From tree houses to houseboats, airstreams and igloos, there is a growing trend of travellers opting to stay in unique accommodation that will give them an immersive local experience. We ask Jia Jih Chai, Managing Director Southeast Asia & India for Airbnb, what’s up with this.
Jia Jih Chai, Airbnb
What trends are you seeing today in how people are travelling?
Vacations are no longer just about the destination. Travellers today want more from a globetrotting getaway than just a pampering break or shopping spree. As travellers increasingly look at how they can best immerse in the culture and soul of a destination, they are also beginning to seek out unusual spaces. Ultimately what travellers are looking for these days is to truly experience a destination like a local – and what better way to do it than in the home of a local?
At Airbnb, we are seeing a growing trend of travellers opting to stay in unique listings such as tree houses, houseboats, airstreams and igloos, from countries like The Netherlands and the United States, to areas such as the Rhône-Alpes in France and Kühtai in Austria. All these offer so much more than just a place to sleep in. In fact, our most popular property ever is a tree house in California called the Mushroom Dome, which was initially built by the owners for their kids but put up for rent on Airbnb when they grew up. Thanks to their ingenious idea, now everyone can turn their childhood fantasies into reality!
Igloo in la Plagne, France
Tell us about the business story behind Airbnb?
Airbnb started in 2008, when two of our founders, Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky, were struggling to pay their rent having just moved to San Francisco. As there was a design conference coming to the city and all hotel rooms were fully booked, they came up with the idea of renting out three airbeds on their living room floor and cooking their guests breakfast. At the end of the conference, they they hadn’t just made money – they had made friends. Both Joe and Brian started to realise how a website that helped rent existing assets was a perfect idea. Enlisting the help of Joe’s former flatmate Nathan Blecharczyk to develop the website, this sparked the beginning of what is now Airbnb.
Today, travellers all over the world have access to an enormous array of unique accommodation via Airbnb. Ranging from entire apartments and private guest rooms, to fairytale-like castles, boats, and even tree houses – these listings are available in more than 35,000 cities in 190 countries.
Indeed, the core of Airbnb is about sharing, which is also how the term ‘sharing economy’ was coined. We are going beyond just being an accommodation provider, to creating personal connections and meaningful experiences for both hosts and guests alike. Ultimately, we’re helping people to be more resourceful with the space they already have and we’re connecting people around the world.
How is Airbnb offering the chance to experience destinations like a local?
We recently launched the ‘Views’ campaign with the aim of showing that you can have an exceptional vacation and experience a destination like a local. In fact, we do expect quirky accommodation types to ride high on travellers’ agendas as we move into 2015, as people increasingly tend towards unique spaces that are off the beaten track.
Igloo, Austria
Does this mean hotels will have to change their strategies to remain relevant?
It’s difficult for us to say what hotels may or may not do in the future. But we do see that travellers are more and more looking not only for value but also for unique experiences when they decide to take a trip. Guests appreciate feeling like a local and belonging in a “home away from home” instead of feeling like a tourist.
It’s all about mobile now. What’s Airbnb doing to cater to travellers on the go?
At Airbnb, we are always innovating and finding ways to make both the guest and host experience even more seamless and delightful. This is especially true in the case of our mobile apps, which is proving to be an increasingly popular way for our customers to get inspired, book and plan their travel experiences on the go.
The Airbnb mobile app provides customers with accommodation at their fingertips. It’s extremely easy to use and very heavy on pictures allowing travellers to quickly select a listing, book and pay for it instantly via a secure platform. They are also perfect for last minute bookings, a trend that is fast gaining popularity around the world. The app allows hosts and guests to check their itinerary, communicate with each other, and locate their listing.
It’s notoriously difficult to find a job in Airbnb. Any tips?
Culture is incredibly important to us at Airbnb. We strongly believe in the importance of hiring people for how they fit into the unique culture that we have built, not just for experience or skill sets alone.
Of course, we do have a laundry list of qualities we look out for, and at the top of that list is a tangible passion for transforming the travel industry. What we do is about connecting people around the world. Our mission is to help people feel like they can belong anywhere, and we want to hire people who are excited about that mission in order to propel the company forward.
Before we go – what is your favourite travel destination and why?
My personal favourite is Bali. The island has so many sides to it that you can make multiple trips and feel like you’ve visited a different destination each time. From the cultural village of Ubud to the stunning cliffsides of Uluwatu, there’s just so much to explore. To top it off, Balinese cuisine is amazing!
Thanks Jia Jih!
Top image: Vintage Airstream, Austin, TX from GypsyYaya.com