Airbnb to offer in-house chefs and massages in new-look app
Airbnb says users will now be able to book luxury services like personal trainers, massages and chefs on its redesigned app as it continues to expand beyond its core short-term rentals business."People choose hotels for their services. People choose Airbnbs for the space... now, we're giving you the best of both worlds", the company's chief executive Brian Chesky said in a statement. It comes just weeks after the firm signalled bookings may slow in the US as President Trump's unpredictable trade policies hit consumer sentiment.Despite hosting more than two billion guests since its launch in 2008, Airbnb has also faced challenges in recent years with some cities moving to ban short-term lets.
Airbnb's new services will initially be available in 260 cities, with the company saying they will cost from below $50 (£37.57).The luxury offerings, which include spa treatments, photographers and makeup artists, can also be booked by people who are not staying in Airbnbs. The company's revamped app also includes an updated experiences tab, allowing users to book bespoke tours and activities. That service was first launched in 2016. The new hotel-like features reflect the changing needs of tourists, Gary Bowerman, director of travel marketing firm Check-in Asia told the BBC."Travellers are now thinking much more about how to customise the trip for themselves, not just the actual functional parts of how they get there and where they stay."Another feature of the new app is an originals tab, which offers exclusive experiences across the world.This includes playing beach volleyball in Rio de Janeiro with Olympian Carol Solberg or spending a Sunday with National Football League superstar Patrick Mahomes.Bespoke options like this are part of a wider trend as tourists seek out off-the-beaten path experiences, said luxury travel consultant Anastasia Oriordan. "There are so many people that have travelled and done so many things, that the benchmark or the goalpost for unique experiences is constantly moving."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
FIFA 'close stadium sections' after slashing ticket prices for Club World Cup - as governing body offers special deal for fans to watch Lionel Messi
FIFA have reportedly closed sections of stadiums for some Club World Cup matches due to a lack of ticket sales, after the governing body reduced prices for the competition. The revamped and expanded tournament will kick off in the United States on Sunday June 15, with Al Ahly taking on Inter Miami in the tournament's opening match. There have been concerns that the first game, which features Lionel Messi 's Inter Miami, will be met by thousands of empty seats. Thousands of tickets have been left unsold for the game, which will be played at the Hard Rock Stadium - a ground that have a capacity of 65,326. Earlier this month it was reported that sales for the match had been as low as 20,000, but FIFA denied the estimate. Tickets for the tournament have been sold under a dynamic pricing model, which sees prices determined by demand, and lowering costs indicate FIFA is struggling to sell them. The Athletic reported that the cheapest seat was priced at $349 (£257) following the draw in December, but tickets have been listed at $67 (£50) on FIFA's official ticketing partner Ticketmaster. The outlet reported that FIFA have also offered a deal to Miami Dade College in their bid to fill the stadium for the tournament's opening match. The governing body had launched a partnership with the college last year, offering the chance for students to intern at their Miami office. FIFA have now reportedly offered a promotion which will provide 'up to four complimentary tickets to the opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup with the purchase of one ticket at the reduced student price of $20'. The offer effectively sees some tickets to watch Messi and Inter Miami on Sunday be priced at $4 (£2.90). The Hard Rock Stadium is set to host eight matches of the expanded competition. The Associated Press reported that the upper levels for certain matches at Seattle's Lumen Field and Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field were no longer available. Links to a smattering of resale tickets in those sections did not work. A person with knowledge of the situation said some sections of Lumen Field in Seattle had been closed, but did not offer details. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak on the record. In Philadelphia, some ticketholders received messages that said they were moved. 'As we continue preparations to deliver a world-class event, we are making a few enhancements inside the stadium to optimise operations and ensure the best possible matchday experience for fans, players and the global broadcast audience,' the message said. 'As a result of these stadium optimisations, some seats, including yours, will be relocated. We want to ensure you that your new seat will be in the same or better value zone than your original one.' Thousands of tickets are currently available for the match between Brazilian side Flamengo and Esperance de Tunis from Tunisia. Numerous tickets are available at $33 (£24) for the match on Monday. FIFA offered a general statement on ticketing for the tournament, stating that the revamped competition has 'global anticipation and reach,'. 'We anticipate great attendances and electric atmospheres at its inaugural edition, with excitement growing with every round of matches and the tournament ultimately standing as the undisputed pinnacle of club world football,' a statement read. 'The appetite speaks for itself: fans from over 130 countries have already purchased tickets. 'The top 10 markets are led by the United States, followed by Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, France, Japan, Switzerland, Germany and Portugal - a clear sign of global anticipation and reach.' Some matches at the tournament have attracted interest from fans, including newly crowned Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain's opener against Atletico Madrid on Sunday. The least expensive seats at the Rose Bowl are currently priced at $97 (£71).
