The Reading / Listening - Luxury Travel - Level 3

The online accommodation booking company Airbnb is going upmarket. It is moving into the luxury travel market. CEO Brian Chesky has announced an improvement in the company's business model. It wants richer people to use it. The company will offer new types of places to stay such as vacation homes and boutique hotels. The company has over four million rooms on its site in 81,000 cities and 191 countries. It has helped make over 260 million reservations since it launched nine years ago. Mr Chesky hopes to increase this to more than one billion people staying in its rentals by 2028. Chesky said: "Airbnb is still an alternative. It's still not for everyone. Today we will show you our road map: Airbnb for everyone."

Airbnb does not own any real estate, or properties. It acts as a broker between property owners who want to make extra cash by renting out their rooms or homes, and travelers looking for a cheaper, more homely alternative to hotels. The company makes money from the booking fees it charges. Its vision is to branch out into luxury accommodation, restaurant reservations, and adventure travel experiences. A new option will allow people to book "unique spaces". This includes things like yurts - the large, circular tents that are home to many people in Mongolia. Airbnb's new "Beyond" option will offer travelers "full-on luxury stays" that include "some of the world's nicest homes".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Luxury Travel - Level 0 Luxury Travel - Level 1   or  Luxury Travel - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.cnet.com/news/airbnb-is-getting-all-fancy/
  • https://www.vogue.com.au/vogue-living/travel/the-airbnb-experience-is-about-to-get-even-better/news-story/e95b3ca4cd25024bc6921f62441c5b6c
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbnb


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. LUXURY TRAVEL: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about luxury travel. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       online / accommodation / upmarket / business model / vacation / boutique hotels /
       real estate / cash / booking fees / luxury / travel / unique / Mongolia / option
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. LUXURY HOTELS: Students A strongly believe luxury hotels are a waste of money; Students B strongly believe they aren't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. PLACES TO STAY: What are the good and bad things about these places? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Good

Bad

5-star hotel

 

 

Youth hostel

 

 

Business hotel

 

 

Motel

 

 

Bed and breakfast

 

 

Tent

 

 

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. LUXURY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "luxury". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. HOTELS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important things about a hotel at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • swimming pool
  • nice smell
  • clean
  • cheap price
  • comfortable bed
  • quiet
  • safety
  • room service

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. accommodation a. A hotel or business that is small and sophisticated or fashionable.
      2. upmarket b. A room, group of rooms, or building in which someone may live or stay.
      3. CEO c. The boss of a company; Chief Executive Officer.
      4. boutique d. Started something new (a business, campaign, project, etc.).
      5. reservation e. Something you can use instead of another thing.
      6. launched f. More expensive and for richer people.
      7. alternative g. The action of booking something so you can have or use it later (e.g. a hotel room, airplane ticket, restaurant table, theater ticket, etc.).

    Paragraph 2

      8. real estate h. The money you pay for a service.
      9. broker i. Maximum, top-quality.
      10. cash j. Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else; only one of its kind.
      11. fees k. Real money (i.e. notes and coins) and not money on credit cards, checks, bit-coin, etc.
      12. branch l. Move into different areas or business, activities or interests.
      13. unique m. Land and buildings.
      14. full-on n. A person who buys and sells things for other people.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The website Airbnb has decided to go downmarket.     T / F
  2. The CEO announced the company's business model would be better.     T / F
  3. Airbnb operates in over 190 countries around the world.     T / F
  4. The CEO of Airbnb showed people a road map of Mongolia.     T / F
  5. Airbnb is one of the world's biggest owners of hotel properties.     T / F
  6. The company makes most of its money from booking fees.     T / F
  7. People now have the option to book a night in a tent in Mongolia.     T / F
  8. Airbnb's CEO said his website is beyond most people.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. booking
  2. announced
  3. vacation
  4. launched
  5. alternative
  6. own
  7. fees
  8. vision
  9. unique
  10. option
  1. special
  2. started
  3. payments
  4. stated
  5. have
  6. plan
  7. reservation
  8. choice
  9. different
  10. holiday

