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Airbnb Experiences Explained [Plus How To Book, Examples]
Airbnb Experiences
Airbnb Experiences are daily activities led by local guides.
The Experiences program is part of Airbnb’s mission to foster cultural exchange between local residents and travelers (though you can partake in your own city).
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you should know about Airbnb Experiences.
I’ll explain what an Airbnb Experience is, examples of 20 popular experiences you can join, how online and virtual experiences work, exactly how to book an experience (step-by-step), plus how to get help with an experience you’ve already booked.
*Agoda.com provides a wide selection of steeply-discounted hotel rooms. To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
How Airbnb Experiences Work
Airbnb’s Experiences program fits well into its overall business model.
After becoming a top accommodation booking site, Airbnb.com unveiled the “Experiences” program in 2016 to connect guests with local hosts/guides who possess unique perspectives and knowledge of their home region. As of July 2023, there are more than 100,000 experiences to choose from on Airbnb.
As with its many accommodation options, Airbnb’s Experiences program provides something for all tastes and budgets. Hosts can apply to offer whatever they deem valuable, like sharing a personal hobby, teaching a language or cooking class, hosting an art or dance workshop, or organizing sports or pub crawls.
Experiences also vary by setting (indoors, outdoors, online), duration (from one hour to multiple days), price (a few USD to hundreds) and host (individual guides to tour companies). To browse Airbnb’s featured experiences, click here.
Airbnb takes 20% commission from each booked experience, with the rest going to your host. A host’s earning potential and revenue depend on the price of their experience and number of bookings they receive.
*Vrbo.com is the best alternative to Airbnb for apartment and house rentals. For today’s deals, click here.
20 Popular Airbnb Experiences (Examples)
With so much variety, it won’t be difficult to find an experience that interests you.
The Experiences program currently has 8 categories: art and culture, food and drink, sports, nature and outdoors, sightseeing, transportation activities, wellness and entertainment. Within these categories, you can find new activities to try (as a true beginner) or join a hobby that you regularly partake in.
Here are 20 popular Airbnb Experiences (with examples):
Wine Tasting (Madrid, Spain)
Hiking Tour (Cape Town, South Africa)
Walking Tour (Zagreb, Croatia)
Cuisine Tasting (Lisbon, Portugal)
Bar Crawl (Sydney, Australia)
Dance Class (Havana, Cuba)
Personal Photographer (Tokyo, Japan)
Paragliding (Medellin, Colombia)
Yoga Lesson (Bali, Indonesia)
Surf Lesson (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Kayak Tour (Melbourne, Australia)
Boat Cruise (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Cooking Class (Zanzibar, Tanzania)
Bicycle Tour (Recife, Brazil)
Fishing Guide (Whistler, Canada)
Coffee Tour (Medellin, Colombia)
Sailing (Weggis, Switzerland)
Scuba Diving (Honolulu, USA)
Group Run (Berlin, Germany)
Traditional Art (Hiroshima, Japan)
You can also find experiences that cater to specific “types” of travelers, like pet owners (dog experiences) or people with unique interests (like the Game of Thrones tour or stargazing tour).
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
Online/Virtual Experiences
Online Experiences launched during 2020 lockdown.
But while the travel industry shut down, people still craved adventure (especially those who were forced to cancel their travel plans). In response to this, Airbnb launched “Online Experiences” to allow people to be able to experience foreign cultures from home, and so that guides/hosts could replace some lost income.
Online experiences are similar to “live experiences” (including booking and payment), except that you’ll partake in them virtually. Some are interactive, and others are only meant to be watched. To learn more about Online Experiences, click here.
6 Popular Online Experiences (Examples)
The most popular online experiences are ones that teach guests new skills (such as cooking or dancing) in a relaxed and interesting manner. Some are intended for solo attendees, others for small groups/teams.
Here are 6 popular Online Experiences (with examples):
Cooking Class (Marrakech, Morocco)
Dance Class (San Telmo, Argentina)
Cultural Lesson (Nairobi, Kenya)
Virtual Escape Room (Florence, Italy)
Coffee Class (Mexico City, Mexico)
Harry Potter Tour (London, UK)
*Vrbo.com is the best alternative to Airbnb for apartment and house rentals. For today’s deals, click here.
How To Sign Up For An Airbnb Experience (As A Guest)
First, go to Airbnb.com/Experiences.
Enter your destination and dates in the search bar at the top of the page, then click “Search”.
The search results will display experiences in your destination, with an interactive map. If you have any preferences, use the search filters (Price, Language offered, Time of day). You can also filter by category (Art and culture, Food and drink, Sports, Nature and outdoors, Sightseeing, Transportation activities, Wellness and Entertainment).
After you find an Experience that interests you, read the listing’s key information, including its duration (how long it takes), how many people can join, what food, drink or equipment (if any) is included, and which languages your host can/will speak.
Scroll further to read what you’ll do during the event, what’s included, your host’s bio, and previous guest reviews. Then, read the “things to know” section, which covers cancellation policy, guest requirements (including age) and what to bring.
If you’re satisfied with what you see, click “Choose” beside the date and time slot that fits your schedule. On the payment page, confirm the information once more, then click “Confirm and pay” at the bottom. For a complete guide to paying on Airbnb, click here.
If you don’t see an activity that you like on Airbnb, consider Viator.com (owned by TripAdvisor), which offers tours in destinations around the wold and is a great alternative to Airbnb’s Experiences program.
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
Help/Support With An Airbnb Experience
Airbnb does not provide a designated help phone number for users to call regarding Experiences (from my research). If you need support, whether in-person or online/virtual, contact Airbnb through this page. For a full guide to contacting Airbnb, click here.
To read the Experiences cancellation policy (including reschedules), click here. To see the requirements and standards Experiences hosts follow, click here. For the Experiences Terms and Policies page, click here.
*For the 5 things you should bring to an Airbnb stay, click here.
Conclusion
Hopefully you found this guide helpful.
Airbnb’s Experiences program is just another way Airbnb attempts to help travelers and locals mingle in a low-pressure and interest-based way. To browse the Experiences page, click here. To learn more about Airbnb, explore our other guides below.
Enjoy your travels!
Learn More About Airbnb
Introduction To Airbnb
Understand Your Options
Airbnb vs. Hotels Comparison [Atmosphere, Price, Safety, Amenities]
Airbnb vs. VRBO, HomeAway, FlipKey, TurnKey, OVO [Comparison]
Get Started With Airbnb
Know Before You Go
Specific Types Of Bookings
How To Find An Airbnb With A Specific Feature [Or Unique Stay]
How To Find An Airbnb That Allows Pets [Airbnb’s Pet Policy]
How To Find An Airbnb With A Pool, Hot Tub Or Jacuzzi [Step-By-Step]
Can You Throw A Party In An Airbnb Rental? [Party Policy Explained]
Cancellations, Refunds And Changes
Airbnb’s Other Listing Categories
Airbnb’s Other Features
Help With Your Account
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