Online Experiences Hosts will bring to life a global celebration of Pride
At a time when physical connection is exceptionally difficult and in-person events have been cancelled, the LGBTQ+ community and allies around the world are getting ready to celebrate Pride month like never before.
To coincide with the beginning of Pride season, Online Experience hosts on Airbnb will bring to life the platform’s first virtual celebration of LGBTQ+ culture, history and activism across +10 countries. Pride enthusiasts will be able to travel virtually and join Online Experiences led by hosts in Australia, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Portugal and more from the comfort of their living room, both during and after June.
Throughout the year, guests wishing to celebrate alongside the LGBTQ+ community on Airbnb can experience the Twists & Turns of Matthew Mitcham’s story, as Australia’s Olympic diving gold medalist takes guests on a journey of personal development – from childhood neglect, to issues with sexuality and ultimately elite sporting success.
Guests can also learn the secrets behind Ladyboys in Thailand, join a global LGBTQ bar hop across four cities or opt for the recently premiered family-friendly interactive musical cLock Down, written by Pedro in Portugal, who also hosts the extremely popular Sangria and Secrets with Drag Queens Experience.
“My achievements have given me the incredible opportunity to share my story, which is really important to me because my story isn’t one of constant success and happiness, it also deals with clinical depression, self-harm and addiction, both before and after achieving a lifelong goal of winning Olympic gold.
“My journey is one of incredible personal development and with Airbnb Online Experiences I can share what I’ve learnt with people all over the world. I’m incredibly proud to say I’m an Olympic Champion, but what I’m even more proud of is being the first openly gay Olympic Champion – how I overcame childhood neglect and issues with my sexuality to achieve elite sporting success my way.”
Matthew Mitcham, Olympic Champion
LGBTQ Culture and Nightlife (London, UK)
The Secrets Behind Ladyboys (Khet Watthana, Thailand)
Global LGBTQ Bar Hop Across Four Cities (San Francisco, CA, United States)
Airbnb has also partnered with IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association) and the IGLTA Foundation and its members to launch 100 new Experiences representing LGBTQ+ diversity over the coming year, including learning all about LGBTQ Culture and Nightlife in London or exploring the Stonewall Museum LGBTQ Archives.
“This partnership provides an exciting way to elevate the voices of IGLTA business members and to promote their LGBTQ+ travel experiences to a new and expanded audience. We also appreciate Airbnb Experiences’ commitment to the IGLTA Foundation, which will create visibility and funding for our LGBTQ+ tourism industry initiatives globally”, said John Tanzella, President and CEO of IGLTA.
Other Experiences to virtually celebrate Pride all year round include:
- My Road to Success with Prosthetic Arms (Exmouth, UK)
- Queer Poetry Workshop for a Good Cause (Portland, OR, United States)
- Berlin’s Sex History with a Sociologist (Berlin, Germany)
- Twists & Turns – Matthew Mitcham’s Story (Sydney, Australia)
- Gin and Gender (Orlando, FL, United States)
- Discover Gay Life in Russia (Saint Petersburg, Russia)
Celebrate the Olympic spirit with all-star athletes
Matthew Mitcham’s Experience will also feature prominently next month when, 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.
Launched in April 2020, Online Experiences unlock unprecedented access to inspiring hosts and activities across the world, including meditating with sleepy sheep in the UK, meeting a real life shark scientist in South Africa and more. Whether joining a yoga session hosted by an Olympian, wine tasting in Portugal, or cooking Mexican street tacos with a pro chef, guests have the chance to connect with new people and travel virtually, all from the comfort of their own living room.
To celebrate Pride and book dedicated virtual experiences, you can visit airbnb.com/online-experiences.