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. The online accommodation
  2. business
  3. The company will offer new types
  4. since it launched
  5. Today we will show you our road
  6. Airbnb does not own any real
  7. property owners who want to make
  8. makes money from the booking
  9. Its vision is to branch
  10. full-
  1. of places to stay
  2. out
  3. map
  4. fees it charges
  5. model
  6. extra cash
  7. booking company
  8. nine years ago
  9. on luxury
  10. estate, or properties

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
booking
alternative
since
offer
map
announced
increase
vacation

The online accommodation (1) ____________ company Airbnb is going upmarket. It is moving into the luxury travel market. CEO Brian Chesky has (2) ____________ an improvement in the company's business model. It wants richer people to use it. The company will (3) ____________ new types of places to stay such as (4) ____________ homes and boutique hotels. The company has over four million rooms on its site in 81,000 cities and 191 countries. It has helped make over 260 million reservations (5) ____________ it launched nine years ago. Mr Chesky hopes to (6) ____________ this to more than one billion people staying in its rentals by 2028. Chesky said: "Airbnb is still an (7) ____________. It's still not for everyone. Today we will show you our road (8) ____________: Airbnb for everyone."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
fees
extra
unique
real
option
homely
circular
option

Airbnb does not own any (9) ____________ estate, or properties. It acts as a broker between property owners who want to make (10) ____________ cash by renting out their rooms or homes, and travelers looking for a cheaper, more (11) ____________ alternative to hotels. The company makes money from the booking (12) ____________ it charges. Its vision is to branch out into luxury accommodation, restaurant reservations, and adventure travel experiences. A new (13) ____________ will allow people to book "(14) ____________ spaces". This includes things like yurts - the large, (15) ____________ tents that are home to many people in Mongolia. Airbnb's new "Beyond" (16) ____________ will offer travelers "full-on luxury stays" that include "some of the world's nicest homes".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  The online accommodation booking company Airbnb is ______
     a.  go in upmarket
     b.  go in up market
     c.  go in up mark it
     d.  going upmarket
2)  Chesky has announced an improvement in the company's ______
     a.  businesses model
     b.  business models
     c.  business model
     d.  businesses models
3) offer new types of places to stay such as vacation homes and ______
     a.  boutique hotels
     b.  batik hotels
     c.  boo tick hotels
     d.  boot teak hotels
4)  Mr Chesky hopes to increase this to more than one billion people ______ rentals
     a.  stay in in its
     b.  staying in its
     c.  stay yin in its
     d.  stayed in its
5)  It's still not for everyone. Today we will show you ______
     a.  our road nap
     b.  our road map
     c.  our road tap
     d.  our road rap

6)  It acts as a broker between property owners who want to ______
     a.  made extra cache
     b.  make extra cache
     c.  may keg stuck cash
     d.  make extra cash
7) travelers looking for a cheaper, more ______ hotels
     a.  homely alternative too
     b.  homing alternative to
     c.  homely alternative two
     d.  homely alternative to
8)  makes money from the booking fees it charges. Its vision is ______
     a.  to blanch out
     b.  to branch out
     c.  to brunch out
     d.  to brandish out
9)  A new option will allow people to book "______"
     a.  unique spaces
     b.  you need spaces
     c.  you need space is
     d.  uniquely spaces
10)  Airbnb's new "Beyond" option will offer travelers "______ stays"
     a.  full-in luxury
     b.  full-on luxury
     c.  fill-in luxury
     d.  filling luxury

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The online accommodation booking company Airbnb (1) ___________________. It is moving into the luxury travel market. CEO Brian Chesky has announced (2) ___________________ the company's business model. It wants richer people to use it. The company will offer new (3) ___________________ to stay such as vacation homes and boutique hotels. The company has over four million rooms on its site in 81,000 cities and 191 countries. It has helped make over 260 million (4) ___________________ launched nine years ago. Mr Chesky hopes to increase this to more than one billion people staying (5) ___________________ by 2028. Chesky said: "Airbnb is still an alternative. It's still not for everyone. Today we will show you (6) ___________________: Airbnb for everyone."

