Airbnb adds guidebooks to help you live like a local
Fortune Global Forum
Airbnb is doubling down on getting guests to live like locals and avoid tourist pitfalls.
In an announcement at Airbnb headquarters in San Francisco, CEO Brian Chesky revealed that the company will do more work matching guests to the hosts and neighborhoods that suit their personalities and interests.
No two people searching for a room in San Francisco will see the same results, Chesky said.
Airbnb is also launching guidebooks so that people know how to live locally when they arrive and can dodge the typical tourist traps.
In Chesky's crosshairs is mass tourism. That means going after the people who are standing in lines, riding Segway tours, or being disappointed when the pictures online are not what meets reality.
"You're usually doing something that locals would never do," Chesky said. "Tourism is safe, controlled, and it's predetermined."
To get people to live like locals, Airbnb is adding guidebooks, curated by local hosts, on the best spots to grab a coffee or get a drink.
Chesky also teased going "Beyond the Home" in November, a nod to the long-awaited "Trip Experiences" that could turn hosts into tour guides.
Airbnb has been experimenting with trip experiences for more than a year with hosts offering tours in Paris and San Francisco. Experiences on the website include a $49 three hour urban hike through San Francisco. A Parisian offers an off-the-beaten-path tour of Paris $31.
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