Airbnb，从订房平台到生活方式策划者

2022 年Airbnb做了一次重大的策略改变，除了原本的住宿服务之外，它开始强调打造目的地体验，从豪宅泳池别墅到超现实主义建筑。

上周，Airbnb 又正式推出两个新服务，Airbnb Services，Airbnb Experience。其中Airbnb Experience在COVID期间因为旅行受到限制，当时一度成为线上最火红的项目，不过这次重新升级，让Airbnb的体验更加全面。如果你去Airbnb的网站的话，你可以看到它最近重新update的界面。

那么什么是 Airbnb Services？简单来说，Services 涵盖了你在预订民宿之外，可能还想一并安排的各种服务，比如：专业摄影、美甲、按摩、水疗、私教、私人厨师，甚至是整套定制的用餐体验。这些服务的应用场景包括婚礼、朋友周末聚会，甚至是公司团建——Airbnb 想做的不只是住宿预订平台，而是你活动的整体策划者。

那么Airbnb Experiences 正如它的名字，就是注重体验。这些由旅游当地人主导的活动包括地标徒步导览、烹饪课程、购物体验等，而且也包括了利用明星效应的 Airbnb Originals，例如和流行歌手 Sabrina Carpenter 一起化妆拍照的一日体验，与著名橄榄球明星Patrick Mahomes一起度过周日的下午等。

为了整合这些新功能，Airbnb 在 网站里新增了“Services”和“Experiences”两个独立入口，放在原有的“Homes（房源）”选项旁边。对于已经预订住宿的用户来说，更新后的 网站 会为他们提供其他的服务，把住宿、服务与体验整合成一个打包行程。另外用户在预订完住所后，Airbnb 也会推荐配套的服务和体验项目。

我个人觉得Airbnb 这次推出 Services 和重新强化 Experiences 的策略，其实非常聪明。

首先他们进入了更加高利润赛道。Airbnb 原本的核心业务是“住宿”，但这个市场已经相对成熟，增长放缓，而且平台抽成空间有限。但婚礼、私厨、按摩、摄影这些“服务类项目”利润率更高，而且用户也更愿意为“个性化”或“定制化”服务花钱。因此通过把 Experiences 推向首页，并结合 Services，Airbnb 正在把收入来源从“住宿”向“非住宿”扩展，正在悄悄地转型为活动策划者，而不仅仅是一个度假的app，想象一下，这个改变让Airbnb的未来发展创造了无限的想象。即使像我住在多伦多的人，也可以去他们的网站，去查查Airbnb独家的体验活动。

美国人平均每次度假花费约为 2800 美元，而一场婚礼的平均花费是 3.3 万美元。从前，你几乎难以想象在 Airbnb 上预订一场包括造型、美食与娱乐在内的完整婚礼。但现在，这一切都似乎变得有可能了。

第二，就是可以增强用户粘性，一站式搞定旅行。从前订房在 Airbnb、订活动在 Klook、订私厨在别的平台，对顾客来说，十分的分散。但现在 Airbnb 把它们整合到一个 App 里，不仅让用户更省心，还大大延长了用户在平台上的停留时间和触点。用户不再只是“上来订房”，而是把整趟行程都交给 Airbnb 打理。从商业角度看，这是典型的提升顾客的life long attachment.

第三，从“被动搜索”转为“主动种草”。传统订房是用户先有目的地，然后去 Airbnb 搜房源。但现在 Airbnb 可以反过来：先通过特别的服务或体验吸引用户兴趣（例如去住一晚透明玻璃屋 + 星空晚餐），再带动住宿和其他项目的消费。也就是说，它正在朝Instagram的方向走，逐渐变为一个以内容为驱动的平台，不再只是个订房工具。

第四，就是 顺应消费者趋势。现代人越来越重视“体验”和“纪念感”，结婚、生日、团建、短途旅行都希望留下特别的记忆。Airbnb 把自己定位为“特殊体验的策划者”，抓住的正是消费者心理上的升级需求。此外，Z 世代和千禧一代用户更愿意为“有趣的事”花钱，而不是只花在住宿、交通等功能性消费上。Airbnb 的升级正好顺应了这一代用户的消费偏好。

最后，我觉得也是Airbnb最聪明的一点，就是用最小成本带来新收入。这个新的策略不需要Airbnb 自己去开水疗店、雇厨师或租导游。它只是搭建平台，让房东、service vendors一起分工合作。这种开放式的模式，可以在不大幅增加成本的前提下扩展服务内容，实现营业额的增长。

总结一下，Airbnb 用“体验”和“服务”把自己从一个订房工具变成了生活方式平台，不仅提高了赚钱能力，也更贴近现代消费者的需求，这的确是一种既顺势又前瞻的聪明战略。

Beyond Beds: How Airbnb Is Expanding Into Experiences and Services

In 2022, Airbnb made a major strategic shift. Beyond offering just accommodation, it began to highlight “destination experiences”, from luxurious villas with pools to surrealist homes. The idea was to make the place you stay just as exciting as the trip itself.

