Airbnb Launches Host and Co-Host Matchmaker Service

16.10.2024 - 15:31 / skift.com / Brian Chesky / Dennis Schaal / Dave Stephenson

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 hosting experience, the company said.

Airbnb Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson told Skift he thinks the co-hosting feature will help increase Airbnb’s listings from both new hosts and existing ones. “Many people have a home and they don’t even know where to start,” Stephenson said.

Airbnb is launching a marketing campaign about the new co-hosting network this week. It is the first time Airbnb has touted co-hosts in an advertising campaign.

Stephenson said Airbnb does not charge fees to hosts or co-hosts for matching them up – and doesn’t envision adding them – because the company doesn’t want any barriers to using the service.

The idea is to make it easier for hosts to find quality co-hosts. Hosts can see the profiles and reviews of potential co-hosts and message them within the Airbnb app, the company said. Through the app, hosts can also give co-hosts access to their calendars and share payouts.

Stephenson said the co-hosting feature and other app upgrades are about perfecting Airbnb’s core services. Expanding Airbnb services beyond the core — presumably to new verticals — would begin next year, Stephenson said.

Hiring co-hosts may involve a negotiation. They might charge a listing set-up fee of, say, $200, and often charge 17% to 20% of the host payout. Airbnb facilitates the co-hosts’ payments.

The service is available in the app and at airbnb.com/host. The service was expected to be live in the following countries starting October 16: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the UK, and the U.S.

“Co-hosts are experienced hosts with an exceptional track record on Airbnb,” the announcement said. “They have an average rating of 4.86 compared to 4.62 for large property management companies.”

A vast majority of co-hosts are superhosts and have