Airbnb to introduce 'Experiences’...

Expansion comes as company cuts more than 200,000 listings that failed to meet guests’ expectations

Airbnb Icons, a new category of “extraordinary experiences”, which launched in May 2024, is to be introduced worldwide.

The US home-sharing firm revealed the move to expand Airbnb’s brand positioning “beyond travel accommodations”, saying the Icons offering will be critical as the company expands in the coming years.

“Icons take you inside worlds that only existed in your imagination – until now,” said Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO. “As life becomes increasingly digital, we’re focused on bringing more magic into the real world. With Icons, we’ve created the most extraordinary experiences on Earth.”

Past limited edition Experiences have included spending the night in the clock room at the Musée d’Orsay (pictured) in Paris, France, and a stay in the Up house, a detailed re-creation of one of Disney and Pixar’s most iconic homes, which floats. Made with more than 8,000 balloons, the accommodation is located in the scenic red rocks of Abiquiu, New Mexico.

Airbnb's second quarter results saw net profits fall to US$555 million from US$650 million in the same period last year, despite revenue rising 11% to US$2.75 billion.

Chesky added: “We had another strong quarter at Airbnb, closing out Q2 with more than US$1 billion in free cash flow and more than 8 million listings globally. I’m proud of our results and the quality that our platform continues to deliver for hosts and guests around the world.”

Airbnb surpassed eight million active listings in the last quarter driven by continued growth across all regions and market types.

"We’re not just growing supply; we’re committed to ensuring it’s high quality. As part of this commitment, since we launched our updated hosting quality system in April 2023, we’ve removed more than 200,000 listings that failed to meet our guests’ expectations to ensure we consistently deliver high-quality stays,” a company spokesperson added.

For more information, visit www.airbnb.ae

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