The company is launching verified listings and adding new search filters to address criticisms.
A X ago , Airbnbseemed like it had recalibrated the entire travel diligence . You could book cheap rooms and flat in fresh urban center , and have theopportunity to meet locals . It feel like it was an opportunity to have a more unquestionable experience than what could be offered at cookie - cutter hotel . But over the year , it ’s felt as though the engagement program exchange . Far too many Airbnbs became business opportunities for the most annoying hoi polloi you go to high school with , and the appeal and the intimacy of the experience faded .
A quick browse of social culture medium support as much ; it is not rare to see people bemoan the cleanup fee and gamey costs of booking vacation rentals . Some people have gone so far as to hint that hotel are the salutary deal — you pay off one Leontyne Price and never have to call up about cleaning up after yourself . It ’s been such a cultural faulting thatThe Atlanticjust went long aboutthe obtrusive change . Writer Kate Lindsay draw a late Vermont Airbnb she stayed in as " units that list less ' cozy ski lodge ' and more ' IKEA exhibit room that has never known human ghost . ' "
To Airbnb ’s credit , it seems like the company is hear the charge and concerns . On Wednesday , Airbnb CEO Brian Cheskyposted to X(formerly Twitter ) about major change coming to the platform in reply to a sight of client direct in May 2023 .
Courtesy of Airbnb
That May survey found that the top suggestions for changes from customers were :
In the months after , Airbnb continued to tweaktheir coming to these top areas of headache . Since add a total display price to listings , the caller says 260,882 Airbnb listing have bring down or removed cleaning fees on the platform . On X , Chesky divvy up that 3 million listings on the platforms do n’t have cleaning fees at all . The chopine has over 7 million fighting listings , for context of use .
It ’s crucial to note here that these update to clean fee are n’t a complete overhaul of cleaning fee policies ; rather thetotal price displaynow make it harder for individual Baron Lister to hide outrageous cleaning fee that are only revealed during the checkout procedure .
Courtesy of Airbnb
Lower cleaning fees are n’t the only attempt Airbnb is trying to make the program more affordable — the political program attributes raw pricing shaft for hosts as part of the cause many are offer weekly and monthly discounts . And overall , Airbnb really wants to take home the breaker point that when it fare down to it , its listings are still cheap than book hotels on average .
" Against the background of increasing prices industry - wide , and with an average nightly rate of $ 127 in July 2023 , the average nightly terms of a one - bedroom listing on Airbnb is 1 pct lower than it was in July 2022 - while hotel prices have gone up 10 per centum to $ 163 over the same menstruation , " an Airbnb spokesperson share with Thrillist .
Earlier this week , Chesky announced a few additional raw features that have been long requested . Starting by and by this year , Airbnb will begin verify listings in its five most popular countries : the US , Canada , Australia , the UK , and France . Verified listings will start appearing in February . By fall 2024 , Airbnb design to start verifying itemisation in 30 countries . The company share that it has blocked over 157,000 phoney listings from being post on the platform this class , and bump off 59,000 fake list .
The other large changes on the platform are new search features and added filter for search . lead off this week , Airbnb will automatically display choice for similar date if search results for a specific prison term period are limited . Two unexampled filters will be added as well : the option for pet - well-disposed listing and listings with top executive - sized beds .
The company also partake in plans for continued improvements to its customer service , with more changes slated for November .
With all of these change , Airbnb does seem on track to address some of the public ’s criticisms . Even with all of the challenges presented in the past few twelvemonth , the weapons platform still has a patriotic customer base . But poor - term rental properties at orotund are accept somewhat of a reckoning at the moment — NYC just go through rigorous legislation on inadequate - condition rentals , and other cities are reportedly considering following suit .
The legislation — and some of the largest criticisms even out against holiday rentals — has less to do with how good they are for client , and everything to do with how bad they can be for locals . The forgetful - term rental thriftiness hascontributed to low-priced housing crisesin major cities , small town , andeverything in between . Unfortunately , that ’s an issue that new lookup filters probably wo n’t be able to address .
Still , with the travelling industry cover to blow up , the demand for affordable , more reliable cordial reception experiences is n’t likely to go anywhere . With the former batch of changes and updates from Airbnb , the society seems disposed to defend a strong foothold in the accommodations space .
Looking for more travel tips?
Whether you require helpsneaking weed onto a plane , finding an drome where you cansign up for PreCheck without an assignment , or making sure you ’re getting everything you ’re entitled towhen your escape is cancel , we ’ve got you covered . Keep read forup - to - date travel hacksandall the travel news you needto help you plan your next large adventure .
