Airbnb launches Online Experiences to travel virtually during the lockdown

Now you can connect, travel and earn income even during the lockdown courtesy Airbnb's just-announced launch of Online Experiences, a new way for people to connect virtually and earn income during the COVID-19 crisis. With communities around the world staying home, Online Experiences are aimed at changing the monotony and stillness of life by allowing hosts to earn an income in these uncertain times, and bring their transformative virtual experience to millions of guests.

There's an array of options like meditation with Buddhist monks, virtual visits with the dogs of Chernobyl, cooking with a Moroccan family, and more. With so many people sheltering in place, Online Experiences promises to provide new activities for families to explore like learning the secrets of magic, options for work colleagues who want to reconnect and bond with team activities like making coffee with a professional coffee taster. There are also features for groups looking to celebrate birthdays or get-togethers privately and the option to request specific dates for experiences like bartending with experts.

Online Experiences unlock unprecedented access to inspiring hosts from more than 30 different countries, including Olympic medalists Alistair Brownlee and Lauren Gibbs. Whether a HIIT workout, learning about nutrition with a Bobsledder or a virtual bike tour, guests can now connect with some of the most celebrated athletes in the world from the comforts of their own living room.

“Human connection is at the core of what we do,” says Catherine Powell, Head of Airbnb Experiences. “With so many people needing to stay indoors to protect their health, we want to provide an opportunity for our hosts to connect with our global community of guests in the only way possible right now, online,” she adds.

To help those who are most isolated, Airbnb has partnered with local senior organisations around the world to curate Experiences for their communities to be able to learn a new skill while protecting their health. Airbnb will work alongside the following to offer Experiences free of charge:

• SAGE, America’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ older people
• National Council on Aging (NCOA), a respected national leader and trusted partner in the US helping people aged 60+ meet the challenges of aging
• Alpini, the most respected and trustworthy military corp in Italy
• Amigos de los Mayores, an organization combating loneliness and social isolation amongst the elderly in Spain

Online Experiences will be hosted on Zoom, and Airbnb is providing Hosts access to Zoom free of charge along with personalized support services for curating, capturing and sharing their online content. 

For more information, if you are interested in hosting, visit airbnb.com/onlinehost.