Airbnb has announced its expansion into the hotel sector, according to co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky, speaking with stock market analysts following the company’s Q2 2025 results.
Airbnb has already had a presence in the hotel market through its acquisition of HotelTonight in 2019. Chesky noted that many independent hotels and B&Bs, especially in Europe, view partnering with the platform positively as a way to attract new travelers.
“Homes will remain the ‘heart and soul’ of Airbnb, but hotels can serve as a complementary option,” he said.
Another piece of news Chesky revealed is that users have responded positively to the new “Services” and “Experiences” categories introduced in Airbnb’s summer upgrade in May 2025, despite initial pushback from some property owners.
According to Chesky, the response was “overwhelmingly positive,” with user ratings averaging 4.89 out of 5 stars — even higher than accommodations, which average 4.8.
During the analyst call, Chesky explained that Airbnb applies stricter quality checks for experiences and services compared to homes:
“We verify the identities and credentials of all experience providers, something we don’t do for all homes. The result? Experiences have an average rating above 4.93,” he said.
Strong Appeal and Increased Awareness
For years, Airbnb faced the issue that many users didn’t know about Airbnb Experiences, but the new presentation was a communications success, with over 13,000 media mentions and 660 million impressions on social media. In addition, the redesigned homepage increased user interaction with both experiences and accommodations.
Another important finding is the strength of local demand: about 1 in 10 service bookings come from people who are not staying in an Airbnb property but live or are staying nearby, opening new market opportunities.
“Imagine how many people want a chef or a massage therapist at their home without traveling. There’s a huge opportunity here,” the CEO commented.
New Travel Behaviors and Sales Strategies
According to Chesky, there is a behavioral shift, with more users browsing Airbnb’s homepage without a specific destination in mind, similar to how people use platforms like Netflix or DoorDash.
This allows Airbnb to direct demand to areas with available accommodations and improve conversion rates. Additionally, travelers are using the app more actively during their trips, especially the Trip Tab, which contains their itinerary — a key point for cross-selling services and experiences, even at the last minute.
“If we achieve active app usage during the trip, we can sell more — not just homes but also experiences and services,” Chesky noted, emphasizing this as a competitive advantage that other online travel platforms have not yet achieved.
AI and a Loyalty Program
Airbnb aims to become an AI-first platform, with artificial intelligence primarily used for customer service. The company’s virtual assistant, launched in the U.S., has already led to a 15% reduction in human support requests. Over the next year, it will be available in more languages and integrated into travel search.
When asked about a potential loyalty program, Chesky acknowledged that the lack of one might be a disadvantage:
“If we do something, it won’t be a traditional points program but something more innovative. It’s not an immediate priority, but it will come in the future.”
At a regional level, Airbnb highlighted strong performance in Germany, Brazil (with over 20% growth in new users), and Japan, where increased domestic demand drove a 15% rise in first-time users.
