In a private beta test only available to select users, Airbnb is experimenting with a new service, offering peer to peer activity guides in the San Francisco and Paris markets. These “experiences,” as Airbnb calls them, include guided tours, hikes, meals with locals, and other similar activities, very much like what can be found on Vayable.
Back in 2011 Airbnb and Vayable announced a partnership through which Airbnb pointed users to Vayable activities in cities where they book lodging. Airbnb now appears to be aspiring to offer these activities directly to their customers, potentially cornering a big chunk of both the peer to peer lodging and peer to peer activity guide markets. With so many customers already using the Airbnb platform to book lodging, I’d expect the new offering to gain traction if launched publicly.
For more information on these services check out my overview of peer to peer tour guides.