After Airbnb Plus, Airbnb Adventures, the American group has just launched a new brand, Airbnb Luxury. This new platform allows the rental of unique properties for an unforgettable experience. From now on, a traveller can stay on a private atoll in Polynesia by booking via the Airbnb platform. This offer allows the group to diversify its target clientele and to target wealthy travelers in search of a tailor-made stay. Discover all the features of this new service.
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Airbnb, a platform created for 18-35 year olds
Originally, Airbnb was created to meet the expectations of the new generation of travelers, the 18-35 year olds. This generation is distinguished from other travelers by its thirst for travel, whether alone or with friends. Although they don’t have a lot of money, Generation Y goes out to discover new countries as soon as they can. In search of experiences and adventures, the new traveler likes to meet the locals and soak up their culture. That is why this traveller prefers to limit his spending on accommodation in order to organize more activities during his stay.
By offering accommodation rental between individuals, Airbnb has been able to identify the needs of the new generation of travelers. Via the community platform, a traveller can stay with a local resident anywhere in the world for a short or long stay. This alternative accommodation is generally cheaper than traditional hotel rooms and offers more freedom and autonomy to the traveller. The cost-sharing system is much appreciated by young people travelling with friends, they can directly divide the price of the reservation. Thanks to this platform, Airbnb targets Generation Y travelers looking for authenticity at attractive prices.
The offer proposed by Airbnb Luxe
Airbnb has just launched a new offer: Airbnb Luxury. In a few days, nearly 2000 top-of-the-range apartments have been available for rent all over the world. It is now possible to stay in a castle in Touraine or in a historic villa in Tuscany. The properties have been selected in collaboration with Luxury Retreats, the expert in personalized travel. These homes meet more than 300 criteria (available equipment, design, materials used, etc.). On average, a night costs $2,000 compared to $150 for a rental offered on the original platform.
The objective of this new service is to offer exceptional accommodation for a unique experience. When a traveller books a property via Airbnb Luxury, they benefit from a private assistant available 7 days a week. The latter is responsible for providing a tailor-made and unique stay. He is in charge of providing personalised services according to the client’s requests: sports coach, babysitter, private chef at home… A true personal travel agent, he will provide the traveller with an unforgettable stay.
Airbnb’s ambition
Through the launch of Airbnb Luxury, the American company is targeting a whole new type of clientele: high-net-worth travelers. It must be said that the company has seen a real demand for this type of housing. In 2018, bookings of “luxury” properties (at over $1,000 per night) increased by 60%. Airbnb quickly noticed that the current housing on the market did not meet all the criteria of this golden clientele. That’s why the brand saw strong potential for Airbnb Luxury.
In 2018, the brand made its entry into the high-end market with the launch of Airbnb Plus, a platform offering premium accommodation rentals. But today the group is going even further up-market with Airbnb Luxe. The launch of this new service demonstrates the group’s desire to broaden its target audience by offering services adapted to different types of travellers.
With the creation of Airbnb Luxe, the group intends to make its mark on the luxury market. Today, the offer for this type of housing is not yet very developed. Last May, Marriott launched Homes & Villas in order to appeal to wealthy travelers with multiple requirements. The platform operates on the same principle as Airbnb Luxury: the rental of a top-of-the-range property with concierge services. Although Airbnb was originally aimed at a clientele with limited budgets, the American company now intends to compete with the luxury hotel giant, Marriott.
