NEWS AiRBnB

INtroducINg thE AIrbNb 2021 rElEASE

100+ upgrAdES AcroSS our ENtIrE SErvIcE for MAlAySIAN hoStS ANd guEStS

Inspired by the major shift in how people are traveling around the world, Airbnb is introducing more than 100 upgrades to refine and improve every aspect of its service, from the platform’s website and app to community support and policies. The Airbnb 2021 Release adds features to give Malaysian guests even more flexibility when planning their travel and to make it simple for anyone in Malaysia to become a Host.

The updates come as Airbnb data reveals that Malaysians are turning to Airbnb for affordable and convenient familyfriendly travel, and using income earned through hosting to stay afloat and fight costs of living during the pandemic.

l Findings from a recent YouGov survey* show travel with immediate family is the #1 reason for domestic travel amongst Malaysians. Nature getaways are likely to gain traction this year, with respondents indicating that being close to nature was their top criteria for deciding where to go. l Notably, a survey** conducted by Airbnb of Malaysian guests and Hosts in 2020 reveals almost a third of guests said they chose an Airbnb Stay for its convenient location, and approximately 71% of guests said an Airbnb Stay was a more affordable choice. l In the same survey, over a third of Airbnb Hosts said the money earned through Airbnb provided an additional source of revenue for the household, and helped them afford to stay in their homes in the last year. Approximately 32% also said the additional income earned through Airbnb in the last year enabled them or a household member to avoid working extra hours or a second job.

“We are seeing three fundamental shifts in travel as people become less tethered and more flexible,” said Brian Chesky, CoFounder and CEO of Airbnb. “People can travel anytime, they are traveling to more places and they are staying longer. We believe the lines between living, working and traveling are blurring and, with this major upgrade, we are making it easier for people to integrate travel into their lives and for new Hosts to add even more homes for guests to choose from.”

100+ upgrades across the Entire Airbnb Experience for guests and hosts Making it Easier for guests

With flexibility at the heart of a new, improved browsing and booking experience, Airbnb is introducing three new ways to search on the platform - Flexible Dates, Flexible Matching and Flexible Destinations.

We are also significantly improving our search capabilities to help people find their ideal place to stay, from our extensive property database. New filters will adapt to the season or location and allow people to search for homes near points of interest, or homes with very specific attributes such as whether the property has an ocean view.

Additional upgrades for guests include: l Faster checkout process - We’ve reduced the number of steps for new guests to confirm their first reservation l Arrival guide - Easy access to all the helpful information a guest needs (directions, door codes, Wifi, etc.) before check-in. l Updated reviews - Guests now have a fuller spectrum, from critiques to compliments, to rate their stay. l Clearer Cancellations - Refreshed cancellation policies increase clarity for both guests and Hosts.

Making it Easier for hosts

Today, Airbnb is making it even easier to become a Host with a brand new onboarding process that has been simplified from dozens of steps to just 10, supported by the latest technologies. Computer vision deep-learning models automatically suggest photo arrangement based on their guest appeal, while smart text suggestions help Hosts craft the best title and description for their listing. Additional upgrades for Hosts include: l All-new Today tab l New welcome to hosting page l Inbox improvements l Dedicated Superhost support

World-class Service

We are also improving our community support by doubling the number of support agents and expanding our support coverage from 11 to 42 languages. A completely redesigned Help Center will be easier to navigate by offering more personalized support to Hosts and guests.