Plus, smarter search, more flexible payment options, and expanded AI-powered customer support
Travel isn’t just about where you go—it’s about who you meet. But those connections often fade once the trip ends. That’s why we’re introducing new social features for Airbnb Experiences, to help you connect with other guests before, during and after your experience.
With searches for winter travel on the rise1, we’re also announcing new updates for guests and hosts in time for a busy holiday season, including:
- Smarter search and improved maps, to help you discover hidden gems
- A new way to pay with Reserve Now, Pay Later
- Expanded AI-powered customer support in more countries and languages
- More tools to help hosts manage their calendar and pricing
New social features for Airbnb Experiences
Airbnb Experiences are designed to be as much about the people as the activity. Now, we’re introducing new social features, so you can connect with other guests throughout your trip and long after.
- Who’s going – In a recent survey, more than 7 in 10 respondents said they would like to know more about other guests before booking an experience2. Now, before you book, we’ll show you guests who are already going on that experience, along with where they’re from.3
- Direct messaging – Forget to swap contact info? You can request to directly message guests you first met during an experience to stay in touch or even plan your next experience together, all right in the app.
- Connections in profile – Now, in the Connections section of your Airbnb Profile tab, you can see the people you’ve met on your experiences, making it easy to reconnect with them.
You can enjoy these new social features while staying in control of what you share with new people. For each experience, you can choose to share your profile, giving you clear and simple control over who can message you and how you’re displayed in other guests’ Connections.
Smarter ways to search and more ways to pay
We’re making it easier to discover great places to stay and pay in a way that works for you.
- Flexible carousels – When you’re searching for your stay, you’ll now see more options for homes just outside of your search criteria. For example, we’ll show homes with similar prices, different amenities or stays in nearby cities for less, helping you discover great options you might have otherwise missed.4
- Improved maps – Maps now let you easily filter for nearby landmarks, attractions, restaurants and more. Tap on any point of interest to see a summary and how far it is from the home in your search—or from the place you already booked. Later this year, see different map views, including satellite, street, and transit, based on your preference.
- Reserve Now, Pay Later – With Reserve Now, Pay Later, guests have the option to reserve an eligible stay and pay $0 upfront. We launched this in the US earlier this year, and starting next year, it will be available worldwide for both domestic and international trips.5
Expanded AI-powered customer support
Our AI assistant is getting even better with smarter responses and support in more places for guests and hosts.6
- More languages, more countries – The assistant will be available in English, Spanish and French, for users in the US, Mexico and Canada.
- Smarter answers – The assistant can recognize you7, your reservation, or your listing and provide quicker, more tailored responses.
- Built-in actions – The assistant will let you take actions right in the chat, with interactive cards for common tasks like cancelling a reservation or changing dates.
Upgrades for hosts
We’re also rolling out highly-requested features to give hosts more flexibility and insight.
- Dynamic cancellation policies – Set different cancellation policies for specific dates—like holidays or off-peak seasons8.
- Improved price tips – View price tips for dates up to a year in advance and adopt all tips in just one tap.9
- Updated earnings dashboard – Starting next year, view earnings trends year-over-year and compare seasonal performance in an all new tab.10
Taken from: https://news.airbnb.com/introducing-social-features-for-airbnb-experiences/