Airbnb didn't quit Experiences. It closed the intake valve.
In April 2023 Airbnb froze new Experiences submissions. It removed about 5,000 listings in May 2024, reopened after a 17-month pause, and relaunched on May 13, 2025, adding Services in 260 cities.
Transcript
The common story says Airbnb gave up on Experiences and retreated to renting homes. The record says something else.
In September 2022, Brian Chesky called Experiences a massive, massive opportunity. Seven months later, in April 2023, Airbnb froze new Experiences submissions worldwide, with no resume date.
It was not an exit. Airbnb froze the intake valve to perfect the core service. Existing listings stayed live. The marketplace kept running.
In May 2024, Airbnb removed roughly 5,000 listings that did not meet standards. In September 2024, after a roughly 17-month pause, submissions reopened. On May 13, 2025, Airbnb relaunched Experiences, and added Services in 260 cities.
A pause is not a retreat. When quality slips, you can close the intake without closing the business. Just know the pause costs time. Here, about 17 months.
The records behind this video
Every figure in the video comes from this Decision Record, each with its sources.
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