App Smackdown #1
The application that I chose for this smackdown was Airbnb. Airbnb is a relatively new revolution in the hospitality industry and is also contributing to the industry as a substitute for hotel lodging. Airbnb allows regular people to rent out their houses and rooms to people through this application, generally being a more affordable option for travelers. This is great for people that are traveling with a large group of people and want a space that can hold upwards of 10 to 15 people in the same common space, which a hotel cannot generally do. Airbnb also is also great for the hosts because it generates income for the hosts of the houses, apartments, or spaces that are being rented out.
As a student in hospitality, this is a great application to learn not only for personal use but for educational value. Understanding the trends within the hospitality industry will help to better prepare myself for my future career. Airbnb is definitely a forward moving trend right now. Analyzing its impact on the economy, it's impact on the hotel industry, and what it means for the future of travel are all compelling aspects of learning about Airbnb.
In my future career, I would like to go into event planning or something related to travel. For an event planner, Airbnb could be a useful tool to use with clients. If I were to become a wedding planner, it might be a possibility that when long distance guests come to the wedding they will need a place to stay. This may even be the case for the bride and groom, etc. Normally, there would be a couple of hotels that give a discount to people having a wedding if they stay in their hotel. A similar concept could be applied to an Airbnb. It may be a better option if families want to rent out an entire house, they will have a shared place all to themselves. An event planner would see to it that these arrangements can be made with certain hosts for a discounted price. This is just one way that the use of Airbnb can be applied to an event planning career. There are some event planners that must travel for work and Airbnb may be a good option for business related travel.
Airbnb tutorial screencast video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcK-lieTg0M&t=19s
PowerPoint Screencast video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csnLsfFyVKU
Hi Cara! I have been hearing a lot of things about Airbnb recently through friends and the news. I think you did a great job of explaining how to utilize this app to find exactly what you are looking for! This would be great for event planning but also just personal use if you wanted to take a vacation or go for a weekend getaway.
ReplyDeleteI love Airbnb! People are age are finding this app to be one of the biggest substitutes for hotels currently. I enjoyed how you explained how easy the app is to use. In addition, I liked how you mentioned the use of Airbnb for club activities at Stockton. I did not realize how useful this app is in that aspect.
ReplyDeleteI love the Airbnb application! Its design is very easy to navigate, even for browsing specific cities and locations. I like how you mentioned that it is important to understand the emerging trends in the hospitality industry. As consumer trends are changing, the industry will be adjusting! Understanding how to use this app can be helpful to all people whether it is a trip is for a business venture, wedding destination, or a vacation.
ReplyDeleteCara, I think Airbnb is such an awesome idea! I always only considered it for personal use but you describing the hospitality aspect of it was insightful. I think it could be very useful for accommodations of larger parties, which can be extended to most careers when travel is necessary for conferences, conventions, etc.
ReplyDeleteYea, Airbnb is great! I used it once when I traveled to Tai Wan a few years ago. However, I never notice that people can only review once they have booked an apartment. This rule is awesome and makes all the comments and rating reliable. You made a great connection between this app and your profession as an event planner. You also brought up a new idea that oversea relatives may need a place to stay when they attend the wedding, for example, in another country. I don't recognize that this is the part a wedding planner need to in charge.
ReplyDeleteCara,
ReplyDeleteI love AirBnb. I’ve used it a few times and have been nothing but happy with it. I used the app in London to stay in room within a home and then I used the app in Dublin to stay in my own apartment right in Temple Bar area. The app was extremely useful in helping me connect with the the hosts and helping me to find the places I would be staying. I had no idea that Stockton used AirBnb for clubs and things like that I think that is really cool.
Hi Cara! I have friends that have used Airbnb before and they say they love it! I agree with how you think learning about this app provides educational value into the hospitality industry. I also think this was interesting because in my opinion, Airbnb changed the game; or at least it made it a whole lot easier not only for the buyer, but the host as well.
