Airbnb has introduced Airbnb Adventures – an expansion of Airbnb Experiences that includes the incredible opportunity for daring guests to channel their inner Phileas Fogg and travel Around the World in 80 Days. This epic voyage across six of the Earth’s continents joins other Adventures now available to book through hosts on Airbnb ranging from tracking lions on foot with Sabache Warriors in Kenya to hunting for UFOs with Nate in Arizona.

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.

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. Airbnb was advised on safety and best practices for its Adventure by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). They are also affordable; hosts offer a range of prices from $79 for an overnight trip up to $5,000 for a 10-day trek. Today at launch, there are over 200 adventures 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.

To mark the launch of the 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 pen

Getting access to epic and transformational travel has never been easier than through Airbnb Adventures. 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. – Joe “Joebot” Zadeh, VP of Experiences at Airbnb

The breadth of Airbnb Adventures reaches far beyond the challenging to match every passion and skill level. Across each corner of the world, these 200+ Adventures range from Cliff Camping to kayaking to cultural immersions. They are hosted by experienced locals that have fascinating stories to share, and because they always take place in intimate groups, guests can look to learn, make personal connections, seek challenges and grow.

According to the ATTA, the international adventure travel market in 2017 could be valued at over $683 billion, up 21 percent from 2012. With more travelers seeking adventure than ever before, Airbnb is looking to democratize 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.

Announcement Highlights:

• 200+ available globally at launch, with many more to be added before the end of the year
• All Adventures are in small groups with a maximum capacity of 12 guests or less
• Median price of an Adventure is $588 for a three-day trip
• Hosts offer Adventures under a range of budgets from $79 for an overnight trip up to $5,000 for once-in-a-lifetime 10-day treks*
• Adventures covers a wide breadth of activity ranging from active to foodie, farming to camping, music to animals – always with a strong element of local community
• As part of the launch of Airbnb Adventures, Airbnb has partnered with GoPro. Travelers booking an Adventure will get $200 off a GoPro HERO7 Black Adventure Kit. Offer ends 12/31/19.
• The Around the World in 80 Days Adventure will be available to book from June 20, from London to London departing September 1, 2019

*Hosts are the providers of Adventures: they arrange their own Adventure, control when and where they host, the itinerary, where they stay, what services they offer, and what they charge. Flights not included with the exception of inter-country travel within the Around the World in 80 Days itinerary.

Airbnb Adventures at a Glance:

• Track Lions On Foot With Warriors
• Trek Deep Into The Amazon Jungle
• Cowboy Life in the American Wild West
• Dana to Petra Trek
• Paranormal Tour of the US Southwest  
• Camp on the Side of a Cliff in Colorado
• Swedish Islands Culinary Kayaking Trip
• Musical Camping in the California Desert
• 7 Days Accessible Experience Rapa Nui
• Hiking the world’s most silent place
• Farm stay in Indiana Amish country
• Searching for Sasquatch in Washington
• Mystical Oman Trek

Airbnb shared information on a range of global trends and approaches adopted in various countries, states and cities where they operate. There was also an acknowledgement of the need for a proactive legislative and policy response underscored by sound destination management and interventions aimed at enhancing the visitor experience.

“We welcome Airbnb and other game-changing innovations that are opening up new markets for destinations, offering travellers affordable holidays, and allowing smaller industry players to thrive. Many of these are able to flourish through the ease of use of shared-economy platforms,” said Hanekom. 

The Tourism Amended Draft Bill aims, amongst others, to address the regulatory vacuum on short-term rentals by defining short-term home rentals as “the renting or leasing on a temporary basis, for reward, of a dwelling or a part thereof, to a visitor”. It also seeks to enable the Minister of Tourism to determine thresholds regarding short-term home rentals, through a notice in the Government Gazette.

“The Amendment Draft Bill in its current form proposes that the Minister of Tourism be empowered to determine such thresholds. We urge our stakeholders to submit their comments, to enable us to strengthen the Bill in order to serve the interest of inclusive tourism growth in South Africa,” said Victor Tharage, director-general for the Department of Tourism.

Minister Hanekom welcomed the spirit of the discussion and cooperation from Airbnb, and further appreciated their commitment to contribute constructively to the legislative review processes, in support of South Africa’s tourism development growth objectives.

