Will the dream home of Carl and Ellie in the movie "Flying House" become a real house, attracting your attention and having a special experience? On May 2nd, Airbnb announced the launch of a new feature category called "Ace" and released the first batch of 11 "Ace" listings and experiences. Previously, Airbnb launched the "Airbnb Exclusive" project and received good feedback. This time, the "Ace" property is based on the "Airbnb Exclusive" operation and further productization. By combining with globally renowned music, film, sports and other trendy cultural IPs, it attracts the attention of global users and allows more users to understand Airbnb. Airbnb also stated that it will gradually launch more "ace" properties and experiences in the future, allowing global users to experience "life scenes" from all over the world.
First 11 "ace" listings and experiences
The 11 "ace cards" of Airbnb's debut this time include the iconic "Flying House" in the movie "Flying House", the famous Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Italy, the iconic clock tower in the Paris Odyssey Museum, and the X-Academy in Marvel's "X-Men 97". Every "ace" property and experience is composed of collaborations with popular music, film, sports, and other trendy IPs.
Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, said at a press conference, "The 'Ace' opens up a wonderful world for you that you can't dream of. Despite people's daily lives becoming increasingly digital, we hope to use the spiritual core of the trendy culture carried by the 'Ace' to become the eyes of new and new humans exploring the world, turning the dreams that travelers yearn for into reality."
The flagship property "Feiwu" launched this time is a 1:1 reproduction of "Carl's Feiwu" in the movie "Feiwu Huan You Ji". When tourists experience "Feiwu", the house can also be lifted up to 50 feet (about 15 meters) above the ground, realistically restoring the scenes in the movie; The upcoming Olympic Museum will be hosted by Matthew Rehaniel, the designer of the Paris Olympic Torch. He has meticulously renovated the rooms behind the museum's clock tower, such as aligning the structure of the wooden ceiling with the trajectory of the clock tower's pointer rotation. Lucky guests who check in can enjoy the works of Impressionist masters in the museum, and enjoy the grand Olympic opening ceremony on the Seine River with an excellent view from the terrace. This will be a unique life experience.
The 11 "ace" listings and experiences released this time will gradually open up booking applications. Currently, the "ace" listings that can submit booking applications include "Feiwu" in "Feiwu Huan You Ji", "X Academy" in "X-Men", and the gaming home of social media celebrity "Silent Brother" in Milan. Subsequent "ace" listings also include the headquarters of "Mind Agent 2" and the home of the music legend Prince in the movie "Purple Rain".
Attracting more Chinese travelers to participate
The launch of "ace" properties and experiences has attracted the attention of countless users, and how to apply for check-in and how much to spend is also a topic of concern for many tourists.
It is reported that global tourists can apply for reservations through the Airbnb App. Most "ace" properties and experiences are free, and some paid "ace" projects do not exceed $100 per person (approximately 700 RMB). The selected tenant will receive an electronic version of a golden admission ticket. In 2024, Airbnb will issue over 4000 golden admission tickets.
"We will be delighted to see Chinese travelers wanting to apply for booking these 'ace' properties and experiences. Chinese travelers may be more interested in some of these properties, such as' Carl's Flying House ', and many Generation Z will pay attention to Khaby Lame (' Silent Brother '). There is also a passion for the Paris Olympic Museum from the Olympic Tropics," shared Dave Stephenson. According to data from Airbnb, the search popularity of Chinese travelers in France has increased by nearly 8 times year-on-year, while the popularity of the capital Paris has skyrocketed by nearly 11 times year-on-year, making it the city with the highest search volume in France during the summer.
As for how to book for Chinese tourists, Dave Stephenson, the chief business officer of Abyssal, introduced that in the Abyssal App, users in Chinese Mainland can apply for booking "ace" listings and experiences as long as they have an Abyssal account and successfully verified their personal identity.
