Sharing a trip with friends can create unforgettable memories. But what about the bill at the end? That’s another story. Between raising the list of who paid what and fairly dividing all costs, the payments of a group trip can easily turn into a headache. So, starting today, 28, Airbnb becomes the first hosting provider to create and implement a split-payment feature for its users around the world.
In late 2016, Airbnb CEO and founder Brian Chesky asked his users: “If @Airbnb could launch anything by 2017, what would it be?” One of the main requests was the group payment. Therefore, listening to its consumers loud and clear, Airbnb is fulfilling this promise and now launches the possibility of split payments.
It is worth noting that about 4 out of 5 American travelers (79%) have been on group travel for the past five years, according to a recent Airbnb survey conducted by DKC Analytics with 2,000 people *. The new feature has been tested in recent months, successfully by more than 80,000 groups worldwide in nearly 175 countries, using more than 44 different currencies.
Airbnb is very excited about this release that will help solve a recurring problem in many groups of people who choose to travel together. Among those who traveled in groups, two-fifths (38%) stated that they did not receive all the money invested from their fellow travelers. A large number (43%) say they have already lost more than $ 1,000 or more in travel reimbursements, and 18% of frequent travelers estimate losses of up to $ 10,000 or more, since group travel often means that one of the people will be responsible for the organization and for making the biggest expenses so that later they are passed on to the others. Fifty-two percent of respondents said they had paid $ 500 or more on a trip, and nearly one-third (31%) invested more than $ 1,000. Now the split-payment feature will ease the financial burden on travel organizers and end the headache with booking costs. Airbnb guests will not have to chase after their friends and family after a trip to get a refund.
How it works – When a tour organizer requests the booking of an advertisement that qualifies for payment split, it is placed in an “expected payment” status. Once the organizer installment is charged to your credit card, the host calendar is blocked for up to 72 hours, allowing time for other members of the trip to access Airbnb and pay their share. In “Your Trips” the user can check the progress of payments. The platform also sends a reminder email 24 hours before the deadline for all those who have not yet made the payment and make and avoid the loss of the reservation.
This year, Airbnb recorded a wave of group travel. During the New Year’s Eve of 2017 the platform reached its highest night for stays in this style, and over the past year, 15.5 million groups made trips on Airbnb * with an average stay of 3.5 nights.
The possibility of dividing payments is only part of Airbnb’s commitment to facilitate group travel. With it, we hope some of these popular group travel destinations will inspire friends and families to their next adventure:
Top booking destinations with split payments:
Paris
New York
Amsterdam
Los Angeles
London
New Orleans
Barcelona
Brooklyn
Madrid
Berlin
Thirty percent of bookings made during the testing period brought one or more new users to Airbnb. This means that group travel organizers are collaborating, more than anything else, with community growth.
* This Airbnb survey was conducted using the Pollfish online search platform, and compiled by DKC Analytics, a division of DKC Public Affairs and Government Relations. The national sample of 2000 adults in the United States was surveyed between November 15 and November 18, 2017. The margin of error is 2.23% and no additional weighting was done for the initial sample.