How the Airbnb Experience has Changed Travel Forever

Officially started back in August of 2008, Airbnb was founded by Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia. While they did eventually bring on a third partner after their original idea for the company, the story of how it all begin was surprisingly simple. Two guys were looking for a way to earn a little extra cash in a city where it was extremely expensive to pay the rent (San Francisco). They decided to host three guests in their home on simple air mattresses and offer a breakfast in exchange for cash… thus, the idea sparked and Airbnb was founded (originally called Airbed & Breakfast).

After raising their first amount of capital during a presidential convention that was in town through the use of selling cereal boxes (they printed the then ‘presidential candidates’ on each box: ‘Obama O’s and ‘Cap’n McCains’) and they used the money they raised to grow… and grow they did. Fast forward through the years that followed since their 2008 founding and Airbnb has grown to now find itself available in 190 countries with over a 1,000,000 listings worldwide. (In case you didn’t know, there are 196 countries in the world)…

How the Airbnb Experience has Changed Travel Forever

The Airbnb Founders: From left to right… Joe Gebbia, Nathan Blecharczyk and Brian Chesky

So how has the Airbnb experience impacted the lives of hosts as well as those travelers across the world? Well, for starters, the Airbnb experience has offered tremendous value to both hosts and travelers. Locals living in any country, city, small town or rural area can now turn their lonely dwelling into a thriving business… essentially a guesthouse but on a much less complicated level. People are now able to get to a chance to supplement their income with additional money earned and in the process, turn strangers into friends.

And of course, for the travelers out there, the world has opened up even more so than it ever has before. People traveling to expensive cities and countries now have another option… They no longer have to try to seek out super cheap hotels or feel the need to stay in hostels simply to save money. Every city with Airbnb options will always have listings available at super cheap rates when compared to the alternatives. So while you can always find listings at $100 or more per night, you can also, very likely find an Airbnb listing under $20 per night in that same city. And no, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s in a dangerous area or is a shoddy place. Sometime the people hosting simply enjoy the company or they rent multiple rooms within their home or perhaps they are just starting out on the site and need some good reviews and have to lower their price to entice newcomers.

So while the Airbnb experience has revolutionized the travel industry for the opportunity it affords both hosts and travelers, there are some other aspects of it that many ‘non-Airbnb’ users probably don’t realize….

Airbnb literally changes the entire dynamic of a travel experience by truly getting to know the locals, no matter whether in a city or the countryside. How else can one really get to know the local culture and be a part of things? Would you get an inside glimpse into the lives of locals in your host country or city while staying in a hotel? Would you have the opportunity to get the inside scoop on their cultural heritage or political climate without actually staying with someone and hearing them speak about it? The Airbnb experience is really the chance to get to know the locals, customs and culture on a personal level. It is not the kind of familiarity or experience you will find in a restaurant or bar but instead, it’s at the core.. in people’s homes.

What are the other benefits of this welcoming Airbnb experience? Namely the local advice you can receive. It is not typically the kind of advice and recommendations you’ll ever find in a guidebook. In fact, it would be wise for the writers of upcoming guidebooks to stay Airbnb style in the cities and towns they venture to in order to write the most comprehensive, informative book possible. Simply put, by staying Airbnb, you get to find out FROM A LOCAL, who has your best interests at heart, where all the best spots are – what to do, where to go, where to eat, what to avoid, etc. — yep, it’s pretty much all the great and wonderful information you really want but that you won’t find in your guide book! And best of all, it’s current information and advice, not dated…

As of this writing, we have already stayed via Airbnb in 4 countries already. And I can say that it is one of my favorite ways to travel and get to know people. The Airbnb experience is simply awesome. We were given a tour of the city while staying in Moscow, Russia, given local restaurant and festival information while staying in Cuzco, Peru and were given homemade bread and yogurt to try while in Iceland while learning about the Icelandic culture and history from our host. Needless to say, these were all authentic and amazing Airbnb experiences that wouldn’t have been possible had we stayed elsewhere, especially not in a hotel! I can’t wait to visit the next country and go this route again. It is so much more fun, educating, and influential to travel via Airbnb, it is hard to think of what it would be like without the opportunity and cultural dynamic that Airbnb brings.

Yep… You can stay here too! (photo courtesy: airbnb.com)

Oh, and did I mention that the Airbnb experience has pretty much opened up doors across the world in the most remote and expensive areas imaginable? Want to stay in the middle of nowhere in Greenland? How about in a long stretch of land between two cities or towns where there are no hotels, just rural neighborhoods? Can’t afford the cheapest of the cheap hotel room in expensive cites like Tokyo, Singapore, New York, and London but hostels aren’t your thing? No worries, Airbnb has a room for you at your price…

And it’s not just these things that create the Airbnb experience. With so many unique locations and unique homes across the world to stay in, the options are literally limitless in the types of places you can stay in. Just imagine staying on a yacht in the Mediterranean. Or staying in a treehouse in the jungles of Borneo. Or spending the night in a someone’s makeshift ‘apartment van’ under a starry sky in Montana. Or how about a few nights in a Ger Tent in the middle of Mongolia?

How’s this for a unique place to stay? (photo courtesy: airbnb.com)

The possibilities for unique Airbnb experiences are endless. I can think of nothing else that has changed the face of travel more than Airnbnb since the advent of aviation and its modern day use. Sure the internet has helped travelers globally but that wouldn’t land you a seat at the dinner table of the locals in your host country. Would you agree? How has Airbnb experience changed your world as a traveler?

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