Travel decisions shift from destination to experience-driven

In September 2021, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said at the Skift Global Forum that accommodation has become the first choice for many people, which is also why Airbnb launched the "I'm flexible" search. On November 11, 2026, Skift reported that the traditional path for leisure travel is to choose a destination first and then book flights and hotels, but more and more travel businesses are shifting to the opposite logic: first win customers through what users want to do, then help them decide where to go; the report noted that five years later this business impact has far exceeded Airbnb, and hotels, airlines and activity companies are competing around the demand entry point.