Airbnb does not own (7) ___________________, or properties. It acts as a broker between property owners who want to make extra cash by renting out their rooms or homes, and travelers looking for a (8) ___________________ alternative to hotels. The company makes money from the booking fees it charges. Its vision is (9) ___________________ into luxury accommodation, restaurant reservations, and adventure travel experiences. A new (10) ___________________ people to book "unique spaces". This includes things like yurts - the large, (11) ___________________ are home to many people in Mongolia. Airbnb's new "Beyond" option will offer travelers "(12) ___________________ stays" that include "some of the world's nicest homes".

Comprehension questions

  1. What position in Airbnb does Mr Brian Chesky have?
  2. What kind of model did Mr Chesky say he would improve?
  3. In how many countries does Airbnb have rooms?
  4. How many reservations does Mr Chesky want to have had by 2028?
  5. What kind of map did Mr Chesky say he would show people?
  6. How much real estate does Airbnb own?
  7. What does Airbnb make money from?
  8. What kind of travel experiences will Airbnb now start offering?
  9. What is a yurt?
  10. What kind of stays will users of Airbnb's "Beyond" option get?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What position in Airbnb does Mr Brian Chesky have?
a) Chief App Officer
b) Chief Technical Officer
c) Chief Financial Officer
d) Chief Executive Officer
2) What kind of model did Mr Chesky say he would improve?
a) a model of a hotel
b) a business model
c) a car model
d) an Internet model
3) In how many countries does Airbnb have rooms?
a) 161
b) 171
c) 181
d) 191
4) How many reservations does Mr Chesky want to have had by 2028?
a) billions
b) more than 100,000,000
c) over a billion
d) 10,000,000,000
5) What kind of map did Mr Chesky say he would show people?
a) a map of Mongolia
b) a map of a new hotel
c) a map of the stars
d) a road map

6) How much real estate does Airbnb own?
a) a little
b) a lot
c) none
d) an average amount
7) What does Airbnb make money from?
a) booking fees
b) drinks
c) tips
d) selling guide books
8) What kind of travel experiences will Airbnb now start offering?
a) deep-sea travel
b) space travel
c) adventure travel
d) polar travel
9) What is a yurt?
a) a yoghurt drink
b) a tent
c) a currency on Airbnb
d) an animal
10) What kind of stays will users of Airbnb's "Beyond" option get?
a) full-on luxury stays
b) nice ones
c) homestays
d) long stays

Role play

Role  A – Comfortable Bed
You think a comfortable bed is the most important thing for a hotel stay. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): safety, room service or a cheap price.

Role  B – Safety
You think safety is the most important thing for a hotel stay. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a comfortable bed, room service or a cheap price.

Role  C – Room Service
You think room service is the most important thing for a hotel stay. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): safety, a comfortable bed or a cheap price.

Role  D – Cheap Price
You think a cheap price is the most important thing for a hotel stay. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): safety, room service or a comfortable bed.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'luxury'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'travel'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • acts
    • cheaper
    • fees
    • option
    • large
    • some
    • online
    • model
    • such
    • 260
    • billion
    • map

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Airbnb enters luxury travel market

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'luxury'?
    3. Why do people like to travel?
    4. What do you know about Airbnb?
    5. What kinds of accommodation do you like?
    6. What do you know about boutique hotels?
    7. What's the best place you've ever stayed in?
    8. Which is better - a hotel or hostels?
    9. How do you usually book hotels?
    10. Are expensive hotels always good?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'travel'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Where have you traveled to?
    5. What kind of traveler are you?
    6. What's the best worst you've ever stayed in?
    7. What is your idea of luxury travel?
    8. What is your idea of adventure travel?
    9. Would you like to stay in a yurt in Mongolia?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Airbnb's CEO?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    The online (1) ____ booking company Airbnb is going upmarket. It is moving into the luxury travel market. CEO Brian Chesky has announced (2) ____ improvement in the company's business model. It wants richer people to use it. The company will offer new types of places to stay (3) ____ as vacation homes and boutique hotels. The company has over four million rooms on its site in 81,000 cities and 191 countries. It has helped (4) ____ over 260 million reservations since it launched nine years ago. Mr Chesky hopes to increase (5) ____ to more than one billion people staying in its rentals by 2028. Chesky said: "Airbnb is still an alternative. It's still not for everyone. Today we will show you our road (6) ____: Airbnb for everyone."

