Skift Take
Airbnb's expanded co-hosting service aims to make it easier for hosts to manage their homes, and to increase supply in the process.
Airbnb isn't getting into the property management game, but it officially launched an expanded a co-host network designed to make it easier for hosts to manage their properties.
“Starting today, you provide the home, and we’ll provide an exceptional co-host," is how CEO Brian Chesky described it in an announcement Wednesday.
Under the program, co-hosts would manage listings, respond to reservation inquiries, message guests, take care of problems at the property, and contract cleaning services.
Airbnb has piloted an online service for several years in a handful of countries where hosts can find and hire co-hosts. But this is the first time the service is available in the Airbnb app, as well as online.
It's been expanded to more than 10,000 co-hosts in 10 countries, and will include a recommended list of co-hosts. The recommendations come from personalized ranking algorithm based on 80 factors, including location, property type and ho