Airbnb Expands to Adventure Travel Market with New Service

Airbnb, a leading short-term home-rental platform, recently announced the launch of its “Adventure” tour category that offers guests the opportunity to live multi-day experiences such as traveling around the world in 80 days.

Named “Airbnb Adventures”, the new service is an expansion of “Airbnb Experiences” launched in 2016 and that allows hosts to share their passions and talents with guests.

“Today we go one step further, with hosts providing unique and magical travel experiences as Airbnb Adventures which include for the first time lodging, meals, and activities,” Airbnb said in an announcement.

“Airbnb Adventures” is a new collection of bucket list worthy multi-day experiences hosted by local experts that take intimate groups to epic, off-the-beaten-path locations and immerses them in unique cultures and communities.

“You can now enjoy a six day Galapagos Slow Food Safari, experience the wonders of Oman or camp on a cliff in Colorado – all you have to do is show up,” Airbnb said.

Camp on the side of a cliff in Colorado. Photo source: Airbnb

Other “Adventures” available to book through hosts on Airbnb range from tracking lions on foot with Sabache Warriors in Kenya to hunting for UFOs with Nate in Arizona.

“Airbnb Adventures” are led by local experts and meet certain quality and safety standards. Airbnb was advised on safety and best practices for its Adventure by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).

According to the ATTA, the international adventure travel market in 2017 could be valued at over $683 billion, up 21 percent from 2012.

Currently, over 200 adventures are available to choose from that are either entirely exclusive to Airbnb, or provided by small, local operators that are not typically found on any other major booking platform.

Cowboy life in the American Wild West. Photo source: Airbnb

To mark the launch of the “Adventure” category, a limited number of lucky individuals will have the truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join an 80-day trip around the world. Inspired by the epic Jules Verne classic penned almost 150 years ago, the Adventure takes guests across six continents, 18 countries, two oceans, five seas and eight modes of transportation including, of course, a hot air balloon.

The Around the World in 80 Days Adventure will be available to book from June 20, from London to London departing September 1, 2019.