Airbnb Bets on Creators as Experiences Chase Repeat Demand

Airbnb is recruiting hundreds of social-media creators to host paid activities on its platform.

CEO Brian Chesky said the company has been testing the model and now wants to use creators to make Experiences a bigger part of Airbnb’s business.

Experiences are activities that travelers can book through Airbnb, such as food tours, cultural events, workshops, or special local access. The category is not new, but Airbnb wants it to become more useful for both tourists and people living in the same city.

The goal is to attract locals, not only tourists

Airbnb has faced one main problem with Experiences: most bookings come from travelers, not local residents. That limits growth because tourists visit occasionally, while locals can book more often.

Creators could help change that. Their followers may be more willing to book an activity in their own city if it is hosted by someone they already follow on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram. Chesky said creators can act as a gateway to local demand. In Paris, 40 percent of bookings for Airbnb’s premium original experiences now come from local residents.

Creators can also lower Airbnb’s marketing costs

Creator-led experiences may be easier and cheaper for Airbnb to sell. A standard tour usually depends on platform traffic, reviews, search visibility, and paid promotion. A creator already has an audience and can send followers directly to the booking page.

Chesky said creator-led experiences are converting better than other experience categories.

Airbnb is widening its travel platform

The creator strategy fits into Airbnb’s larger push beyond home rentals. In its 2026 Summer Release, Airbnb announced grocery delivery through Instacart in more than 25 US cities, airport pickups through Welcome Pickups in more than 160 cities, luggage storage through Bounce, car rentals, boutique hotels, and new World Cup experiences.

This shows that Airbnb wants to cover more parts of the trip, not only accommodation. The company wants users to open the app for planning, transport, food, activities, and services. Its Q1 2026 results give it room to keep investing: revenue grew 18 percent year over year to $2.7 billion, and gross booking value rose 19 percent.

Photo by Stanislav Margolin on Unsplash