AirBed & Breakfast launched as a website for booking short-term stays with local residents, originally framed as a solution to lodging shortages during big events. This created the core marketplace idea—matching hosts with guests online—that later supported expansions beyond lodging.
The company shortened its name to Airbnb.com, signaling a move beyond the original “air bed” concept. The rebrand helped the platform present itself as a broader travel and lodging marketplace, which mattered later when it added non-lodging products.
After a widely reported incident involving property damage at a host’s home, Airbnb announced a host property protection guarantee. Building stronger trust and safety programs became a prerequisite for offering more in-person, real-world products like activities and tours.
Airbnb acquired UK-based Crashpadder, a similar home-rental marketplace, and migrated many users onto Airbnb. Strengthening its presence in a major global city helped Airbnb scale supply and operations—an important foundation before launching new travel products in multiple markets.
Airbnb increased its Host Guarantee to cover up to $1 million in property damage, partnering with an insurer. This expansion aimed to reduce a key barrier to participation—fear of damage—and supported Airbnb’s longer-term plan to grow into more “offline” experiences.
Airbnb began a private beta for “City Hosts,” letting guests book local guides for city activities in several major cities. The test showed Airbnb experimenting with a business model beyond overnight stays: selling bookable activities hosted by people with local knowledge.
At Airbnb Open in Los Angeles, Airbnb launched “Trips,” introducing a new Experiences section with more than 500 activities across 12 cities. This marked a clear platform expansion: Airbnb could now earn revenue not only from lodging, but also from activities booked through its app.
Trips launched with added identity checks (such as scanning an official ID and taking a selfie) aimed at building trust for in-person activities. This was important because Experiences involved guests meeting hosts in the real world, increasing safety and reputational risks compared with booking a place to stay.
Within months of launch, Airbnb said Experiences had grown from the initial 12 cities to more than 30 markets. The update signaled that Experiences were moving from a limited pilot to a scalable product line inside Airbnb’s broader platform strategy.
Airbnb announced Airbnb Plus, a category of homes verified in person and checked against a quality-and-comfort checklist. Plus was designed to reduce uncertainty for guests and to attract travelers who wanted more consistent standards than typical peer-to-peer listings.
By 2018, Airbnb’s additions of Experiences (activities) and Plus (verified premium homes) showed a clear shift from a single-product lodging marketplace to a multi-product travel platform. This period closed with Airbnb actively building a broader business model: earning from stays, quality-tiered inventory, and bookable local activities.
Airbnb stated that 20,000 hosts had applied to list on Airbnb Plus soon after the product roadmap announcement. The early demand suggested the company could “tier” its marketplace—creating premium segments—while continuing to expand Experiences alongside lodging.
Airbnb's expansion into Experiences and Plus services (2008–2018)