Airbnb in June quietly introduced City Hosts, described as
“multiday trips curated by local, knowledgeable hosts.” The tours are being
offered to a select group of Airbnb users and include 83 experiences in eight
destinations.
In Los Angeles, guests can join Hollywood stuntman David
“Soop” Frison for a workout on Muscle Beach, a Cirque du Soleil-style acro
class and a practice session with other stunt performers.
In San Francisco, visitors can sample ales at a craft
brewery, followed by a home-brewing workshop and dinner at a secret supper
club. Host Justin Tung will even mail the results of your brewing efforts,
because “the pleasure of brewing is about enjoying one’s hard work.”
In Tokyo, former sumo champion “The Dump Truck” Konishiki
offers a window into the sport’s culture with a hosted dinner, a visit to a
sumo house (where guests can sample a traditional hot pot meal and learn to
throw a 440-pound wrestler), and tickets to a sumo tournament complete with
behind-the-scenes access.
City Hosts tours are also available in Paris, London, Miami,
Cape Town and Florence.
Each host provides a minimum of two experiences, and prices
range from under $100 to upwards of $500, depending on the activities provided.
City Hosts bookings come with access to a trip app that
offers other hosted activities as well as host-generated tips and suggestions
for restaurants, sites and attractions. Hosts become local guides for their
guests, who can contact them with general questions unrelated to the tour
throughout their visit.
“We believe that the best way to get to know a place is
through its people, and Airbnb City Hosts gives guests access to some of the
most interesting and welcoming people everywhere,” reads the City Hosts
website.
An Airbnb representative contacted about the City Hosts
program said, “We’re continually experimenting with new things and this is a
private beta. We don’t have any specifics to share on this right now, but we
have a few exciting things in the works.”
This isn’t the first time that Airbnb has dipped a toe into
tours. In October, The Next Web reported that Airbnb was experimenting with
packaged tours dubbed Journeys that included Airbnb accommodations, “curated
excursions,” one meal per day and a Lyft ride from the airport.
The beta program focused on San Francisco, where the company
is based, and offered three itineraries themed around outdoor exploration,
dining and the Mission neighborhood.