Airbnb tells host stories in first localised videos for Japan

JAPAN - With its services becoming increasingly part of the tourism landscape, Airbnb chose to focus on encouraging more Japanese people to host guests and enjoy the experience.

A video that Airbnb produced in-house spotlights individuals reminiscing about what they liked about hosting guests. One is a woman who rejoiced that guests considered her their Japanese mother. There is a young couple that decided to host as part of regional development efforts. Then there is an entrepreneur who plans and stages events.

Airbnb says that Japan has the highest ratio of superhosts—consistently earning top marks for their hospitality in user reviews—in the world. Most of these hosts are in major urban areas, so the firm looks to leverage videos to cultivate more regional hosts around the nation.

Campaign’s view: It is vital for people-to-people services to showcase their users. Content like these videos will be important to building a positive brand image among the Japanese in the lead-up to the 2020 Olympics, as home-sharing has a poor reputation in this nation. Early adopters apart, most Japanese understand little about what Airbnb has to offer. The firm will likely need to create additional content that presents its services, and we look forward to seeing what market-specific material it brings down the track.

This article first appeared on Campaign Japan: Airbnb、日本人ホストの心温まるエピソードを動画で紹介