ReplyDeleteHello, Cara! I have never personally used AirBnB, but I did recently convince my best friend that lives in Arlington, VA, to rent a certain apartment because she could AirBnB her second bedroom (it has views of all the monuments and the Capitol building of Washington, DC)! She hasn't had the nerve to do it, yet. I saw a TedTalks on YouTube recently that discussed how "Trust is the New Currency" by Rachel Botsman that you may find interesting! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqGksNRYu8s&feature=youtu.be&t=7
ReplyDeleteHi Cara, awesome presentation. I have not heard of this application until recently. My roommate used this app for traveling. She saved a lot of money and says the app really helped her enjoy her trip. This app will be very useful for your future career, but truly can be used by anyone traveling or looking into a trip.
ReplyDeleteHey Cara, very informative presentation. Although I have yet to use this App but after watching this video I will definitely consider checking Air BnB for a place to stay next time I travel. This app is the future of traveling and seems more appealing then staying in hotels or dealing with travel agencies. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI used Airbnb for the first time last month when I went to Miami and I couldn't have been any happier with the experience! A hotel in South Beach listed their rooms on Airbnb to reach a wider audience and the prices were so affordable and the room was unbelievable for the rates. I absolutely love Airbnb and it will be the first place I check when looking for a room next time I go somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI like how you introduced us to an app that many people have heard of. I also like how you connected this app to how you would use this for your future career in hospitality. I like how you gave different examples of careers in the hospitality major that this app could be used for in. Do you think there is one career in hospitality that this app would be the best option for?
ReplyDeleteHi Cara,
ReplyDeleteI’ve never used the app but I know a lot of people who have used it when traveling local and overseas. Thanks for the presentation, it was informative. A very useful tool for many careers, when traveling for business related matters. It’s a nice option, a little home away from home.
It’s nice when you can rely on a great app, we’ve all seen the commercials of arriving to a hotel to have it look nothing as advertised.
Cara,
ReplyDeleteI have used the Air b n b app a few times and find it very resourceful. I find that this type of hospitality can be useful when a student or frequent traveler wants a nice, yet affordable place to stay. This is a tool we can all use when evolving our careers at times like job interviews in new places or a business meeting in a different state. Awesome job!
Hi Cara! I agree that Airbnb is a great, affordable option for travelers. This app allows travelers to find quick, easy, and cheap rentals. Traveling can be very expensive and Airbnb eliminates the stress of finding a hotel or motel for an affordable price. I also agree that this app is good for you future career in event planning. It is easy to forget the expense that wedding attendees are expected to cover, especially for destination weddings. Airbnb is a cheap, alternative option for people attending weddings across the country and world!
ReplyDeleteHi Cara, I have used airbnb before and I can say I prefer it over hotels. I used it for a couple nights stay in Toronto and it was very easy to use and communication with the owner was perfect. I was happy to hear you say it would be useful for business traveling because I believe many people will start to use it for that reason as it gains more popularity.
ReplyDeleteHi Cara!
ReplyDeleteOver winter break I actually got a group together and I got an airbnb for New Years eve week! It was so much fun, and so easy to do! The app is so easy to navigate and you can read comments of people who have stayed, and can see whats hot and whats not! It will be a great app for you to use in your field!
Thanks for sharing ! In my future I want to travel a lot and I know an app like this is going to be very helpful to me if i need to find somewhere to stay. This is also great for everybody because sometimes people need to rent areas for special occasions.
ReplyDeleteThis seems like a useful app for last minute travelers and people who want to get a more local feel then visiting new places. It has proven to be a good app and considering it allows strangers to live together and has not created too many problems would make it successful.
ReplyDeleteHi Cara!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this. This app is very useful for everyone who loves to travel. This is definitely useful for me because my family and I go on a vacation every summer and we are usually 15-20 people. I have never heard of this app before so I definitely would like to give it a try when I go on a vacation with my family this summer. You have presented this app very well.
Hello Cara,
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of this app, but the funny thing is I just found out that you can rent people's houses/rent out your house for travelers the other day. I don't know where I have been in this technology age, but I'm glad you introduced this app. In the future when I will be getting married, I'll need to be seeking honeymoon spots, so I think this app would be useful. I'm sure this app will help you plan better as an event planner and I'm glad you shared your app with us!