What they’re saying: The Airbnb 2021 Winter Release

Yesterday, we introduced the Airbnb 2021 Winter Release, with an additional 50+ upgrades that make it easier to host and support the changing needs of travelers. 

The world is undergoing a revolution in how we live and work. Technologies like Zoom make it possible to work from home. Airbnb makes it possible to work from any home. This newfound flexibility is bringing about a revolution in how we travel. Millions of people can now take more frequent trips, longer trips, travel to more locations, and even live anywhere on Airbnb. 

There are nearly 6 million Airbnb listings in more than 220 countries and regions around the world, and every day, we work to better serve our global community of Hosts and guests. Some of the features we introduced include: 

• AirCover – Top-to-bottom protection. Free for every Host. Only on Airbnb.
• Translation Engine – The most advanced translation technology ever offered to our community.
• Accessibility Review – Every accessibility feature is reviewed for 100% accuracy.
• I’m (even more) Flexible – Search for more unique homes up to 12 months in advance.
• Verified Wifi – Our new speed test tool verifies the speed of the wifi in a listing. 
• Smarter Trips Tab – A redesigned Trips tab with all your must-have travel details.
• Ask a Superhost Expansion – Connects new Hosts to a Superhost in their area for 1:1 help. 

Here’s what people are saying about these new innovations:

Reuters: “The features, aimed at rising cross-border travel and longer stays, will help Airbnb further capitalize on a pandemic-driven shift in consumer preference towards non-urban destinations and alternative accommodations.” 

USA Today: “Airbnb is making it easier for international travelers to book their stays just as the U.S. reopens its borders to foreign travelers. The short-term rental platform is introducing a translation engine that will automatically translate reviews and listing descriptions in over 60 languages. The feature is set to launch before the end of the year.”

Forbes: “As the pandemic made remote workers out of millions of Americans, few companies have been able to capitalize on the collective mind shift like Airbnb. Today the company announced a slew of new features that indicate it believes the trend is sticking around, perhaps for good.”

TechCrunch: “AirCover is actually a pretty huge deal in that it expands beyond Host Protection, which covered the structure of the home but not the property inside of it. AirCover covers most of the goods in the home, with several exclusions like fine art, currency, automobiles and other vehicles like boats and jets, weapons, security cameras and precious metals and/or jewelry.”