    Airbnb does not own any real estate, or properties. It acts as a (7) ____ between property owners who want to make extra cash by renting out their rooms or homes, and travelers looking for a cheaper, more (8) ____ alternative to hotels. The company makes money from the booking fees it (9) ____. Its vision is to branch out into luxury accommodation, restaurant reservations, and adventure travel experiences. A new option will (10) ____ people to book "unique spaces". This includes things like yurts - the large, (11) ____ tents that are home to many people in Mongolia. Airbnb's new "Beyond" option will offer travelers "full-(12) ____ luxury stays" that include "some of the world's nicest homes".

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     accommodation     (b)     accommodate     (c)     accommodates     (d)     accommodating    
    2. (a)     this     (b)     the     (c)     an     (d)     big    
    3. (a)     so     (b)     and     (c)     such     (d)     example    
    4. (a)     be     (b)     do     (c)     have     (d)     make    
    5. (a)     this     (b)     up     (c)     by     (d)     of    
    6. (a)     nap     (b)     map     (c)     trap     (d)     rap    
    7. (a)     beaker     (b)     broken     (c)     breaker     (d)     broker    
    8. (a)     homily     (b)     homely     (c)     homonym     (d)     hormone    
    9. (a)     discharges     (b)     recharges     (c)     charges     (d)     surcharges    
    10. (a)     do     (b)     allow     (c)     make     (d)     let    
    11. (a)     circuit     (b)     circa     (c)     curricular     (d)     circular    
    12. (a)     up     (b)     on     (c)     to     (d)     over

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. Airbnb is going paemrkut
    2. adnnunceo an improvement
    3. vacation homes and utibqueo hotels
    4. 260 million orisneetavsr
    5. since it luhecadn nine years ago
    6. Airbnb is still an alernivatet

    Paragraph 2

    1. Airbnb does not own any real ttaese
    2. ytorprep owners
    3. Its vnsoii is to branch out
    4. ueedvatnr travel
    5. unqieu spaces
    6. large, rlacuirc tents

    Put the text back together

    (...)  Airbnb does not own any real estate, or properties. It acts as a broker between property owners who want to make extra
    (...)  option will allow people to book "unique spaces". This includes things like yurts - the large,
    (...)  260 million reservations since it launched nine years ago. Mr Chesky hopes to increase
    (...)  to hotels. The company makes money from the booking fees it charges. Its vision is to branch
    (...)  model. It wants richer people to use it. The company will offer new types of places to stay such as vacation homes and boutique
    (...)  out into luxury accommodation, restaurant reservations, and adventure travel experiences. A new
    (...)  market. CEO Brian Chesky has announced an improvement in the company's business
    (...)  cash by renting out their rooms or homes, and travelers looking for a cheaper, more homely alternative
    (...)  an alternative. It's still not for everyone. Today we will show you our road map: Airbnb for everyone."
    (...)  travelers "full-on luxury stays" that include "some of the world's nicest homes".
    1  ) The online accommodation booking company Airbnb is going upmarket. It is moving into the luxury travel
    (...)  hotels. The company has over four million rooms on its site in 81,000 cities and 191 countries. It has helped make over
    (...)  circular tents that are home to many people in Mongolia. Airbnb's new "Beyond" option will offer
    (...)  this to more than one billion people staying in its rentals by 2028. Chesky said: "Airbnb is still

    Put the words in the right order

    1. market   .   the   travel   It   moving   is   into   luxury
    2. places   stay   .   company   will   offer   new   The   to
    3. reservations   .   million   260   It   has   helped   over   make
    4. to   this   Increase   billion   than   people   .   more   one
    5. our   you   show   we   map   .   Today   will   road
    6. who   owners   want   make   cash   .   Property   extra   to
    7. homely   alternative   .   more   looking   for   cheaper,   Travelers   a
    8. money   booking   from   company   The   fees   .   the   makes
    9. book   .   new   people   A   will   allow   option   to
    10. travelers   will   option   luxury   .   An   full-on   offer

