buttons by automatically translating listing descriptions and reviews. Based on results from a study across our top ten languages we commissioned by a top machine translation evaluation company, Translation Engine improves the quality of more than 99% of listings on Airbnb. Translation Engine uses millions of Airbnb data points to improve translations, so it will get even smarter over time as it learns from new content that’s submitted.
AirCover
As for what travelers are looking for now, it’s wifi and workspaces, in keeping with the shift toward remote work, along with kitchens, in keeping with living anywhere. Globally, the most searched-for amenities in recent months were: 1) pets-allowed, 2) pools, 3) wifi, 4) kitchens and 5) free parking.
Since more guests than ever before are choosing to stay in a listing on Airbnb, which is leading to more people wanting to host to take advantage of this growing opportunity. To offer even more reassurance to the existing four million Hosts, and make it even easier for new Hosts to take that first big step, today Airbnb is introducing AirCover.
Only Airbnb gives you AirCover, which provides top-to-bottom protection for every Host on Airbnb with $1 million in damage protection and $1 million in liability coverage. AirCover also includes income loss protection, pet damage protection, deep cleaning protection, and more.
Airbnb pioneered Host protection a decade ago with the industry-first Host Guarantee. After ten years of learning from Hosts, Airbnb has reimagined the program, expanding protections and creating faster payouts.
AirCover is always included and always free for all new and existing Hosts. With AirCover, Hosts receive:
- $1M damage protection
- $1M liability insurance
- Income loss protection
- Pet damage protection
- Deep cleaning protection
- 14-day filing window
- Quicker reimbursements
- Faster track for Superhosts
Other product announcements that the company presented include:
- Accessibility Review – Every accessibility feature is reviewed for 100% accuracy.
- Verified Wifi – Our new speed test tool verifies the speed of the wifi in a listing.
- Smarter Trips Tab – A redesigned Trips tab with all your must-have travel details.
- Ask a Superhost Expansion – Connects new Hosts to a Superhost in their area for 1:1 help.