<Source: Bizcommunity.com>

While there are wellness Experiences for nearly every type of self-care regimen, Airbnb has found a few trends are rising above the rest:

Globally, bookings for wellness experiences shot up 572 per cent from 2017 to 2018. Meanwhile, the country experiencing the most significant growth in wellness Experiences is Mexico with more than 2,100 per cent growth over the past year, and Bali tops the list for cities prospering with wellness Experience supply with more than 7,400 per cent year-over-year growth

In the past year, it has become more clear that wellness travel is resonating with more than just the millennial demographic, and is a movement spanning all age groups and regions. In fact, seniors (ages 60+) are the largest growing consumer base of wellness Experiences, with bookings increasing by 887 per cent from 2017

In addition to trending markets, we’re also seeing spikes in wellness travel interest based on heightened guest demand from countries like France, Canada and Germany over the past year.

In 2019, wellness travel is not just founded upon fitness and diet, but on the mind and spirit, as we discovered with our female travellers. Experiences like Meditate with a Shaman cracked the top 15 most-booked wellness Experiences among women, with the Bali Healer and Holy Bathing Tour also ranking highly with women from nearly all regions. For male guests, biking is the wellness activity of choice, with the Exclusive Quality Sunset Bike Ride making the top 15 most-booked list with men from all regions.

Click here for more on this story.

Drivers driving on UberASSIST are trained and equipped to help senior riders and those with access needs to travel more effectively and more frequently thus enabling them to enjoy the freedom they deserve.

“Everyone deserves an opportunity to travel freely within their own city, and with UberASSIST, we are able to provide reliable transportation to senior citizens and riders with access needs,” says Loic Amando, General Manager of Uber in East Africa.

Uber recently hosted information sessions for over 400 driver-partners in partnership with Rescue by Flare.

Uber drivers participated in a two-day information session that equipped them with the skills to better help senior riders and those with access needs.

The company will continue to host further sessions for more drivers who are interested in driving on UberASSIST.

UberASSIST will be the same price as an uberX, and riders will be notified of the fare upfront.

“The training opened my eyes to the simple act of going from point to point, which can be an extraordinarily difficult task for those with special needs. With UberASSIST, I can see this changing quickly, and I’m honoured to be a part of such a movement,” said Daniel Karanja a driver-partner who attended a UberAssist information session.

When requesting a ride, special needs riders can contact their UberASSIST driver ahead of time to inform them of any unique requirements.

Like all ride options Uber offers, UberASSIST riders will also be asked to rate every trip, this is an important tool to ensure drivers receive valuable feedback about the service they are providing to their passengers.

UberASSIST riders will need to be able to navigate a smartphone in order to request a vehicle or have someone close by to help them. UberASSIST vehicles do not have wheelchair accessible ramps, therefore, unfortunately, cannot accommodate motorised wheelchairs, but can cater for fold up wheelchairs.

Below are our 20 most trending NYE destinations based on growth in bookings from last year:

1. Mexico City, Mexico (117%)
2. London, England (95%)
3. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (92%)
4. Tulum, Mexico (78%)
5. Miami, FL (76%)
6. Kissimmee, FL (73%)
7. New Orleans, LA (72%)
8. San Diego, CA (72%)
9. Cartagena, Colombia (71%)
10. Chiang Mai, Thailand (70%)
11. Gold Coast, Australia (67%)
12. Orlando, FL (64%)
13. Brussels, Belgium (61%)
14. Tel Aviv, Israel (59%)
15. Phuket, Thailand (57%)
16. Los Angeles, CA (56%)
17. Seoul, South Korea (55%)
18. Bali, Indonesia (54%)
19. Kraków, Poland (52%)
20. Bangkok, Thailand (51%)

While there are some common elements of New Year’s celebrations that bring people together – fireworks, music, festivities – if you plan on venturing to any of Airbnb’s locales, Airbnb asked some of its hosts to share their distinctly unique traditions that will help guests really commence 2019 like a local.

“Every [New Year’s Eve] night, while the twelve strikes of bells mark the end of the year, we make 12 wishes for the next year. [For every] one wish, [we eat] one grape until we eat the 12!”

Host Abril, Walk Condesa & Roma from Exclusive Penthouse Apartment

“I celebrate NYE in a typical British pub – mine is a 17th century coach house in rural England! Midnight comes way too quickly and the next thing it’s time to cross arms and hold hands, form that huge circle and sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ (the Scottish song about old times sake) until we can hear Big Ben strike the bells – it’s an eerie sound that commands attention, and gets it.

Some silence falls until we get really close to the last bell strike and then it’s all hugs and kisses to friends and strangers alike wishing them all the best for the forthcoming year!”

Host Joanna, Unwind Under the Pergola of a Bright Garden Flat

“Since Thailand is a Buddhist country, we hold ceremonial events in temple where the citizens will pray with the monks over the new year’s night.

We chant a series of Buddhist scriptures for prosperity and health for the next year to come, as well as, recognizing things we may have hurt or killed in the past. Some family will spend the evening at home counting cash overnight for wealth and prosperity!”

