Airbnb as an everything platform

During its its third quarter earnings call in early November, Airbnb shared some early results of its experiences and services launches. At the time, the company said almost half of those booked were not related to an accommodation booking. Meanwhile, 10% of those who booked a service—think massages and private chefs—were totally new to the platform.  Airbnb is “super encouraged” by those results, chief business officer Dave Stephenson said during an interview in the PhocusWire studio at The Phocuswright Conference 2025. They not only reveal demand for the new business lines but also that the platform can be seen for more than just short-term rentals, he said.  The company's recent marketing initiatives have also been aligned with the launches and communicating the message that users can get more than just an Airbnb rental from the platform. “It’s not just about the home. It’s really about the trip. It’s about all the experiences that you can have in the community that that you're traveling to. We want these authentic experiences, these authentic stays to get to a sense of the place. So that's where you're seeing our advertising kind of expanding the definition of what it means to be in an Airbnb,” Stephenson said. He went on to discuss how the company rebuilt its technology stack to enable the sale of services and experiences and allow for the onboarding of different service providers with their own requirements.All episodes: https://www.phocuswire.com/in-phocusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.