Airbnb kick-starts 'Adventures' offering with 80-day trip around the world

Airbnb has launched Airbnb Adventures as a new offering providing all-inclusive, multi-day travel experiences. To promote Airbnb Adventures, the accommodation booking platform has also partnered with GoPro to offer travellers booking an Adventure a US$200 discount on GoPro HERO7 Black Adventure Kit.To mark the launch, Airbnb put up "Around the World in 80 Days" as one of the Adventures. Inspired by the epic Jules Verne classic penned almost 150 years ago, the trip takes guests across six continents, 18 countries, two oceans, five seas and eight modes of transportation including, a hot air balloon. The adventure will be available for booking from 20 June, and is set to depart from London on 1 September this year. The adventure is operated by MT Sobek exclusively for Airbnb to mark the launch of the new category.According to the press release, Airbnb Adventures is an extension of Airbnb Experiences, which are activities designed and led by locals. However, Airbnb Adventures go "one step further" to provide travel experiences that span multiple days, and cover lodging, meals, and activities."Like Airbnb Experiences, people can escape their day-to-day and put their screens and devices away but now instead of just a few hours, they have the option to be fully immersed off-the-beaten-path, to push themselves out of their comfort zones and have experiences that will stay with them for the rest of their lives," explained Joe Zadeh, VP of Experiences at Airbnb.There are currently over 200 adventures, with around 70 in Asia Pacific, on the platform that are either entirely exclusive to Airbnb, or provided by small, local operators that are not typically found on any other major booking platform. To appeal to a wide audience, Airbnb Adventures are priced from US$79 to as high as US$5000, and covers a range of different activities carrying a strong element of local community.In a statement to Marketing, a spokesperson said the company is we are looking to double the number of Adventures available by the end of the year. However, maintaining quality always remains its number priority. "We believe quality is the key long-term differentiator for Experiences, and now that we have expanded into over 1000 new cities, we are double-downing on specific categories to ensure that our hosts are empowered to push the limits of hospitality in unique and unexpected ways," added the spokesperson.Introducing guests to natural wonders, cultures and communities that are hard to reach on their own, Airbnb Adventures are led by local experts and meet certain quality and safety standards by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). Airbnb is working with community groups and members of the adventure travel industry around the world to connect with potential hosts.According to the ATTA, the international adventure travel market in 2017 could be valued at over US$683 billion, up 21% from 2012. With more travellers seeking adventure than ever before, Airbnb said it is looking to "democratise" the industry, offering more attainable experiences that are designed to unlock the power of nature, are led by locals, and cater to a breadth of interests and abilities.Read more: Airbnb on the hunt for global media agency, Asia markets included Airbnb commissions study to understand Malaysians’ view on short-term rentals OYO Hotels sets foot in Japan following latest Airbnb investment Airbnb hires GM for SEA, Hong Kong and Taiwan markets