Airbnb has launched a range of new features in what the company is calling its most ambitious update since its founding in 2007.
They include Airbnb Experiences, Airbnb Services and Airbnb Originals, as well as a redesigned and updated app.
Airbnb Services offers additional services to enhance guests’ experiences. These include professional chefs, personalised photo sessions, massage and spa treatments, personal training, hair, make-up and nails, and full-service catering.
Airbnb Experiences allows guests to book tours hosted by locals in 650 cities. These include an experience of Notre-Dame’s restoration with an architect from the restoration team, cooking experiences with a Michelin chef, or shopping experiences with a fashion consultant to Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Extraordinary experiences have also been made available with Airbnb Originals, hosted by celebrities and renowned figures. Guests can play beach volleyball with Olympian Carol Solberg in Rio, spend a day with American Football star Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, enjoy an exclusive fan experience in Seoul with K-Pop group Seventeen, or join American rapper, Megan Thee Stallion on an anime cosplay quest in Tokyo.
Airbnb Experiences and Originals are both bookable by South Africans. Airbnb Services are not yet bookable by South Africans but the website indicates that it will be made available in the future.