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Airbnb Exec: 'We've Learned a Lot About Experiences' – Full Video, Skift Asia Forum


Skift Take

Airbnb thinks its focus on high-quality experiences is the way to stand out in a crowded field.

Airbnb Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson recently spoke at the Skift Asia Forum in Bangkok, where he discussed the company's rollout of its new products for experiences and services

Airbnb first tried offering experiences in 2016 and again in 2022, but it had paused those efforts. Airbnb has “learned a lot about experiences over the last few years," Stephenson told Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit.

Airbnb is also expanding into travel-related services such as personal chefs, photographers, and fitness trainers, services that replicate amenities often found in hotels but are now bookable through the Airbnb app. He also discussed Airbnb Originals, which include cooking lessons with Michelin-starred chefs in Tokyo and hangouts with celebrities like Megan Thee Stallion.

Watch a full video of the discussion below:

Highlights from Airbnb Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson

About Airbnb Originals: “These are amazing experiences hosted by locals that know the cities best… high quality, interesting activities that people can do in cities all around the world.”

On Airbnb's Focus on Quality: “We don’t just let any experience onto Airbnb. We have dedicated people that are reaching out and finding experiences ... We have some amazing, iconic experiences. But we're also bringing them down to local people that know those cities best.”

About Airbnb's Ambition to Become a One-Stop Travel Platform: “There’s no app on the internet that’s actually providing all of these services… We’re eliminating reasons why people wouldn’t want to stay in an Airbnb.”

On a Challenging Economic Environment: “We could actually see people hosting experiences or maybe they're experts at specific services, and they can actually do these to earn more money. So in times of economic uncertainty, they can bring their time and energy to be hosts.”

About Airbnb's Expansion Into Travel-Related Amenities: "Now you can bring the spa to your Airbnb. You can bring your personal trainer to an Airbnb. You can have prepared meals or a chef come to you. So now, it's one more reason why an Airbnb is a better way to travel."