Not just stays: Airbnb adds chefs, spas, stylists and more to the app

Airbnb is reinventing travel once more. Back in 2008, the company disrupted travel by allowing travellers to book home stays online—just like hotels. Now, in 2025, it's aiming to become a travel super app by offering services such as chefs, massages, and makeup artists, all at the tap of a button. 

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In its 2025 Summer Release, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky announced that the online home-stay booking app has introduced 10 categories of services for travellers across 260 countries.

Patrons can now book a chef for hire, photography services, massage, spa treatments, personal training, hair, makeup, nails, prepared meals, and catering through the app, all without needing to reserve accommodation on Airbnb. 

“People choose hotels for their services. People choose Airbnbs for the space,” added Chesky. “Now, we’re giving you the best of both worlds—amazing homes with services that make them even more special.”

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Airbnb employs a thorough vetting process, permitting only service providers who possess verified licenses, certifications, and an average of 10 years of experience to join.

Although its entry-level services are priced at just $50 in the USA, the app’s service catalogue features chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants, award-winning photographers, and celebrity trainers as well. 

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By 2016, Airbnb had evolved beyond a simple accommodation booking app. It launched 'Airbnb Experiences', allowing patrons to book 500 experiences across 12 cities, featuring guided tours by locals and various cultural activities.

Recently, the app has also introduced 'Airbnb Original Experiences', including the Megan Thee Stallion ‘Otaku Hottie Quest’.

This experience offers fans an exclusive opportunity to participate in all the things that Stallion likes, including anime, gaming, and fashion. Some exclusive Airbnb Originals are available only through a lucky draw, while other experiences, such as a fashion consultation with celebrity stylist Jamie Mizrahi, are priced at Rs 51,345 per person. 

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Last May, Airbnb announced a lucky draw for the opportunity to 'Live like Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor'. This was the sole Indian experience featured in the Airbnb Originals. Although local experiences such as heritage walks and cultural activities are accessible to Indian patrons, no services are currently listed in India. 

India's short-term rental market is valued at $135 billion and is projected to grow by more than 10% annually until 2034. Financial Express reports that this rapid growth is primarily due to India's significantly lower number of hotels (2.6 hotels per 100,000 people) in comparison to the global average, which has made rentals a favoured alternative.

Airbnb, in particular, recorded a 30% year-on-year growth in India in 2024. Last May, Airbnb’s chief business officer Dave Stephenson said that India is the company's fastest-growing market in the world, with the potential to rank among its top 10 markets globally.

During a Bloomberg interview, CEO Chesky clarified that Airbnb has not yet explored advertising as a potential revenue stream. He considers this a significant and unavoidable opportunity. His current priority, however, is to establish Airbnb in the services and experiences market, as stakeholders view this as a more "perishable opportunity". 

This strategic sequencing allows the platform to first build a robust horizontal platform, making future advertising integrations more consequential.

By integrating services and experiences into its app, Airbnb aims to attract hotel-seeking travellers and boost its revenue per trip by encouraging users to book more than just accommodations.

CEO Chesky aims to access a significant new market by making his services and experiences attractive not only to travellers but also to locals.

Going forward, Airbnb also aims to empower service professionals to monetise their skills, passions, and expertise through this initiative. According to Chesky, the most significant untapped asset people possess “isn't their homes, but their time”. 

The app’s strategic pivot aligns with the global shift towards a service-based economy. Chesky also observes that, to date, there is no equivalent to Amazon for services, highlighting the lack of a leading platform similar to Airbnb that can streamline transactions within the service sector.

On its revamp trajectory, Airbnb also aims to tag AI along but without the pitfalls of rushing into AI adoption. While it is experimenting with AI-powered customer service, its focus will remain on practical application rather than transforming itself into an "AI lab". 

CEO Brian Chesky believes that Airbnb’s repositioning is appropriately timed as the travel industry booms with business.

“This is a very long-term bet that we're making over the next five years. And I think this will endure across any kind of economy. It's just good to remind people, Airbnb started during the Great Recession of 2008.”