Airbnb is rolling out a host of new features this week meant to improve affordability, boost price transparency and otherwise better compete with hotels ahead of what's expected to be a record-setting summer travel season, Alex Fitzpatrick reports.

The big picture: Airbnb took off — and popularized the entire "sharing economy" — largely because their offerings were often cheaper than hotel rooms.

• But prices have increased over time, due in part to cleaning and service fees, as well as the rise of career hosts who make some or all of their living renting out entire properties.
• That hosts increasingly make guests clean up after themselves has also helped swing the pendulum back in hotels' favor.
• For some trips, it's simply easier to pop into a hotel, crash for a night or two, then bounce (after leaving a tip for housekeeping, of course).

Driving the news: The highlight of Airbnb's new update: Airbnb Rooms, a new category showing individual rooms in a host's home.

• When booking a single room, users will be able to see a "Host Passport" with details about the owner — including how friendly they'd like to be while hosting guests.
• Room listings will also indicate whether bedrooms have a lock, if the bathrooms are shared or private, and other key details.

What they're saying: Airbnb Rooms, says global head of policy and communications Jay Carney, goes back to the company's roots at a time when people are trying to save money where they can while traveling.

• The company also expects some lodgings "in part based on who the host is and how interesting that person is," Carney says.
• The Host Passport gives "guests a chance to understand more about who the host is, what they're like, what their interests are, what their background is, the languages they speak, things like that," he adds.

Yes, but: While some travelers — especially younger ones looking to connect with locals while out and about — might be eager to book a single room to save a buck, privacy and safety concerns will no doubt keep others from even considering it.

Meanwhile: Airbnb will now show the total price for a given stay directly in search results, rather than keeping certain fees hidden until the booking page.

• Users can also see what'll be expected of them upon departure before booking a location — giving them a chance to decide whether a certain location seems like too much work.
• The company is promising faster customer service during trips, as well as an instant credit if a host cancels a stay within 30 days ahead of arrival.

Many of these tweaks, Carney says, are direct responses to pushback against "departure chores" and other complaints.

• "It's answering the mail we got, basically — we're responding to the concerns and the feedback we've seen."

The intrigue: Airbnb's latest tweaks follow a big push from the company highlighting its funkiest listings (UFOs, anyone?) and other offerings that distinguish it from traditional hotels — like the ability to book an entire home for a big, whole-family vacation.

• Airbnb rival Vrbo, meanwhile, has also been promoting the privacy of its listings.

The bottom line: Despite commotion over fees and chores, Airbnb had a record fourth quarter last year — and these new features could help it go toe-to-toe with hotels heading into what promises to be an absolutely bonkers summer of travel.

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Uber is doubling down on shared rides in an effort to make ride-hailing less expensive and cities more livable, Joann Muller is first to report.

Why it matters: By matching riders headed in the same direction, Uber says it can reduce congestion and emissions while making its ride-hailing service affordable to more people.

• "Getting more butts in seats of fewer cars will help achieve our goal of zero emissions," says Uber's head of cities and transportation policy, Shin-pei Tsay.
• Uber aims to become a zero-emissions mobility platform by 2030 in the U.S., Canada and Europe, and globally by 2040.

Driving the news: Uber plans to announce this morning an expansion of its revamped shared-rides offering, UberX Share, to five additional U.S. cities.

• Shared rides were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, but relaunched last summer in nine major cities, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.
• The five new cities are Baltimore, Miami, Nashville, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., with more to come.

How it works: If UberX Share riders are matched with a co-rider along the way, they can save up to 20% off their total fare.

• Riders don't have to be headed to the same destination — just in the same direction.
• The technology is designed to add no more than eight minutes to your ride, Uber says.

Context: Uber's move comes a week after Lyft laid off 26% of its workforce and said it would eliminate shared rides to "simplify" its offerings.

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Adult content website Pornhub has blocked access in Utah due to new state laws requiring such sites to verify users' ages, Axios' Erin Alberty reports.

Why it matters: Utah is the latest U.S. state to pass new rules attempting to restrict the kinds of content internet users can access.

Catch up quick: Utah's new laws require websites with adult content to verify users' age each time someone tries to access the site.

• Noncompliant companies could be sued if a minor accesses their content.
• The rules also require social media companies to verify all Utah users' ages starting in March 2024.

What they're saying: The Utah bill's sponsor, state Sen. Todd Weiler, noted that Pornhub is already verifying users' ages in Louisiana, where a similar law took effect this year.

• "I expect they will eventually comply with Utah's [law] as well," Weiler said.

The other side: "I think that has a huge chilling effect on anybody who's operating in the sexual wellness space, as well as, obviously, sexual speech of all kinds, including adult content," says Mike Stabile, a spokesperson for the Free Speech Coalition.

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All 41 of Des Moines, Iowa's city-owned tennis courts have been remarked for both tennis and pickleball, Axios' Jason Clayworth reports.

The big picture: Cities nationwide are scrambling to support pickleball, which has been surging in popularity but isn't without its detractors.

• Pickleball participation is up nationally nearly 160% over the last three years, per a Sports & Fitness Industry Association report.

Catch up quick: As in other cities, Des Moines' parks department began offering pickleball in 2020 because it could be played outside and was seen as more pandemic-friendly than other sports.

• A pickleball-only court is set to open next month at the city's EMC Park, while construction on four courts at Stone Park is slated to begin in 2024.

Yes, but: There's a national pickleball backlash from tennis players who say the sport is hijacking their courts, as well as from neighbors who can't stand the game's constant pop-pop-pop noise.

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