Background Information
In our current society, technology is advancing the way we
travel. From booking flights across the globe, to finding a hotel in the
nearest city, we are constantly relying on the World Wide Web to help us find
the cheapest and most realiable travel solutions. Currently there are many
applications that help you find transportation and places to stay; Expedia,
Orbitz, Priceline, TripAdvisor, Kayak and more. However, four years ago, the
San Francisco-based company Airbnb entered the market with a new, innovative
web application for travellers around the world. Airbnb is a community of users
who can list or search for places to stay around the world. The users of Airbnb
span 192 countries and 26,000 cities.
Current State of Technology
Currently, Airbnb offers several competitive
technological features for its users. For users looking for spaces, they offer
a search engine that browses listings by location, and checks availability when
the user enters check-in and checkout dates, similar to booking a hotel room. Within
24 hours, the host approves the request and the credit card information is
processed. One of the primary features that drive Airbnb’s success is the
incorperation of guest reviews. Many people book listings on Airbnb based on
the reviews of other guests. Hosts can list spaces for free and leave reviews
about guests as well. What makes Airbnb different than other services that have
tried to do the same thing? Airbnb has a great community and promotes full
transparency between guests and hosts.
Along with its great usability features
for users, it continuously offers new functionalities. A great example is
Airbnb’s Neighborhoods. In February 2012, Airbnb rolled out it’s Neighboorhoods
feature. Neighborhoods offer travellers online guides to the areas that can
help them navigate or find popular spots. These guides are created by
professionals and allow travelers to query neighborhoods for shopping, dining,
nightlife, and other area.
Relevance
In the context of the World Wide Web, the increase in web
applications for finding temporary housing can not only help tourists and
explorers around the world, but also just help people who are temporarily
living in certain locations. Many travellers are looking for a homely environment
to spend time in, and what is better than staying in a home itself?
Influence of Future Developments
Airbnb is already preparing for the future. Just recently, Airbnb
has partnered with NYC.gov and New York Mayor Bloomberg, to provide free housing
spaces for the victims affected by Hurricane Sandy. Airbnb has another new feature called
WishLists that allow users to collect and save their favorite destinations and
listings. Airbnb is constantly looking at new technologies and the future of
travel to edit and expand their current business.
Sources
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