24/7 Key Pickup for Japan Airbnb Listings via Convenience Stores

By MOOK Scenic Spots Chen Wenlin, compiled and reported
 
Staying in a homestay is a popular choice for many travelers when going abroad, but often late arrivals can cause inconvenience for hosts and disrupt travel plans. Now, the well-known homestay platform Airbnb has partnered with Japan’s FamilyMart convenience stores to launch a 24-hour key pickup service, making travel accommodations in Japan more convenient.

Understanding the challenges travelers face when checking in, the homestay platform Airbnb has launched a new service channel in collaboration with Japan’s FamilyMart convenience stores. By leveraging the 24-hour availability of convenience stores, the service helps alleviate the time pressure of checking in, allowing travelers to pick up their homestay keys at any time from FamilyMart.

This collaborative service will be launched in mid-June this year. By using convenience stores as an intermediary platform, travelers can easily obtain their homestay keys without directly meeting the host, reducing the awkwardness of face-to-face interaction and adding convenience for both parties.

In addition to the Airbnb and FamilyMart partnership, last year 7-Eleven also collaborated with JTB Travel Agency, allowing guests to check in and pick up keys simply by verifying their identity at 7-Eleven. Meanwhile, Japan’s leading convenience store chain LAWSON has set up in-store homestay key lockers since January this year. It is expected that cooperation between convenience stores and homestays will become increasingly common in the future.