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The online accommodation booked / booking company Airbnb is going upmarket. It is moving into / onto the luxury travel market. CEO Brian Chesky has announced an improved / improvement in the company's business model. It wants richer people to abuse / use it. The company will offer new types of places to stay so / such as vacation homes and boutique hotels. The company has over four million rooms on its site / sight in 81,000 cities and 191 countries. It has helped make over 260 million reservations since it launched / lunched nine years ago. Mr Chesky hopes to increase this to more than one billion people staying in its renting / rentals by 2028. Chesky said: "Airbnb is still an alternative / alternatively. It's still not for everyone. Today we will show you our road nap / map: Airbnb for everyone."

    Airbnb does not own any really / real estate, or properties. It acts as a broker / broken between property / properly owners who want to make extra cash by renting out their rooms or homes, and travelers looking for a cheaper, more home / homely alternative to hotels. The company makes money from the booking fees / feels it charges. Its vision is to branch out into luxury accommodation, restaurant reservations / reserves, and adventure travel experiences. A new caption / option will allow people to book "unique spaces". This includes things / thing like yurts - the large, circular tents that are home to / too many people in Mongolia. Airbnb's new "Beyond" option will offer travelers "full-on luxury stays" that include / inclusive "some of the world's nicest homes".

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    T h_ _n l_n_ _c c_m m_d_t__ n   b__ k_n g   c_m p_n y   A_r b n b  _s   g__ n g  _p m_r k_t .   I t  _s   m_v_n g  _n t_  t h_  l_x_r y   t r_v_l   m_r k_t .   C E O   B r__ n   C h_s k y   h_s  _n n__ n c_d  _n  _m p r_v_m_n t  _n   t h_  c_m p_n y ' s   b_s_n_s s   m_d_l .   I t   w_n t s   r_c h_r   p__ p l_  t_ _s_ _t .   T h_  c_m p_n y   w_l l  _f f_r   n_w   t y p_s  _f   p l_c_s   t_  s t_y   s_c h  _s   v_c_t__ n   h_m_s  _n d   b__ t_q__   h_t_l s .   T h_  c_m p_n y   h_s  _v_r   f__ r   m_l l__ n   r__ m s  _n  _t s   s_t_ _n   8 1 , 0 0 0   c_t__ s  _n d   1 9 1   c__ n t r__ s .   I t   h_s   h_l p_d   m_k_ _v_r   2 6 0   m_l l__ n   r_s_r v_t__ n s   s_n c_ _t   l__ n c h_d   n_n_  y__ r s  _g_.   M r   C h_s k y   h_p_s   t_ _n c r__ s_  t h_s   t_  m_r_  t h_n  _n_  b_l l__ n   p__ p l_  s t_y_n g  _n  _t s   r_n t_l s   b y   2 0 2 8 .   C h_s k y   s__ d :   " A_r b n b  _s   s t_l l  _n  _l t_r n_t_v_.   I t ' s   s t_l l   n_t   f_r  _v_r y_n_.   T_d_y   w_  w_l l   s h_w   y__  __ r   r__ d   m_p :   A_r b n b   f_r  _v_r y_n_. "