Dave Stephenson further explained that when a "ace" is open for booking, tourists can choose their check-in date, add companions, answer the question "why they want to book this" ace ", and then submit an application. The system will prompt tourists to provide more personal information (such as location, language, interests, etc.). After submission, Airbnb will randomly select a batch of booking applications and filter them from three dimensions: whether the content has a unique perspective, whether it loves traveling, and the "fate" and story with the ace. After selecting the check-in person, the Airbnb platform will issue a booking invitation.
"It can be said that the more Chinese travelers apply, the greater the experience opportunities they will have," said Dave Stephenson.
Dave Stephenson mentioned that China is one of the important markets for Airbnb's outbound tourism business development. Chinese travelers nowadays crave for a more authentic and unique travel experience, and prefer to travel in groups with family and friends. "We have found that over 80% of global orders are for trips with two or more people. Especially in China, the demand for trips with three or more people accounts for nearly 80%, and the popularity continues to rise. Therefore, we have launched a series of new product features such as" shared wish lists "and" itinerary invitations "to make travel planning for multiple people more convenient."
According to data from the Airbnb platform, the search popularity of Chinese users planning to travel abroad in early summer has nearly doubled year-on-year, and the enthusiasm of Chinese travelers for outbound travel continues to rise. "We also want more Chinese travelers to prioritize Airbnb when they think of outbound travel, which is why we have launched today's" ace "housing and experience. In the future, we will continue to invest in innovation in these areas, attract more Chinese consumers' attention, know and choose Airbnb Airbnb," said Dave Stephenson.
Trendy culture enhances brand appeal
Behind the development of Airbnb's "ace" properties, a large number of IPs are integrated, indicating its investment in unique properties. So, why did Airbnb increase its efforts to focus on unique properties?
In recent years, Airbnb has been continuously innovating its products, committed to continuously optimizing the user experience in all aspects. As of now, Airbnb has launched over 60 distinctive categories, covering 4 million unique properties worldwide. In addition, Airbnb is also continuously creating multiple "Airbnb exclusive" experiences worldwide.
Dave Stephenson stated that there are many unique listings on the Airbnb platform. Most of them are located in advantageous geographical locations, some even receive warm hospitality from local landlords, and have a vast amount of shared space. These "uniqueness" inspired us to design "ace" properties and experiences. For example, among the 11 "Aces" of Airbnb's debut, comedian Kevin Hart transformed into a "Ace" landlord, leading tenants to enjoy exciting talk show performances with his friends in a private underground bar; Also, popular rap female singer Doja Cat will bring a lifetime unforgettable "living room concert" to guests. So, there is a close connection between "uniqueness" and the design of Airbnb's "ace" products.
As indigenous people of the digital age, Generation Z users seek not only the scenery of their destination, but also unique experiences and memories during their travels. They are enthusiastic about trying unusual ways of traveling, such as learning handicrafts from local artists or staying in characteristic homestays created by well-known designers. After experiencing it, sharing it on social media platforms is precisely this consumption habit that has enabled Airbnb to constantly pursue unique housing options, thereby gaining a wider range of users.
With the continuous development of the Internet, Ebiong is also paying more and more attention to the cultivation of young customers. For Generation Z young users, each "ace" property is a unique experience. Dave Stephenson explained, "By bringing together diverse global trendy cultures, we resonate with the interests of young people, satisfying their individual needs and providing them with an unforgettable experience driven by interests, making Airbnb their favorite brand."
When it comes to the Chinese market, Dave Stephenson gave his insight that China is one of the important markets for Airbnb's outbound tourism business development. Chinese travelers nowadays crave for a more authentic and unique travel experience, and prefer to travel in groups with family and friends. The Asia Pacific and Chinese markets are crucial for Airbnb's future growth. "We see billions of travelers in the Asia Pacific region, all of whom are potential users of Airbnb. Currently, Airbnb has great potential for growth in the Asia Pacific region and China. We hope to continuously innovate through Airbnb's products to better attract new users and make them fall in love with Airbnb," said Dave Stephenson.