Airbnb’s Bold New Chapter: From Stays To Full-Service Travel

Airbnb, the platform once synonymous with booking homes and unique short-term stays, is broadening its horizons. With a major update in 2025, the company has launched Airbnb Services alongside a revamped Airbnb Experiences program, transforming the app into a one-stop travel platform that goes far beyond just securing a place to sleep. This strategic shift aims to offer travelers more of what they want—high-quality in-stay services and memorable activities—while opening up new revenue streams for local hosts and service professionals.

Historically, Airbnb’s core function was simple: connect travelers with hosts offering homes, apartments, and unique living spaces. This idea revolutionized travel over the past decade and a half, with the company facilitating billions of guest nights around the world. Now, Airbnb is taking inspiration from traditional hotel offerings and curated travel experiences to extend its value to users. As co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky put it, “Now you can Airbnb more than an Airbnb.”

At the heart of the update are two key additions: Airbnb Services and an enhanced Airbnb Experiences. Airbnb Services allows users to book professional services that can be delivered directly where they’re staying. These include private chefs who prepare custom meals, photographers for capturing travel memories, spa and massage treatments, personal trainers, hair and makeup professionals, and even full-service catering for special occasions. Initially launched in 260 cities, Services covers a broad range of categories with vetted experts to ensure high-quality offerings.

This approach mirrors amenities travellers often seek at hotels or resorts but brings them directly into the comfort of an Airbnb stay. It’s an attempt to combine the best aspects of traditional hospitality with the local, personalised feel that Airbnb is known for. In this way, Airbnb Services could appeal to guests seeking both convenience and the “wow” factor during their trips—whether they’re celebrating a special event or simply treating themselves on vacation.

Meanwhile, Airbnb Experiences has been relaunched with fresh energy. Unlike in earlier iterations of the program—where experiences ranged from cooking classes to walking tours but were sometimes inconsistent in quality—the updated version emphasises curated activities led by local experts. Travellers can now book cultural tours, outdoor adventures, wellness classes, and food experiences from hosts who offer insights into their cities that go beyond the typical tourist trail. These experiences are designed to deepen a traveller’s connection with their destination and provide authentic moments that traditional guidebooks might miss.

What makes this expansion particularly noteworthy is that guests don’t even have to book accommodation to use these services and experiences. Travellers can explore local tours or activities on Airbnb as standalone bookings, making the platform more flexible and versatile. This move positions Airbnb to compete more directly with other travel aggregators like TripAdvisor, Viator, and hotel concierge services, as well as lifestyle marketplaces that connect users with local professionals.

The refreshed platform also includes a redesigned app experience. Airbnb has rebuilt its app from the ground up to integrate stays, services, and experiences in a seamless booking flow. After booking a home, users are now presented with suggested services and experiences tailored to their destination, preferences, and travel companions. The app also offers itinerary suggestions and helps travellers plan activities around their check-in and check-out schedules, creating a more dynamic and personalised trip planning environment.

This evolution is not just cosmetic—it reflects Airbnb’s strategic aim to become an “everything” travel app. By keeping travellers engaged within its ecosystem for a greater portion of the trip planning and execution process, Airbnb increases customer loyalty and opens up more monetisation opportunities. For hosts and local providers, the expanded platform offers new ways to earn income. Instead of solely renting space, hosts and service providers can offer professional services or guided local experiences that elevate the travel experience.

For example, consider a guest staying in a serviced apartment from a provider like Corporate Keys, which specialises in fully furnished apartments for corporate travelers. These guests could use Airbnb Services to book a private chef to prepare meals after long project meetings, or purchase a wellness experience to unwind after work. This convergence of accommodation and curated services enhances the value proposition for business travellers and leisure guests alike.

Critically, the emphasis on quality and safety is part of Airbnb’s relaunch strategy. Service providers and experience hosts undergo verification processes aimed at quality control, and Airbnb claims that only trusted professionals with strong credentials and positive feedback are featured. This approach helps build traveller confidence in offerings that differ from the more open-ended marketplace model of earlier experiences.

In the broader context of travel industry trends, Airbnb’s initiative reflects growing demand for more personalised, local, and immersive travel offerings. Travellers increasingly seek experiences that go beyond sightseeing, wanting to engage with culture, food, people, and lifestyle in meaningful ways. By integrating services and experiences, Airbnb is betting that travellers will value convenience coupled with authenticity—keeping bookings and discovery within a single platform.

As Airbnb moves forward, its expanded platform represents both a challenge to traditional hospitality models and an opportunity to redefine how people travel. Whether guests are booking a weekend getaway, a business trip, or a long-planned vacation, Airbnb now offers tools to shape the entire journey—not just the place to stay