Airbnb Rolls Out New Categories — Including Homes 10,000 Feet Above Sea Level and Traditional Korean Hanoks

Airbnb is ready to expand travelers' world view with exciting new rental categories, mentorship opportunities for new hosts, and improved accessibility options.

On Wednesday, the rental marketplace introduced six new types of bookings as part of its Airbnb Categories, including "New," "Trending," "Top of the World," "Hanoks," "Adapted," and "Play."

Thanks to the introduction of "New" and "Trending," it's easier than ever to find recently added homes and highly rated listings. Other new categories feature unique rentals including homes 10,000 feet above sea level, traditional hanoks in South Korea, and homes made for extreme game lovers.

Another category, "Adapted," shows homes that are guaranteed to be wheelchair accessible. These listings come with images that show helpful details such as doorway measurements.

The "Categories" page itself has also received a revamp and will now provide even more specific search options, including views and distances to attractions like national parks and vineyards.

"What we want to do with Airbnb Categories is help you discover places," Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said in a press briefing, adding that the options are meant to inspire travelers to browse and "spread out around the world."

Airbnb also introduced "Airbnb Setup," a mentor program where the platform's superhosts connect with new hosts and walk them through the process of listing their home. Once connected, superhosts and new hosts can chat through messaging or an in-app Zoom integration. The guidance is free for the new host and the superhost will receive a percentage of the listing's earnings.

New hosts also now have the option to specifically choose an experienced Airbnb user as their first guest. The platform also revamped its host protection effort, Air Cover. It has tripled the amount of damage protection overall, including increased protection for cars or boats stored at the property, and has also increased identity verification for guests.