Airbnb has shifted its core business model, beginning to integrate hotels into its platform. Users can now book not only private apartments but also boutique hotels through the app. Following several months of testing, the company has officially launched partnerships with hotels in 20 major cities, including New York, Paris, London, Madrid, Rome, and Singapore. This is reported by Techcrunch.com .
A special filter for searching hotels has appeared in the app. If a user searches for a stay of one or two nights, the system automatically suggests hotels. According to Airbnb's Vice President of Marketing, Jud Coplan, this feature is highly convenient for last-minute bookings and business trips. Additionally, the company offers a price guarantee, promising to refund the difference as cashback if a lower price is found elsewhere.
Airbnb does not intend to limit itself to accommodation. The company is expanding its service range to include luggage storage, car rentals, and guided local tours. Through this, the platform aims to compete with rivals like Viator and GetYourGuide. A luggage storage service at over 15,000 locations and a new rental system are expected to launch during the summer season.
Technologically, Airbnb continues to utilize artificial intelligence, but unlike other travel companies, it has abandoned chatbots. CEO Brian Chesky believes that a chatbot interface is not the best solution for travel planning. Instead, AI will be focused on improving host registration and customer support systems.
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