How to Host an Airbnb Experience

Airbnb Experiences is an opportunity for hosts to earn by showcasing their passions. Since its launch in 2016 in New York City with just 150 Experiences, it has grown in breadth and scope even as it has spread across the world. Airbnb Experiences hosts now hail from a broad range of demographics, from photographers and stay-at-home mothers to DJs and MMA fighters, and Airbnb Experiences are a great way for hosts to put their knowledge and skills to good use and earn while doing so.

What Is An Airbnb Experience?

Airbnb Experiences are one-of-a-kind activities designed and hosted by Airbnb hosts. Led by locals who are passionate about their subject and have the knowledge to back it up, Airbnb Experiences go beyond the traditional tours, workshops, and classes offered by tour operators and old-school accommodation providers. Hosts can offer special knowledge, unique skills, and inside access to places and communities in their locale. Airbnb Experiences is an opportunity for guests to immerse themselves in one or more aspects of their host’s world, creating memorable connections and lasting memories.

What Kind Of Airbnb Experiences Can You Offer?

Airbnb Experiences is an opportunity for qualified hosts to show their guests their city, crafts and/or craft making, causes, sports, nature, culture, etc in their locale. Hosts distinguish themselves by providing unique access, inside knowledge, and tremendous fun in an intimate setting.

Airbnb hosts now offer a wide range of Experiences, from cooking, animals, arts, and culture to yoga, meditation, and sports-related (Sports Tourism blog) Experiences among others that can take place in person or online. Having begun to provide hosts a means of income during the travel restrictions of the pandemic, Online Experiences have taken off across the world and now include escape room games, masterclasses, concerts, city tours, and more.

In the US, some of the coolest Airbnb Experiences include forging a knife from a horseshoe in Washington, getting glammed for a mermaid photoshoot in San Diego, learning to survive as a castaway for a day in Puerto Rico, running like Rocky in Philadelphia, and learning to eat fire in Los Angeles.

What Are The Benefits Of Hosting An Airbnb Experience?

Whether you offer an Online Experience or an in-person one, hosting an Airbnb Experience can be a great opportunity beyond just the income you earn. Airbnb Experiences

• Provides you a platform to engage in your passion with people who are interested
• Allows you to meet new people from around the world
• Because you can decide when and how often to host, you can easily add it to your existing schedule allowing you to earn additional income
• Gives you the opportunity to market your Airbnb vacation rental to non-guests

How To Host An Airbnb Experience

Once you figure out what type of Experience you want to host and how you will host it, you can submit an application to Airbnb.

When approving an Experience on their platform, Airbnb takes several factors into consideration, including:

• Unique access to the host’s world
• Expert knowledge of the host on the subject area they are providing an Experience in
• Small group sizes
• Personalized service to each group of guests
• Not be an activity that guests can easily find through other providers
• Maintain Airbnb’s expected standards of quality and service

Airbnb generally takes up to two weeks to let you know if your application has been approved, or not.

Once you are approved, you create your Experiences page and start hosting. Make sure you write an attractive description and include high-quality photographs.

Other Considerations When Hosting An Airbnb Experience

Hosting an Airbnb Experience is a great way for Airbnb hosts to earn more, particularly when they are well informed. Here are a few important things to keep in mind.

• The Experience hosting platform is separate from that of the vacation rental hosting platform and hosts of Airbnb Experiences are not required to host an Airbnb vacation rental to join.

• Airbnb charges a 20% commission of the final price from hosts of Airbnb Experiences. This is separate from the commission you will pay Airbnb on hosting your vacation rental.

• As an Airbnb vacation rental host, it is likely that you have already obtained a business license. However, some experiences, like those involving alcohol, for example, may require you to get additional permits/licenses.

Airbnb offers a separate $1 million liability protection for hosts to cover their legal responsibility if guests are subject to accidental injury or damage to their property in the course of the Airbnb Experience. This however does not cover extreme activities like bungee jumping or damage, loss, or theft of hosts’ property. Depending on the type of activity provided, hosts may want to consider additional protections. (Check out our Complete Guide to Vacation Rental Insurance.)