Life, liberty, and the pursuit of gold: Airbnb supports Team USA
As a Worldwide Olympic Partner, we are proud to leverage our partnership with the IOC and IPC to benefit athletes around the world. At the center of this partnership is a shared goal to support athletes globally, and we thank the many Airbnb Hosts who have provided incredible homes and unforgettable experiences to athletes around the world. As we celebrate the July 4th holiday as a proud sponsor of Team USA, we honor and celebrate the American athletes chasing their goals and making their dreams come true through sport. Here in the US, more than 2,000 Team USA athletes are current Airbnb users, including hundreds who are Hosts.
Nearly 100 American athletes among recipients of Airbnb Athlete Travel Grants
In April, we announced the Airbnb Athlete Travel Grant (AATG) to provide Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls who had been particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with $2,000 in Airbnb promotional credit to use for stays near accessible training facilities and other travel accommodations. As part of our continued commitment to make support of athletes the cornerstone of our work within the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, we are excited to share that almost 100 of the athletes chosen for the 2021 AATG are Americans.
The AATG program is in addition to the Airbnb500, which provides every Olympian and Paralympian who qualifies to compete in Tokyo 2020 with $500 in Airbnb promotional credit for their personal use.
“Supporting athletes lies at the heart of our partnership, whether through valuable programs that offer economic support where needed, through our incredible Host community that provides athletes with stays and experiences, or through the economic empowerment offered to the many athletes who are Hosts themselves. We are proud to work with Team USA, the IOC and IPC to continue finding ways to support athletes as they pursue their dreams.”
Catherine Powell, Airbnb Head of Hosting
Team USA training, reuniting and relaxing on Airbnb
Beyond the direct financial benefit athletes receive from the AATG, Airbnb has also dedicated support to many Team USA athletes and teams for accommodations and Online Experiences throughout the last year and now leading up to competitions and US Olympic Team Trials on the road to Tokyo 2020.
Last year amid quarantines and shutdowns of facilities, Team USA’s Women’s Water Polo team stayed in an Airbnb to help the entire team and coaching staff safely gather and continue practicing.
“To get back on the road again after a year of no travel, and to do it in such an amazing place, was a huge boost for our team. I am hopeful that it has helped to strengthen our connection and rejuvenate our spirit as the march towards Tokyo continues.”
Adam Krikorian, USA Women’s Waterpolo Coach
Following suit, Team USA Men’s Water Polo team will be making a stop in Hawaii en route to Tokyo for training and prep.
And while we have hundreds of Airbnb listings with pools, it’s not just the Water Polo teams making use of incredible stays on Airbnb. We are proud that more than 15 different Team USA sports teams are all finding ways to connect with each other and continue their training while staying on Airbnb.
Connecting and providing hope during dark times
Also part of our partnership with the IOC and IPC is a new Online Experiences category called Olympian and Paralympian Experiences, providing valuable opportunities during the pandemic and beyond for athletes to earn income by hosting unique experiences.
In an effort to lighten the darkest days of quarantine last year, we worked with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee for our Olympian and Paralympian Experiences Hosts to offer support to 500 of their Team USA peers who were quarantined at US Olympic and Paralympic Training Centers. Experiences such as Deena Castor’s Cultivating Optimism, Life Lessons with Lauren Gibbs and A Champion Mindset with Michelle Carter, allowed them to connect, share experiences and provide entertainment to keep spirits up.
And Team USA staff were no exception. Even while working from home, Airbnb provided more than 500 staff members access to the Olympian and Paralympian Experiences platform to connect with each other and athletes from around the world to keep the spirit of sport alive.
We’ve loved being the accommodation of choice for so many of Team USA’s athletes, staff and teams and are proud and thankful to our Hosts who make possible so many of the unique stays that allow Team USA and its athletes to continue chasing dreams and inspiring so many of us with their show of determination, resilience and incredible abilities.
About Airbnb
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 900 million guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer one-of-a-kind stays and unique Experiences that make it possible for guests to experience the world in a more authentic, connected way.