    A_r b n b   d__ s   n_t  _w n  _n y   r__ l  _s t_t_,  _r   p r_p_r t__ s .   I t  _c t s  _s  _  b r_k_r   b_t w__ n   p r_p_r t y  _w n_r s   w h_  w_n t   t_  m_k_ _x t r_  c_s h   b y   r_n t_n g  __ t   t h__ r   r__ m s  _r   h_m_s ,  _n d   t r_v_l_r s   l__ k_n g   f_r  _  c h__ p_r ,   m_r_  h_m_l y  _l t_r n_t_v_  t_  h_t_l s .   T h_  c_m p_n y   m_k_s   m_n_y   f r_m   t h_  b__ k_n g   f__ s  _t   c h_r g_s .   I t s   v_s__ n  _s   t_  b r_n c h  __ t  _n t_  l_x_r y  _c c_m m_d_t__ n ,   r_s t__ r_n t   r_s_r v_t__ n s ,  _n d  _d v_n t_r_  t r_v_l  _x p_r__ n c_s .   A   n_w  _p t__ n   w_l l  _l l_w   p__ p l_  t_  b__ k   "_n_q__   s p_c_s " .   T h_s  _n c l_d_s   t h_n g s   l_k_  y_r t s   -   t h_  l_r g_,   c_r c_l_r   t_n t s   t h_t  _r_  h_m_  t_  m_n y   p__ p l_ _n   M_n g_l__ .   A_r b n b ' s   n_w   " B_y_n d "  _p t__ n   w_l l  _f f_r   t r_v_l_r s   " f_l l -_n   l_x_r y   s t_y s "   t h_t  _n c l_d_  " s_m_ _f   t h_  w_r l d ' s   n_c_s t   h_m_s " .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the online accommodation booking company airbnb is going upmarket it is moving into the luxury travel market ceo brian chesky has announced an improvement in the companys business model it wants richer people to use it the company will offer new types of places to stay such as vacation homes and boutique hotels the company has over four million rooms on its site in 81000 cities and 191 countries it has helped make over 260 million reservations since it launched nine years ago mr chesky hopes to increase this to more than one billion people staying in its rentals by 2028 chesky said airbnb is still an alternative its still not for everyone today we will show you our road map airbnb for everyone

    airbnb does not own any real estate or properties it acts as a broker between property owners who want to make extra cash by renting out their rooms or homes and travelers looking for a cheaper more homely alternative to hotels the company makes money from the booking fees it charges its vision is to branch out into luxury accommodation restaurant reservations and adventure travel experiences a new option will allow people to book unique spaces this includes things like yurts  the large circular tents that are home to many people in mongolia airbnbs new beyond option will offer travelers fullon luxury stays that include some of the worlds nicest homes

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    TheonlineaccommodationbookingcompanyAirbnbisgoingupmarket.
    Itismovingintotheluxurytravelmarket.CEOBrianCheskyhasannounc
    edanimprovementinthecompany'sbusinessmodel.Itwantsricherpeo
    pletouseit.Thecompanywilloffernewtypesofplacestostaysuchasvaca
    tionhomesandboutiquehotels.Thecompanyhasoverfourmillionroom
    sonitssitein81,000citiesand191countries.Ithashelpedmakeover260
    millionreservationssinceitlaunchednineyearsago.MrCheskyhopesto
    increasethistomorethanonebillionpeoplestayinginitsrentalsby2028.
    Cheskysaid:"Airbnbisstillanalternative.It'sstillnotforeveryone.Toda
    ywewillshowyouourroadmap:Airbnbforeveryone."Airbnbdoesnotow
    nanyrealestate,orproperties.Itactsasabrokerbetweenpropertyowne
    rswhowanttomakeextracashbyrentingouttheirroomsorhomes,andtr
    avelerslookingforacheaper,morehomelyalternativetohotels.Theco
    mpanymakesmoneyfromthebookingfeesitcharges.Itsvisionistobran
    choutintoluxuryaccommodation,restaurantreservations,andadvent
    uretravelexperiences.Anewoptionwillallowpeopletobook"uniquespa
    ces".Thisincludesthingslikeyurtsthelarge,circulartentsthatarehome
    tomanypeopleinMongolia.Airbnb'snew"Beyond"optionwilloffertrave
    lers"full-onluxurystays"thatinclude"someoftheworld'snicesthom
    es".

    Free writing

    Write about luxury travel for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Travelling isn't so good. There's no place like home. Do you agree?

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. LUXURY TRAVEL: Make a poster about luxury travel. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. AIRBNB: Write a magazine article about luxury travel. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on luxury travel. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on what luxury travel is. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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