Host Mo, Baan Sri Dha – Luxury 3Bed in Town

Click here for more on this story

The company announced earlier this week that it has introduced Safety Toolkit, aimed at reducing the risk of using the app.

The new features are being introduced in 38 countries simultaneously. Safety Toolkit will be rolled out over the next few weeks to riders, drivers and delivery partners using the app across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the company said.

Features being introduced include:

Emergency button: With the push of a button in the app, riders, drivers and delivery partners can connect directly to private emergency services and security response when needed through a third-party private security supplier.
Trusted contacts: Riders can now easily designate five friends or family members as “trusted contacts” and, with a single tap, share their trip information.

Safety centre: A new app-housed safety information hub where users can find information on some of the key existing safety tools in the app, including access to a 24/7 team, information on the driver and the car, trip GPS tracking and the rating and feedback system.

Speed alerts: A feature which reminds drivers and delivery partners to maintain a safe speed within the prescribed speed limits.

“These new safety features will be a phased roll-out and not all riders, drivers and delivery partners will have access to the features immediately,” Uber said.

Over 60 travel: the new nomads

In a statement Airbnb said: “It’s perhaps no surprise that we’re seeing such strong guest growth in this demographic. Seniors are healthier and more mobile than they’ve ever been, while also tending to take more and longer trips than other age groups. Analysis by Bernstein of UK travel data found that over 65s were responsible for most of the growth in travel spending over the last 15 years, and especially in the last five.”

The fact that this group is increasingly turning to Airbnb points to a shift away from more traditional forms of travel, like cruises and resorts, to travel that provides greater access to, and belonging in local communities. Michael and Debbie Campbell, the “Senior Nomads,” are a wonderful example of seniors taking a different approach to retirement using Airbnb.

Countries with the highest proportion of over 60s traveling on Airbnb*

1. New Zealand

2. Australia

3. Denmark

4. United States

5. Canada

6. Iceland

7. Netherlands

8. Israel

9. United Kingdom

10. South Africa

Multi-generational travel on the rise

New Airbnb data also points to a growing trend of multi-generational family travel where the booking guest is over 60 and traveling with children. In the past year, we’ve seen a 75 percent increase in these kinds of bookings, half of which were made by first-time bookers on Airbnb. Unlike other accommodation options, Airbnb is perfect for this kind of travel with homes offering amenities ideally suited to families: kitchens, shared dining spaces, and individual bedrooms and bathrooms.

Over 60 hosting: an economic lifeline

Airbnb is not just opening up new ways for seniors to travel; it’s also offering an important earning opportunity. As we live longer and need to stretch our savings even further into retirement, Airbnb provides a means to earn extra income through sharing unused space. In 2017, seniors globally earned over $2 billion hosting on Airbnb, welcoming 13.5 million guest arrivals from over 150 countries.

This income helps many seniors cope with the increasing costs of living and health care, as well as helping them stay in their homes by covering housing costs or paying for needed renovations. In the US, according to AARP, the majority of over 60s want to “age in place” by remaining in their current home or neighborhood, but face income challenges in retirement that can make this difficult. A global survey of our hosts found that close to half of those aged 60 and over say that hosting has helped them afford to stay in their homes, and 41 percent say they rely on their Airbnb income to make ends meet.

An opportunity for connection

Hosting can also be a way for retired people to cope with issues around loneliness and isolation. It’s a way to embrace the world from one’s own home. As young people around the world migrate to urban areas, leaving many rural locations increasingly isolated, Airbnb is emerging as a way to attract tourists to these areas, helping to revitalize these communities and provide income and activities for the older people who live there. The Yoshino Cedar House in Japan is an interesting model of this in action.

We also hear from many of our over 60s hosts how Airbnb has helped to bring the world to them, allowing them to meet people of different age groups and cultures and make lasting connections. And these guests benefit from the fact that over 60s are truly beloved hosts on Airbnb, receiving better reviews than any other age group. Last year, 85 percent of reviews of senior hosts were five-star reviews.

Technology can often leave seniors behind, but in our case it’s a platform for empowerment – from seeing the world in a new light and gaining a new lease on life, to welcoming the world to your doorstep and earning extra income. As countries contemplate issues related to aging populations, we will continue to evolve our product to ensure it brings many benefits to this important demographic.

From July 27 to July 31, Mars will slowly draw nearer as it reaches the closest it has been to Earth in 15 years. The night of the 27th will also feature the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century, in which the moon will turn red in a phenomenon sometimes known as a “blood moon.”