Reuters
39 minutes ago
- Reuters
Lufthansa braces for dip in demand for flights to US in third quarter
DUESSELDORF, June 13 (Reuters) - Germany's Lufthansa ( opens new tab is bracing for weaker demand in the third quarter for flights to the United States after a boom in the summer, according to CEO Carsten Spohr. Speaking at a business journalists' event late Thursday, Spohr said "the first quarter was better than the previous year, but we are seeing a levelling-off in the third quarter." The Lufthansa group of airlines, which includes Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Swiss and ITA Airways, flies to the United States 60 times a day. Spohr said the drop-off in demand in the third quarter was partly offset by stronger demand for flights from the U.S., where prices are higher, adding that the airline would increase the proportion of seats it markets there. Spohr said a restructuring currently underway at Lufthansa was on track and that it was expected to make a gross profit contribution of around 1.5 billion euros ($1.73 billion) by 2026. ($1 = 0.8660 euros)
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Why you should do a mid-year review of your finances
As the year inches closer to it's halfway point, many of us may find ourselves swept up in the demands of everyday life. With so much going on, it's easy to let financial check-ins slip down the priority list, however setting aside time for a mid-year financial review could be one of the most valuable steps you take all year. We spoke with Liz Colfer, director and chartered financial planner at wealth management firm Five Wealth, who offered valuable insights into how a mid-year financial check-in can help you monitor your progress and make smart adjustments before the year wraps up. She highlighted several key benefits of conducting a mid-year review, along with three essential questions to help steer the process… Helps you adapt to life changes Major life changes can happen at any time of the year. That's why the halfway point is a great opportunity to review your finances and adjust them to fit any new circumstances. ' People could have had a salary increase, might have moved house or might have moved to a different job and be looking at new pension schemes,' highlights Colfer. 'We're seeing a lot of clients at the moment coming out of fixed-term mortgages that they've had for a number of years and seeing the impact of those higher costs coming through. 'A mid-year review of your finances can help you adapt to these kind of life changes that happen throughout the year.' Gives you an opportunity to reassess your goals or create new ones 'It's a good time to think about what are you working towards and what those goals are,' says Colfer. 'Where are you now in terms of achieving those goals? If you're halfway through the year and you're not quite on track with where you want to be, a mid-year review gives you a bit of time to readjust. 'It helps ensure that you're being proactive, as opposed to leaving things until the end of the year.' Provides a good time to make use of any tax allowances 'From a financial planning perspective, another thing to look at would be tax allowances,' notes Colfer. 'Have you used your ISA allowance? If you've got cash reserves, the sooner you move money into an ISA in the tax year, the better. You don't want to wait until the end of the year. 'It's also a good time to think about using pension allowances and to make sure that your strategy is on track.' It could prompt you to start putting money aside for Christmas 'You don't want get to a large event like Christmas, and suddenly think, oh I've not quite got myself in the position I want to be in, and then spend the next 12 months repaying the debt that you got into at Christmas,' says Colfer. 'So, you could start putting money aside monthly in a high-interest savings account that's going to mature just in time to buy those presents and things that you want to do around Christmas.' Here are three questions to ask yourself at your mid-year review… 1) What have I achieved over the last six months? 'It's not always about focusing on what's coming, actually reviewing what you've achieved as well is vital,' says Colfer. 'I think it's easy for people to be quite hard and negative on themselves about finances, but when you take a step back and see what you've managed to achieve, it can be quite powerful.' 2) How close, or far off, am I to reaching my goals? 'Think about what your end-of-year goals are and then work out where you are and how far you are away from meeting these,' advises Colfer. 'Do you need to tweak what you're doing or are you quite comfortable?' 3) What trade-offs can I make? 'We talk a lot with clients about educated trade offs,' says Colfer. 'So, if you're not on track to meet a particular objective, what does that mean? And are you comfortable with that? What's the trade off? 'Do you want to take a step back and put more into savings to achieve that end goal, and are you willing to sacrifice things along the way? That's the thing with money and finance, every decision you make is a trade off of something. If you're going to save more, then you've got less to spend and you've got to make sure that you are comfortable with that.'
