Airbnb Unveils New Summer Lineup of Online Experiences

Airbnb today announces a new lineup of Online Experiences that will satisfy travelers’ wanderlust this summer season and bring transformative virtual Experiences to thousands of guests. Starting this week, Airbnb will expand this popular collection with Experiences that will transport people virtually through first of its kind partnerships with the Olympics, Paralympics, notable Broadway Shows, IGLTA for Pride Week and more – all hosted on the platform. These new Online Experiences will give guests access to never before seen Experiences that can be enjoyed simply from home.

With communities around the world staying home to protect their community and their own health, Airbnb launched Online Experiences in April 2020, migrating the platform’s beloved Experiences from in-person to online. Through Online Experiences, guests can unlock unprecedented access to inspiring hosts across the world, connect with new people, and travel virtually, all from the comfort of their own living room:

• Hosts have earned more than $1 million and connected tens of thousands of people all around the world. 
• Online Experiences is Airbnb’s fastest-growing product with more than 400 Online Experiences since launching just over two months ago.
• Online Experiences receive an average of 4.94 stars out of five.

Details on Airbnb’s Online Experiences Summer Lineup Below:

Celebrate the Olympic Spirit with All-Star Athletes

For the first time in history, Airbnb, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, will partner to bring the passion of the Olympics and Paralympics into your home through a virtual, interactive celebration of the Olympic spirit. This July, Airbnb will host an exciting lineup of Online Olympian and Paralympian Experiences for fans across the globe to personally interact and learn from their sports idols in the comfort of their own homes.

Broadway at Home

With theatres in the US closed, Airbnb will partner with a variety of Broadway shows to bring the magic of world-renowned musicals to guests’ homes this summer. Members of the Broadway community will bring these productions to life through intimate Online Experiences, with some hosted through Airbnb’s Social Impact program. 100 percent the proceeds for those Experiences will go directly to charities that are near and dear to Broadway artists.

These artist-led Experiences also provide economic opportunities for the entertainment community throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Working alongside The Actors Fund, Airbnb will offer artists across the US – from improv masters to a sword-swallowing medical clown – the chance to tap into Online Experiences as an alternate income stream. These entertainers will join the larger community of the 22 percent of Experiences hosts (or a member of their household) who identify as an artist or musician, including Pedro in Portugal – host of the wildly popular Sangria and Secrets with Drag Queens Experience – as he premieres his new, original interactive musical, cLock Down.

TikTok

TikTok and Airbnb will launch a series of Online Experiences with TikTok Creators representing TikTok’s best in the culinary, arts, dance and comedy digital world. TikTok stars who we will be launching with include: Bonnie Rodriguez (@bonnierzm), The McFarland Family (@themcfarlands) and Doctor Austin Chiang (@austinchiangmd) who will host personalized Experiences across photography, comedy and health and wellness.

Global Pride 

In celebration of Pride, Airbnb will create a virtual Pride Week with Online Experiences led by LGBTQ+ hosts. In addition to this, IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association), the IGLTA Foundation and its members will offer Online Experiences that will continue celebrating the LGBTQ+ community all year round.

Partnering with Local Communities to Support Economic Growth and Promote Cultural Exchange

We are working with governments and tourism agencies to help support economic growth and cultural exchange that benefit local citizens and small businesses. We are working with the Singapore Tourism Board, Brand USA and others to attract local Online Experiences that promote the culture, traditions, and local flavor in these destinations so people all over the world can enjoy them virtually. 

In-person Experiences

In addition to online offerings, in-person Experiences will re-open in countries where it’s safe and permissible to do so based on guidance from health experts and local governments. Starting June 15, hosts will have the option to reinstate in-person Experiences in more than a dozen countries across Europe and Asia, including Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, France, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, China and Vietnam. We’re launching new safety and cleaning initiatives for these in-person Experiences, including:

• Requiring all hosts and guests wear face coverings and maintain social distancing.
• Limiting group sizes to allow for social distancing.
• Offering a safety program training that includes education on safety requirements as well as an Enhanced Cleaning Protocol for hosts who are hosting in a private space.

Launched in 2016, Airbnb Experiences are unique, memorable activities designed and hosted by locals that go beyond typical tours or workshops. They provide deep insights and immersion into the hosts’ passions and interests, and a different way to experience a destination. For more, visit airbnb.com/online-experiences.