Airbnb Courts Traveling Families With Baby-Gear Rentals in the US

Airbnb Inc. is adding an option for travelers in some US markets to rent baby gear and have it sent to their rental home, part of a suite of new services the company plans to offer domestically and in Europe.

Starting in November, Airbnb will work with BabyQuip so guests traveling with toddlers can rent and have cribs, strollers, high chairs and toys delivered to their lodgings in more than 60 US cities, the company said in a statement Wednesday. Users who book with BabyQuip through Airbnb will receive a 10% discount.

In addition, the company is partnering with Rinse for scheduled laundry pickup, delivery and next-day rush service in some US cities, it said. It is also introducing restaurant and grocery delivery in Europe. Later on, Airbnb plans to offer ski and snowboard gear rental in the French Alps and boats in South Florida with “local partners,” without specifying the providers.

Airbnb has been building its services business as part of a broader effort to stimulate revenue growth beyond just short-term home rentals. In addition to expanding services, it has added boutique hotel bookings to its platform over the past year, along with more local tours and activities. The diversification push also allows Airbnb to capitalize on still-robust travel demand, which prompted the company to boost its annual revenue forecast twice this year.

Read More: Airbnb Pushes Beyond Stays With Luggage Storage, Car Rentals, Hotels

Airbnb has not disclosed specific business metrics for the new services category since it was introduced last year, but said in August it is seeing “real momentum” in bookings as it markets services as a solution to common traveler pain points. Airbnb Chief Executive Officer Brian Chesky has said he envisions the new offerings adding $1 billion or more in revenue per year, but he has cautioned that the new units may take years before they become a material part of Airbnb’s business.

AI Help

As part of Wednesday’s announcements, Airbnb also unveiled app updates that use artificial intelligence to help users find a suitable stay more quickly. A new search bar now supports natural-language and voice inputs, and search results also include AI-powered descriptions to highlight key features of a home. Airbnb also introduced a new side-by-side comparison tool so users can compare rentals in their wish list and receive AI summaries of key details.

For hosts, Airbnb said it plans to display AI summaries of a host’s performance in their earnings dashboard starting this fall, along with insights on what could be having an impact on the results.