Airbnb has recently announced a number of updates to its platform, with one of the most interesting being its ‘Rooms’ feature.
Whilst renting individual rooms was possible on the platform, it was largely under-used and not very well publicised. As travel has become more expensive with rising inflation, providing consumers with a cheaper option for accommodation is a smart move.
What is the new ‘Rooms’ category?
In a blog posted on Wednesday, AirBnB announced that it is making a bigger push into the ‘Rooms category’, where travellers can rent a private room in someone’s home. As part of this, consumers will be able to read more about the host they are staying with on each individual listing.
Each listing will contain a ‘host passport’, which will contain information about the host, including their reviews, ratings, interests, job, pet and unique aspects of their home. The passports will also note if the user has been verified by the platform, to avoid scam listings.
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Adapting to the new economy
With countries like the US, UK and much of Europe still trying to curb inflation, Airbnb is adapting to the “current economic environment” and is marketing Rooms as a cheaper way to travel.
The company says that over 80 percent of private rooms cost under $100 per night, while the average room is priced at around $67 per night. There are currently around 1 million private bedrooms available in the Rooms tab, according to Airbnb, making it a viable option for cash-conscious travellers.
Wider updates to the AirBnB platform
The changes seem like a response to the backlash the platform has received over its rising prices, long chore lists and high cleaning duties imposed on guests – leading some users to stay in hotels instead.
With this update, AirBnB is staying true to its roots, presenting the personal and affordable approach it started out with. Alongside this, hosts who expect chores that are deemed excessive and unreasonable can be reported and removed.
The platform has also introduced more transparent pricing and checkout functions, as well as removing the guest service fee from longer term stays.
Brian Chesky, the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, says the new Rooms push will help Airbnb get back its “founding ethos of sharing,” as the service first emerged in 2008 as an affordable way to rent rooms. “Airbnb Rooms are often more affordable than hotels, and they’re the most authentic way to experience a city,” Chesky says. “This is the soul of Airbnb.”
