The Airbnb Flexible Destinations search product is for travelers who are still in the dreaming phase of their customer journey. It gives them inspiration, by showing them relevant unique stay categories (e.g. tree houses, houseboats) that relatively close to them. It is technically impressive.
This product is part of the Flexible Search family: Flexible Dates, Flexible Matching, and Flexible Destinations. We have videos for each of them, make sure to check them out.
The I'm Flexible button is a game-changer to create inspiration.
Flexible Destinations also helps change Airbnb's brand perception, by showcasing properties that are unique, original, and not commoditized. Airbnb wants its users to see it as a purveyor of dreamy places, not just of cramped urban apartments for city getaways. Which it is really as until the pandemic.
The goal of this feature is to help travelers find their perfect destination while also benefiting those hosts whose listing may not have shown up otherwise. It gives people more options and makes sure they don't miss out on any hidden gems. More listings mean greater choice and better prices as well, which in turn benefits the traveler who gets a chance at staying somewhere unique like treehouses, boats or yurts that you usually see only in travel articles about your favorite destinations! In 2021 these one-of-a-kind places are highly sought after yet Airbnb has trouble showing enough results for them--until now...
In terms of product marketing, this is impressive: To boost the awareness of the unique stay category and the adoption of the Flexible Destinations tools, Airbnb is giving it a lot of real estate on its homepage.
