For many people who choose to rent their spaces on Airbnb, part of the fun of being a host is meeting the people who come to stay, and maybe sharing some favorite things about the city with those visitors. Airbnb is building on that and bringing their annual conference, the Airbnb Open, to Los Angeles this November, encouraging hosts to come out from behind the app and get to know each other IRL.
As reported in My News LA, the event invites hosts who use the platform as well as other Airbnb enthusiasts to gather in one city each year for conversations about hosting, keynotes from company executives and celebrity speakers, as well as food and cultural events celebrating the city. Last year, they took this so-called “festival of hosting” to Paris, and 6,000 Airbnb users attended, according to a press release, up from a comparatively-small 1,500 attendees the year before in the company’s hometown of San Francisco.
The speaker schedule for the LA event is definitely star-studded. Over the three days, ticket-holders will hear from the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow; Ashton Kutcher; Eat, Pray, Love scribe Elizabeth Gilbert; restaurateurs Danny Meyer and Michael Mina; TOMS shoe company founder Blake Mycoskie and many more. It doesn't yet say what each speaker will discuss, but we'll guess they will include how to serve your Airbnb guests Shake Shack-style burgers, go on life-changing voyages on which you stay at Airbnbs all along the way and decorate your Airbnb in the most tasteful shades of beige organic cotton.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has also promised that at the event his company will “[A]nnounce our vision for the future of hosting and travel.” That announcement may prove particularly timely with all the recent local backlash around Airbnb and other short-term rental services in LA, which has even resulted in new regulations for home-sharing.
Airbnb Open LA takes place Nov 17-19 at the Orpheum, Downtown Palace and the Theatre at Ace Hotel—all located in Downtown LA. Events run from morning to evening each day. Registration is open now, with Early Bird ticket prices of $275.00 increasing to $345 on July 31. Some additional events are priced individually.