How Airbnb is Moving into the Meeting Space

Considering that it has dramatically affected the worlds of transportation and travel, the shared economy is something today’s meeting and event planners should be paying attention to, especially with Airbnb’s recent push into the meeting space.

Not only is Airbnb an attractive alternative for business travelers (instead of booking a room at a standard hotel), Airbnb for Work has seen steady growth in recent years, with 700,000 companies having used the service to book meetings and find local experiences.

Haven’t used Airbnb for Work to book your meetings yet? Here’s what planners need to know about everything this tool can do:

Mix it up with unique, intimate meeting locations

Planners are continually trying to find ways to wow their attendees, even in the smallest of meetings. Just like you can find unique places to stay while traveling for pleasure, Airbnb for Work can do the same for meetings while keeping in mind the logistical need for collaboration spaces, laptop-friendly spaces, and Wifi. In fact, Airbnb for Work breaks down their space options by need: team meetings, inspirational spaces, great for events, and team retreats. There you can find beautiful and exciting upscale homes, villas, lodges, mansions, city lofts, and rooftops and much more.

Think those places sound a bit crazy for a meeting? The trend to host meetings in homes is catching on. For example, recently Enterprise security company MobileIron broke up its annual large, one-day conference into three intimate events in private homes.

Save money on accommodations

Whether you’re hosting an event at an Airbnb or are just looking for a place for your team to stay while attending one, Airbnb for Work can help you save money on accommodations. Options include “work-ready” homes with Wifi and easy cancellations, as well as options for comfort or in boutique hotels. While the savings may vary depending on the market and time of year, no doubt that grouping people together in the same place will result in a reduction in booking time and money.

Finding team building experiences with a local flare

In one of the latest additions to Airbnb for Work, the company added its Experiences product to the page, touting the ability to book team-building activities led by local experts alongside accommodations. Some of the activities include experiences, classes, and workshops related to food & drink, the outdoors, giving back and more. Airbnb Experiences is available in 800 markets, giving planners lots of options no matter where they’re hosting their meetings.

Interesting integrations and integrations

According to Curbed, Airbnb for Work has also added many other features to appeal more to planners and business travelers. These include a partnership and integration with travel and expenses company Concur, creating Airbnb Plus which lists a higher-tier of properties with more consistent accommodations and launching a frequent traveler program called Superguest.

Overall, Airbnb for Work may be your one-stop-shop for booking several critical aspects to successful meetings. While a unique meeting space comes with a lot of benefits, it may cause a little more work for planners compared to booking at a standard venue, which typically has onsite food and beverage or A/V services. But seeing all the recent effort the company has put into the meetings space, don’t be surprised to see even more features to make more aspects of planning even easier to manage through Airbnb for Work.

Have you booked a meeting through Airbnb for Work? Has booking a unique meeting space made an impact on your events? Comment below!