A new area of Airbnb Inc.’s app and website, which allows homeowners to use other hosts to control their rentals, was added, underscoring a wider push to increase listings and draw more users to the platform.
The idea is that visitors who may not have the time or inclination to get hands-on can give preapproved” co-hosts” on the platform to assist with setting up, furnishing, or managing their orders and friends.  , Airbnb , has already received software from would-be co-hosts, whom the company doctors based on requirements indicating a strong track record, such as the amount of keeps they’ve hosted, ratings from guests and small withdrawal rates.
A co-host can offer as many as 10 different types of services, with various payment options that include, say, charging a one-time charge for setting up a list website, or a portion of a reservation for day-to-day help. The fresh” co-host system” is launching in 10 states including the , U. S.,  , Canada,  , UK,  , France,  , Spain , and , Brazil, the firm said on Wednesday. It already has 10, 000 co-hosts to began, with an ordinary score of 4.86 out of 5.
Investors are anxious for details about new app features that , Airbnb , has said may offer new opportunities for profit growth, which has slowed following an initial post-pandemic travel boom. On that measurement, analysts estimate mild, single-digit benefits in the second quarter, according to Bloomberg-compiled estimations.
Airbnb , does not get a fee when it connects guests, the company said.
” It’s this great good wheel that benefits , Airbnb , overall, so there’s no need to take an additional slice”, Chief Business Officer , Dave Stephenson , said in an appointment ahead of the transfer. ” What we’ll do is benefit by having more people stay in , Airbnb , because they’re going to all have more better stays”.
Shares of , Airbnb , closed at$ 135.15, up 1.4 %, after earlier in the session jumping as much as 3.1 %.
As part of its product launch on Wednesday,  , Airbnb , also showed off listing highlights that change depending on what a traveler is searching for. In order to make it easier to find properties with their preferred amenities, the company also introduced new personalized search filters for guests who were inspired by their previous stays. With a goal of almost double the number of options by spring 2025, it also reduced the number of options available on the hotel checkout page to almost 40. Additionally, it increased the number of local payment options in various countries. These smaller adjustments will have “additive and accretive over time,” according to Stephenson.
Chief Executive Officer , Brian Chesky , previously told investors that the company will next year re-start its Experiences business for tours, classes and workshops, with better marketing and more affordable prices. Additionally, the company has made more investments in developing nations with less mature markets, including the launch of limited-edition residences inspired by local cultural icons. Additionally, Stephenson has teased new guest-related services for next year, such as personal chefs, midweek cleaning and in-home massages.
But it will take time for , Airbnb , to see a return on these investments. As the business expands into new regions and adds services beyond its core offering of home rentals, which will likely weigh on margins in the near future, the company has stated it expects marketing expenses to grow faster than revenue in the third quarter.
These new initiatives “might not be the answer to reinvigorate the core top line” as novel features” will take time to ramp up”, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst , Mandeep Singh , wrote in an , Aug. 9 , note.
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