By Andy Marston, Sports Pundit
Airbnb is no longer just about where you sleep, it’s about how you live while you’re there. The company has expanded beyond accommodation with a global relaunch of its Experiences platform and the introduction of Airbnb Services, available in hundreds of cities worldwide.
Airbnb Services offers 10 on-demand categories, including chefs, personal trainers, spa treatments, and makeup artists, now live in 260 cities.
Experiences relaunches across 650 cities with curated cultural, culinary, fitness, and nature-based activities.
Airbnb Originals, a new premium tier, features celebrity-led experiences, launching with NFL star Patrick Mahomes and singer Sabrina Carpenter.
A redesigned Explore tab now integrates Services and Experiences into trip planning, recommending options based on travel dates and destinations.
Why It Matters:
Airbnb is trying to own the whole trip, not just the overnight stay. By layering on curated services and real-world experiences - increasingly with celebrity and cultural cachet - the platform is repositioning itself as an immersive lifestyle brand.
And this opens doors for sport.
It echoes moves like Chelsea FC’s recent partnership with DAMAC, where a branded apartment complex in Dubai features football simulators, cryotherapy, and Chelsea-themed beaches. In both cases, hospitality is being reimagined as a cultural extension and a way to deepen emotional loyalty through lived experience.
Could we see teams or players offer Airbnb-hosted services? Recovery sessions with a club physio, nutrition consults from a team expert, or even matchday cooking classes with a former player? It’s speculative, but increasingly plausible.
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