Getting featured in CNBC 💻
Sooooo, we go featured along with some other awesome hosts online. It was a pretty weird experience to be able to share my thoughts with Sal at CNBC and later see the reach of the article with everyone who took notice at the company and reached out to us after.
But, in all seriousness I was really thinking about it and maybe it’s because of the concept of any idea is better than no idea. I presented that a bookable website was a valid option to expand our business offerings and attempt to gain more presence and further Hostpitality’s identity. Taking something from our last post I believe that differentiation will be key and if you can differentiate in any way that can take most of the risk out of traveling the you will have the edge.
For example, we are developing higher cleaning standards (beyond what Airbnb has said would be their standards) that will hopefully lower the guests perceived risk to stay with us because we take the measures necessary to ensure a clean and fully disinfected place. This along with an educational campaign will be our differentiating factor in the short term.
Now the article talks about how other hosts feel and what their doing in the face of this tourism cataclysm and it’s pretty interesting to hear their views. Check out this quote from one of the hosts:
“I do think Airbnb has a place in my business to bring me clients, and I’m happy to pay them a percentage,” Greenawalt said. “But if people find me organically, I can make a little bit more money on my direct booking.”
Other hosts focus on creating alternative booking channels like letsconvention.com or Zeevou.direct. Which it’s not my cup of tea but, it shows that they are going with an idea that surged from being tied to other booking channels. Some might interpret that as being a bit contradictory, but, if it works and their values are sound I say go for it.
But, in any way that you want to go about it trying out new things is a great way to get back into the flow and have that muse feed your creativity again. Check out the article here: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/06/airbnb-hosts-are-building-their-own-direct-booking-websites-in-revolt.html
-Gian from Hostpitality
