Airbnb Just Rolled Out 65 New Features-Including a Social Network for Travelers

"Going forward, guests who book an Airbnb Experience and choose to share their profiles will be able to see who else signed up and where they are from, keep in touch with people through direct messaging, and see people they've met through a "Connections section." The options are part of more than 60 new features Airbnb announced this week in its latest update spanning all aspects of the platform from searches and payments to customer service and hosting."

"Airbnb first launched its experiences in 2016 and now offers them around the globe. Travelers can sign up to try mosaic art in Amman, Jordan; enjoy a tuktuk street food tour in Bangkok; or go on a horseback ride through the Utah backcountry. The company also partners with celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter to offer unique experiences where guests can live out their pop star dreams for a day."

Airbnb is adding social features to its Experiences platform that let guests who share profiles see who else signed up, learn where they are from, message other attendees directly, and track people they met in a Connections section. The changes are part of over 60 new features across searches, payments, customer service, and hosting driven by guest feedback. Airbnb Experiences, launched in 2016, now offers worldwide activities from mosaic art in Amman to tuktuk food tours in Bangkok and horseback rides in Utah, plus celebrity-led experiences. Airbnb also overhauled maps to show nearby restaurants, transit stops, shops, and travel times by foot or car.

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