Airbnb’s Categories Were Meant to Reinvent the Search Box – Now They’re Gone

Key Points

• Airbnb removed its Category search to make room for new features like Experiences and Services on its homepage.
• The Category search, launched in 2022, was intended to inspire users but was not adopted by competitors and had mixed reactions from hosts.
• Users now search with traditional filters and receive suggestions for Experiences and Services after booking, while category-based discovery is less prominent.

Summary

Airbnb discontinued its Category search feature, which was launched in 2022 to inspire travelers with curated home types, in favor of a more traditional search interface that prioritizes its new Experiences and Services offerings. The change was made to better accommodate these new lines of business, and the category-based discovery of homes is now much less prominent. While some hosts lamented the loss and its impact on bookings, others felt the feature was redundant, and no major competitors implemented a similar approach.