Fancy learning meditation with Buddhist monks in Osaka? Going on a virtual visit with the dogs of Chernobyl? Or perhaps cooking with a family in Morocco? Airbnb is bringing its experiences to the comfort of your own living room.
If there’s one thing that’s changed in terms of how we communicate with each other since COVID-19 began, it’s the rise in popularity and everyday use of video conferencing tool Zoom.
While Zoom isn’t new, it’s proven to be the next best thing to physical connection thanks to its ease of use and the fact that it’s free.
With Airbnb’s ‘in-person’ Experiences suspended through the end of April and communities around the world currently staying home to protect their own health and the health of others, routine activities like going to work, exercising or pursuing a passion are currently on hold.
In response, Airbnb has launched its own transformative virtual ‘Online Experiences’ in what it says is a new way for people to connect, travel virtually and earn income during the COVID-19 crisis.
There’s 50 live virtual online experience to choose from that unlocks unprecedented access to inspiring hosts from more than 30 different countries.
Whether it’s a HIIT workout, learning about nutrition with a Bobsledder or a virtual bike tour, you can now connect with some of the most celebrated athletes in the world on any device from the comforts of your own living room.
There’s also an array of more random and fun experiences with varying prices and duration including meditation with Buddhist monks (AU$16) in Japan, virtual visits with the dogs of Chernobyl, cooking with a Moroccan family, plus activities for families to explore such as learning the secrets of magic (AU$31), Remote Rescue Goats in New York or my favourite – a Guided Meditation with Sleepy Sheep in Loch Lomond, Scotland.
Work colleagues who want to reconnect and bond with team activities are covered too with workshops such as making coffee with a professional coffee taster and for groups looking to celebrate get-togethers privately, there’s the option to request specific dates for experiences such as bartending with experts.
Airbnb is providing hosts access to Zoom free of charge along with personalised support services for curating, capturing and sharing their online content.
“Human connection is at the core of what we do. 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.”
Catherine Powell, Head of Airbnb Experiences
Highlights of Online Experiences include:
- Meditation with a Japanese Buddhist Monk (Osaka, Japan)
- Secrets of Magic (London, United Kingdom)
- Mystical Coffee and Fortune Reading (New York, New York)
- Quarantinis, GINspiration at Home (Bath, United Kingdom)
- Learn to Cook Mexican Salsas (Mexico City, Mexico)
- Irish Dance Masterclass (Galway, Ireland)
- Remote Rescue Goats (Catskills, New York)
- Virtual Bike Tour with 2x Gold Medalist Triathlete – Alistair Brownlee (Yorkshire, United Kingdom)
- Sonoma Ricotta Cheese Making and More (Sonoma, California)
- Guided Meditation with Sleepy Sheep (Loch Lomond, United Kingdom)
- Grandma’s Pasta (Rome, Italy)
- Coffee Lessons with National Judge (Mexico City, Mexico)
- Family Baking Experience (San Francisco, California)
- K-BEAUTY 101 with a TV Host (Seoul, South Korea)
- Dogs of Chernobyl (Chernobyl, Ukraine)
- Join a Rollerskating Dance Party (Brooklyn, New York)
- Cooking Class with Moroccan Family (Marrakech, Morocco)
- Make the Perfect Chinese Steamed Bun (Singapore)
- Interior Design Workshop (San Francisco, California)
- Sketch with a NYC Artist (New York, New York)
- Swedish Pastries with a Professional Baker (Stockholm, Sweden)
- Day in the Life of an Olympic Bobsledder (Los Angeles, California)
Booking opens immediately with more than 50 virtual Airbnb Experiences available at airbnb.com/online-experiences, and the group says, thousands more coming online in the coming months.
For more information as a host, visit airbnb.com/onlinehost