Airbnb today announced new features to help users connect with other travelers while participating in the same activities. The company has also improved your search by suggesting properties you might have missed due to filters, and redesigned the map view to let you search for nearby landmarks, attractions, restaurants, and other places of interest.
Earlier this year, Airbnb launched “Experiences,” activities that travelers can book and enjoy with other travelers, such as cooking classes and guided tours. At the time, the company hinted that the Airbnb app was leaning toward facilitating connections with other travelers. The company is currently releasing several features in that direction.
First, when you book an experience, you’ll see the names and hometowns of other people participating in the same experience. After the event ends, you can send message requests with others you met during the experience, then exchange photos and make further plans through the app’s chat feature. A new (Connections) tab on a user’s profile will also show the people they’ve met.
Airbnb said it is careful about privacy and the app gives you full control over sharing your information with others. When you book an experience, you’ll see a pop-up asking if you want to share your profile photo, name, and hometown. If you decline, the app will default to a “do not share” setting, and other users will only see the photos and initials you choose to share.
The company added that you can always block and report other users if you feel uncomfortable, and that the community team will review your report. Additionally, you can delete the connection even after accepting the request.
The company teased these features during its summer release in May with the goal of increasing interaction between users and increasing bookings for both properties and experiences. However, the moderation issues faced by chat-based social platforms must be addressed.
Improved search functionality and expanded AI assistant
As part of its winter release, the company is introducing a new search experience that shows properties just outside of a user’s search criteria. To accomplish this, the company will display three new types of scrollable lists (called carousels) in search results. The first one will show you properties that may be just outside your selected price range. The second property displays properties that may not have some of the amenities you selected, such as a pool. Third, it will show you properties in nearby locations that match your criteria.
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The company says it has observed that users often change their search parameters to consider different properties or book properties outside of their original constraints. This new search experience actively displays some of these properties.
Airbnb is also improving the map view, which now shows points of interest around you, such as landmarks, tourist attractions, and restaurants. Tap on any of these locations to see a description and distance from your rental property or location you’re considering. This could possibly be a new move to get people to use Airbnb more even while traveling.
The travel tech company announced earlier this year that it was rolling out an AI-powered assistant for customer service in the United States. With this release, the bot will expand to Mexico and Canada and will support English, Spanish, and French.
The company says the Assistant will now provide more detailed answers based on your profile, history, and reservations. Additionally, the app now provides users with quick action cards within chat for tasks like canceling or changing dates.
