Airbnb’s winter release – due to be unveiled in October – is set to contain a feature which will match hosts with property managers.
Meanwhile, the company’s Co-Founder and CEO, Brian Chesky, is aiming for the behemoth OTA to expand far beyond short-term rentals after ‘perfecting the core’ of the business.
Chesky told the 2024 Skift Global Forum: “Why would Airbnb just offer homes? Why couldn’t we offer significantly more things? That’s the future of this company.
“We’re going to take the Airbnb model, and we’re going to bring it to a lot of different categories.
“Eventually we do think there’s a path here to be doing more than just travel.”
Chesky said the company is aiming to consistently launch new lines of business.
“I anticipate, every year, we launch two to three things that could eventually generate a billion dollars a year annually in revenue.
“We’re entering a new phase of the company. We left the phase of perfecting the core.”
Airbnb does product releases twice per year. October’s winter release will focus on a new business of matching hosts with property managers, said Chesky. The 2025 summer release, due next May, will focus on expanding the ‘Experiences’ business and many other things.
Chesky remains keen on Airbnb offering longer stays to cater for the midterm market, adding: “Stays of 30 to 90 days…I think that’s a huge growth opportunity for Airbnb, and I don’t think [OTAs] are going to do that.”
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