Last week, Airbnb took things a step further by launching two new offerings - Airbnb Services and a revamped version of Airbnb Experiences. Airbnb Experiences was initially launched in 2016 and became especially popular during the COVID lockdowns, when people were seeking unique online experiences. Now, it's being relaunched with a broader scope and deeper integration. If you visit Airbnb’s website today, you’ll notice a newly updated interface reflecting these changes.

So, what exactly is Airbnb Services? In short, it's everything you might want in addition to your accommodation - professional photography, manicures, massages, spa treatments, personal trainers, private chefs, even fully customized dining experiences. These offerings are ideal for events like weddings, weekend getaways with friends, or corporate retreats. Airbnb isn’t just positioning itself as a booking platform anymore, it wants to become the planner of your entire experience.

As for Airbnb Experiences, just like the name suggests, it's all about what you can do while traveling. These locally hosted experiences include walking tours, cooking classes, and shopping trips. And now, Airbnb is stepping things up with Airbnb Originals, celebrity-powered experiences like a glam day with pop star Sabrina Carpenter or spending a Sunday afternoon with football star Patrick Mahomes.

To support all these new features, Airbnb has added “Services” and “Experiences” as two standalone tabs right next to “Homes” on the homepage. For users who’ve already booked a stay, the updated interface offers a full trip timeline that integrates their accommodation, activities, and services into one seamless itinerary. And after booking a stay, Airbnb will now suggest personalized services and experiences to go with it.

So, why do I think this is a smart move by Airbnb？

Entering a higher-margin market.

Airbnb’s original business, accommodation, is now mature, growth has slowed, and commission rates are capped. But services like weddings, private chefs, massage, and photography have much higher margins, and people are more willing to pay for customized or personalized experiences. So by promoting Experiences and integrating Services, Airbnb is gradually expanding its revenue streams beyond just lodging. It’s quietly transforming into an event planner, not just a vacation app. This opens up huge growth potential. Even for someone like me living in Toronto, I can now browse exclusive Airbnb experiences nearby. (Here’s a screenshot I took from the site.)

To give you some numbers - The average American vacation costs around $2,800, while the average wedding costs $33,000. It used to be unthinkable to book a wedding, complete with beauty, catering, and entertainment, on Airbnb. But now, it’s entirely within reach.

Boosting customer stickiness with one-stop planning

Previously, people booked lodging on Airbnb, activities on Klook, and private chefs elsewhere, it was all too fragmented. Now, Airbnb bundles it all in one app, making the process easier for users and increasing the time and engagement spent on the platform. People are no longer just “booking a place to stay”, they’re entrusting Airbnb with the entire trip. From a business perspective, this is a textbook case of increasing the customer’s lifetime value.

Shifting from passive search to active discovery

Traditionally, users picked a destination and then searched Airbnb for places to stay. Now, it’s reversed: Airbnb can inspire users with unique experiences first, like a transparent dome + stargazing dinner, and then upsell them on lodging and services. Airbnb is becoming more like Instagram, driven by content and discovery, rather than just being a booking tool.

Tapping into modern consumer trends

People today value experiences and memories more than ever. Whether it’s a wedding, birthday, team offsite, or weekend trip, people want something special and memorable. Airbnb’s new identity as a curator of unique experiences fits perfectly with this emotional shift. Gen Z and millennials especially are more willing to spend on “fun” and “meaningful” moments, not just on basic necessities like hotels or transport. This update aligns perfectly with how this generation likes to spend.

Low-cost, high-return strategy

Perhaps the smartest part of this strategy is that it doesn’t require Airbnb to build spas, hire chefs, or run tours itself. Airbnb just builds the platform and lets hosts and vendors collaborate. It’s an open model that allows the company to expand its offerings without significantly increasing costs, and grow revenue without heavy capital investment.

In summary

By adding experiences and services, Airbnb is evolving from a booking tool into a lifestyle platform. It’s a move that doesn’t just increase profitability, but also brings the brand closer to modern consumer needs. This is a strategy that’s both timely and forward-thinking, and, in my view, a very smart one.