Airbnb tests eliminating guest fees in new pilot program

Airbnb is asking select hosts to join a pilot program that removes guest fees from listings.

In an email the company is sending to hosts obtained by PhocusWire, Airbnb says it’s running the program to see if eliminating the fee increases bookings.

The email outlines that instead of the usual guest and host fees that total roughly 15% of the listing price, the new program will charge a host fee of 12% with no added guest fee.

Participation from hosts is entirely voluntary, and those that sign on will trial the service for about four weeks, after which rates and fees return to normal.

A source at Airbnb says the initiative is a response to feedback from professional hospitality managers looking for a different model to increase revenue.

Targeting this service to professional property managers – in this case, about 100 – hints to Airbnb’s further ambitions to infiltrate the hotel and professional hospitality space.

It’s already detailed plans around its new products announced in February; now it’s a question of how its service stacks up against the competition.

In a statement, Airbnb says: “We are constantly testing new and different ways to help our hosts accommodate more guests. This small, temporary, and voluntary pilot is one of the many experiments we are running as we try to learn more about how we can best serve our community.”