That night, Airbnb hosts will be offering this one-of-a-kind Social Impact Experience for stargazers to visit the largest single-aperture optical and infrared telescope in the world. Due to the sheer power of the giant telescope, guests will use smaller telescopes to clearly see Mars in its full red glory in one of the best stargazing spots on the planet.

The Experience, hosted by Juan Antonio González, a local astronomy guide and night photography expert, and Antonio Luis Cabrera, chief of scientific operations of GTC, will transport guests to outer space within the dome of the telescope and show them the importance of dark-sky preservation. After midnight, guests will head outdoors with special equipment to observe and photograph the moon, tainted red by light passing through the Earth’s atmosphere, and the polar ice caps and dust storms of the red planet.

This six-hour Airbnb Social Impact Experience will only be available once, for up to six guests, on July 27. The spaces will be bookable on a first come, first served basis at 40€ each. All booking fees will be donated to WWF-Spain.

To highlight the importance of astro-tourism, Airbnb is partnering with Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Gran Telescopio Canarias and Fundación Starlight. The aim is to promote astro-tourism as a more sustainable form of travel which brings the economic benefits of tourism to more remote and rural regions, away from built up tourist areas.

ETIAS, a pre-authorisation system which allows the EU to know who is entering the EU, from where and if they pose a risk to EU security, is expected to come into operation in 2021.

When ETIAS comes into operation, all visa-exempt third-country nationals who plan to travel to the Schengen area will have to apply for pre-travel authorisation and pay a fee of EUR7, although the system will be free for under 18s and over 70s. The aim of ETIAS is to ease travel to the EU and simplify border checks.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has congratulated the EU on the adoption of ETIAS, and has stressed the importance of the process to be made as easy as possible for legitimate travellers.

In addition to the ease of process, WTTC also advocated for the fees to remain at a reasonable level, one that did not discourage travellers from coming to Europe. The final fee of EUR7 meets this balance, according to the WTTC.

“We see this as an important first step in the digitalisation of travel. The ultimate aim will be the use of biometric technology to ensure seamless, more efficient and more secure travel. WTTC is committed to enhancing security and improving the entire passenger journey. This will essentially maximise the potential of the Travel & Tourism to create jobs and drive economic growth,’ stated Gloria Guevara, President & CEO World Travel & Tourism Council.

Applying for ETIAS aims to be quick and simple, requiring no more than a travel document, credit card and access to the internet. A vast majority of applicants will receive a positive reply within minutes, according to the EU. If additional information, documentation or an interview would be needed, different possibilities will be offered to take into account the situation of the traveller.

WTTC has welcomed the fact that the needs of the travel and tourism community were taken into account whilst ensuring enhanced EU security.

Experiences are activities or excursions that are led by passionate local hosts, highlighting their interests and perspective as well as unique places many visitors might not otherwise get to experience. After the launch of Experiences in Cape Town in 2016, Johannesburg hosts are excited to finally get the chance to show off their city while becoming part of the local tourism economy.

“The Experiences in Johannesburg show the vibrancy of the City of Gold. From urban farming to the real Soweto to some of the best nightlife spots – travellers can truly immerse themselves in one of Africa’s most energetic cities through Experiences,” said Velma Corcoran, Country Manager for Airbnb South Africa.

She added that the expansion of Experiences across all of South Africa will help to boost tourism outside of city centres by attracting more people to rural and regional areas. Experiences help spread the benefits of hosting to those who do not have space in their house to rent out. This is also a fantastic way for visitors and locals to experience parts of South Africa that they would otherwise miss had it not been for these Experiences led by passionate locals.

Also on offer in Johannesburg are Social Impact Experiences where 100% of the proceeds benefit the hosting organization: Training with Boxing Grannies is one such example. Hosted by the A Team Foundation, the Experience helps promote fitness and bodybuilding in underserved areas and hosting an Experience on Airbnb raises funds to renew training materials and pay the fitness trainers.

Organizer Claude Maphosa is thrilled at the prospect of showcasing his passion to travellers and locals alike. “Hosting a Social Impact Experience is a great opportunity to raise funds for our NPO. We are looking forward to meeting people from around the world and to encourage them to look after their seniors.”

Around 30% of Experiences booked in South Africa are Social Impact Experiences that support different associations and NGOs.

Airbnb Experiences make travel magical again by immersing travellers in local communities around the world by offering unique, one-of-a-kind Experiences that are handcrafted and led by local experts you won’t find anywhere else. It’s proving successful; compared to the same time last year, global weekly guest bookings for Airbnb Experiences are up over 2500%. In 2016, we launched 500 Experiences across 12 cities. Now, in 2018 the Airbnb platform offers 10,000 Experiences in nearly 180 cities. Those interested in being an Experience host anywhere in South Africa and sharing their talents with the world can submit their Experience here.