CEO Brian Chesky said luggage storage has been a surprisingly popular service on Airbnb.
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Airbnb helped solve one of the more annoying aspects of staying in a rental home, and it looks like it could be paying off.CEO Brian Chesky said on the company's third-quarter earnings call Thursday that one of the most popular new features offered as part of the app's push into experiences and services was one that he did not expect: luggage storage."What a sleeper hit," Chesky said when an analyst asked which of the newer services were most popular.Chesky said he was giving a keynote speech where he was talking up a bunch of AI features, and that the mention of luggage storage got the biggest cheer. He also said it got a huge reaction when he posted about the new offering on Instagram, adding, "I finally felt cool on the internet."Airbnb announced in May that it was partnering with Bounce, a global luggage storage platform, to help guests find places to store their bags before check-in or after checkout. After booking a trip, Airbnb guests can see luggage drop-off locations near their stay and receive a discounted rate in some cities.The added service addresses an advantage that hotels, which commonly store guests' luggage before or after their stay, often have over rental homes."That's not the sexiest service," Chesky said of luggage storage, adding, "but I will say that what we've learned is that every service in and of itself has value."
