Airbnb : Experiences
Head of Design
Design team : 8 (ICs + managers)
Experiences are defined as “hosted things to do” however this is not top of mind for most travelers. That’s because most guests come to Airbnb for a place to stay and their planning with Airbnb ends there. We saw an opportunity to redefine Experiences search and discovery. This new approach included trip relevant, smartly curated supply showcased through rich storytelling.
We designed the host video upload experience making it easier to use with more guidance. We redesigned the product cards to better showcase video and rethought the content displayed. We made maps more useful by highlighting Experiences relevant to your location and redesigned the icon system. Lastly we redesigned the Experiences results page through the theme of “show don’t tell” smartly categorizing supply and reviews to respond to needs of not just the traveler but the trip.
After years of dormancy due to COVID restrictions and growing apprehension around group activities, the future of Airbnb Experiences was at a crossroads. This was a pivotal moment for the business, as the company was actively streamlining its overall focus. Our proposal introduced a strategic shift—repositioning Experiences from a secondary trip add-on to a core source of trip inspiration. But this transformation couldn’t be achieved through digital product updates alone. It required a foundational reset: reevaluating our Hosts, the relevance and quality of the inventory, how it was merchandised, and integrated with Airbnb Stays.
As Head of Design for Airbnb Experiences I led a mid-sized team of Designers, Content Writers and Researchers. I worked closely with our cross-functional leadership team and senior stakeholders (including our CEO) to align an a strategic approach for the next phase of the business. This included developing a new product vision, strategy around inventory and support for our Hosts. From there, I guided our Experiences XD team through a number of key initiatives to bring this vision to life.
Enhanced Host Tools : We redesigned the video upload experience, making it easier and more intuitive for hosts to tell their stories with greater clarity and impact
Revamped Product Cards: Optimized for video, our new product cards highlight key content to better capture guest interest.
Smarter Mapping: Location-based enhancements now surface more relevant Experiences, supported by a redesigned icon system for better visual comprehension.
Reimagined Discovery Page: Guided by the principle of “show, don’t tell,” we restructured the results page to smartly categorize supply and showcase authentic reviews—tailoring the experience not just to the traveler, but to the nature of the trip itself.