Airbnb introduced “Business Travel Ready,” a program that aims to provide business travelers with the most appropriate accommodations. It also offers a range of tools for corporate travel managers.
The program is designed to provide all the comforts of home – a kitchen, a comfortable workspace, a parking space and room to collaborate with colleagues – with the conveniences of a business class hotel.
It was initially piloted almost two years ago.
All properties designated “Business Travel Ready” must meet a list of criteria: At least 60% of their reviews must earn five stars.
The whole home or apartment must be available, be smoke- and pet-free and include hotel-like amenities, including Wi-Fi, laptop-friendly workspace, iron, hangers, clean towels and fresh linens, hairdryer and shampoo.
It also must include smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, which Airbnb will provide to hosts free of charge.
“Business Travel Ready” properties are identified in listings by a suitcase badge.
Hosts must respond to booking requests within 24 hours, and travelers must be able to check in at any time with 24-hour doorman, lockbox or other device.
For travel managers, Airbnb provides simple reporting, and a dashboard that ensures visibility into where their travelers are, where they have been and what they are spending.
Travelers are required to provide their company e-mail addresses to ensure ease and accuracy of tracking.
The program also provides centralized billing: Airbnb can either send the company an invoice on behalf of business travelers or link to the company credit card to allow direct trip expensing.
Airbnb says hosts will benefit through the program as well. Business travelers most often travel during the week, so more dates can be filled.
Properties that participate in the Business Travel Ready program will be need to continue to qualify after the initial evaluation in order to maintain their status.