SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Airbnb said Wednesday it is overhauling the way that consumers search for rental listings, adding dozens of categories including “chef’s kitchens” and “historical homes” to its current listings, which are mostly searched by location.
The company will also let people book split stays between homes and it promised new protections for renters when listings fall short of advertised promises.
Airbnb said the changes will help people find listings that they didn’t know existed before and in locations that they had not considered, taking pressure off overtourism in popular destinations.
CEO Brian Chesky called it the biggest change to the company’s site in a decade.
The changes are being rolled out this week, in time for what Airbnb predicts will be a strong summer season for rentals. Last week, the company forecast that second-quarter revenue would exceed $2 billion, above analysts’ previous expectations. Nights and experiences booked in the first quarter topped 100 million for the first time in the company’s history.