Airbnb expanding travel services

Airbnb is pressing ahead with plans to expand into new travel services including restaurant reservations and city tours, transforming the company from a single-minded home-rental service to a multipurpose trip planner, Bloomberg reported.

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The company is testing a standalone mobile app for finding and organising travel plans, highlighting the importance of the initiative to the company.

A test version of the software is called Airbnb Trips, according to an Android app listing on the Google Play Store. The app offers access to personal itineraries with information about upcoming Airbnb rentals, city guidebooks, dining and happy-hour events.

A person familiar with the matter said the app’s name and features could change before its release.
Offering local services could help Airbnb differentiate itself from HomeAway, VRBO and other room-booking websites, according to Bloomberg. Airbnb hopes to provide a more personalised touch akin to a hotel concierge.

Bloomberg reported in March that Airbnb has referred internally to the initiative, including plans to sell add-on services, as “magical trips” and that it’s one of the company’s top priorities for 2016.
Airbnb is expected to unveil the new trips app at its annual conference in November.