Airbnb has opened its biggest overhaul of its booking platform to date. The new design brings in a parade of new features to better serve and connect with users. This comprehensive overhaul, officially dubbed the Summer Release update, is all the more remarkable for the fact that it’s gone live across the Airbnb app and website. The organization’s goal is to make it easier for users to source accommodations and indulge in authentic travel experiences.
Available for both ios and Android devices, the Summer Release update doesn’t just give the app a more chic aesthetic. It also opens it up. With this change, Airbnb is definitely doubling down on its “Experiences” feature. Now, users have an unprecedented opportunity to quickly and easily find and book fun things to do at their upcoming or dream travel destinations. Airbnb focuses these efforts on making travel easier and more enjoyable for their platform users. Their mission is to offer far more than temporary housing.
A Fresh Look and Enhanced Functionality
Airbnb’s overhaul, The Category of One, focuses on creating a navigation experience that is more intuitive and user-friendly. The updated app layout enhances accessibility to various features, allowing users to seamlessly transition between searching for accommodations and finding local experiences. The premium put on UX is a direct result of Airbnb’s priorities in enhancing its platform to best serve travelers.
Aside from all of the other HUB improvements, the company has been hard at work improving its app and website in this overhaul. Users can stand to benefit from a much more unified design that brings together the lodging options with the curated experiences. Along with this brand integration, the Mediterranean mainstay invites travelers to experience even more through immersive travel experiences. As a result, it inspires deeper stays and richer experiences.
Exploring Unique Experiences
The new “Experiences” feature is the star of the Summer Release update. This new component makes it easy for users to book activities such as guided tours, cooking classes, and more. Engage with the local culture and make powerful ties! In doing so, Airbnb’s diverse offering responds to the rising consumer desire for unique, local, multi-faceted travel experiences that exceed the expectations of standard accommodations.
This feature is popular with travelers, but it gives hosts another way to earn money — something people in the Airbnb economy appreciate. This is an incredible opportunity for local hosts to share their special skills, knowledge and experiences by offering fun and interesting activities, creating future tourism flows to their communities. To counteract this perception, Airbnb tries to portray itself as a friendly platform that works in the interest of hosts and travelers at the same time.
