As cryptocurrency becomes more and more commonplace in everyday life, it makes sense that people could use it for booking accommodation.

That might soon be a reality on Airbnb. The company’s co-founder Brian Chesky posed a simple question on Twitter this week: “If Airbnb could launch anything in 2022, what would it be?”

After sorting through a huge 4,000 responses, there was one clear winner. Crypto payments came out on top, with lots of people clearly wanting the opportunity to pay for their next Airbnb apartment in a different way. Chesky made sure to make clear that crypto was inclusive of a variety of token ideas.

The rest of the top six suggestions was rounded out by clear pricing displays, a guest loyalty program, updated cleaning fees, more long-term stays and discounts, and better customer service.

And it seems like Chesky already had some of the ideas in mind. “Already working on most, will look into others now!” he revealed in a follow-up tweet.

Chesky’s open forum for business was well-received on Twitter. “A CEO that listens, how refreshing,” said one user. “Great list… Excited to see them go live!” replied another.

A pivot to crypto payments would be a good move at a good time for Airbnb. As reported by Forbes in June last year, a travel booking site backed by the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, launched a blockchain-based competitor to Airbnb. Dtravel offers hosts and guests a decentralised platform to rent out rooms or homes.

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After being the dominant power in its field for years, Skype was infamously toppled by Zoom after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; Chesky and Airbnb would similarly hate to be bypassed by a new startup as the use of crypto explodes. Keep an eye on Airbnb this year to see when these new suggestions are implemented.

For more on this topic, follow the Travel Observer or the Money Observer.

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