How To Successfully Host An Airbnb Experience

Are you an Airbnb host looking for an extra source of income? Do you have a special hobby or knowledge you think your guests will love? If the answer is yes to both of these, you may want to get involved in the Airbnb Experiences program! It has been around since 2016 and allows hosts and guests to get more out of the Airbnb platform. 

Since hosting Airbnb Experiences is still relatively new, not everyone knows about it yet. However, we want to change that and ensure hosts get all the information out there. That’s why we’ve put together this mini-guide on Airbnb host experiences and how you can successfully lead one yourself.

What is an Airbnb experience?

Airbnb Experiences are special activities guests can book when they stay at accommodations hosted through Airbnb. It gives them the opportunity to do fun things in the area, and it also allows hosts to lead special events and bring in an extra form of revenue. 

These activities are more than a simple guided tour of the area or a cooking class for the local cuisine. They are ways for travelers to meet others visiting the region and locals who can tell them more about the area. Many of the activities are incredibly unique, offering something travelers can’t find back home. 

Airbnb Experiences are separate from Airbnb stays and will come with different costs. 

The benefits of hosting experiences on Airbnb

Of course, hosting Airbnb experiences provide a great way to earn more money on the platform and show off some of your unique skills, but there are many other advantages associated with these events:

• You can embrace your hobbies and passions with people who also want to get involved in them.
• You get to meet interesting people from all walks of life and from other countries around the world.
• You can choose when and where you host these activities, meaning it can work around your existing schedule.
• You can tell the people attending your experiences about your vacation rental and encourage them to stay with you.

How to host an Airbnb experience

It may seem daunting to host an Airbnb experience for a bunch of strangers, but it really pays off in the end. It also isn’t too difficult to do either. All you have to do is first figure out what sort of experience you want to offer people and then submit an application through Airbnb to get the ball rolling. 

When thinking about what experience you want to offer, you should consider the fact that Airbnb looks for these things:

• Unique to your area
• You have expert knowledge of the experience
• Available for small groups
• It can be personalized to some guests
• Not offered by other hosts
• Quality experience

It can take up to two weeks to get a response about whether your experience has been approved, and when it has, you will set up an experiences page with your description and photos. 

The 5 best Airbnb host experience ideas

If you’re stuck on ideas for hosting experiences on Airbnb, look no further. Here are five of the best Airbnb host experience ideas that you can tailor to your own unique skills and knowledge.

Food/bar tour

Every area has its own gastronomy scene that is unique to other regions. That’s why offering a food tour of some of the best restaurants and cafes in your area is a great idea. You will want to consider places that serve some of the local cuisines and have the best reviews. It is also always good to find some hidden gems that tourists won’t find online. 

Similar to food tours, you may also want to introduce a bar tour as your experience as well. This is especially the case if you have extensive knowledge of specialist brews and wines that the guests can try. 

Dancing
 

Who doesn’t love to dance? Dancing is a popular activity that will undoubtedly receive a lot of interest from guests looking to do something fun when staying at an Airbnb. If you grew up taking dance lessons and know how to teach other people to pop and lock some moves, then you might be the best person to host an Airbnb dancing experience. 

If you’re from somewhere that is especially known for a particular type of dancing, such as folklore or salsa, then you will definitely want to consider this as an experience. However, it might be popular to ensure that no one else is doing it before you submit an application. 

Hiking tour
 

Many small towns and regions have hilltops and mountains that guests will want to explore. However, it can be hard to follow a trail or find the right place to start when you aren’t a local. That’s why it is an excellent idea for hosts to offer hiking tours that will help these travelers navigate the winding paths and discover the beautiful scenic views.

As part of the hiking tour, you can also provide the guests with expert knowledge of the local plants and animals or any special facts about the hike. It offers an extra unique touch that will impress anyone who books the activity. 

Water sports lessons

Many people book Airbnb in seaside towns/cities when they don’t live near water. That’s why they may want to try something new, like surfing, kayaking, or paddle boarding. If you do one of these activities yourself and feel confident taking others under your wing, you may want to offer water sports lessons. 

With an experience like this, you will have to figure out how you will have enough equipment for everyone taking the lessons. Therefore, you may need to make a small investment before you get started. 

Ghost tour

Some guests are huge horror fans and love to be spooked. If you share the same interest and know some haunted places in the area, you may want to consider putting together a special ghost tour for travelers to take part in. You will need to know about the stories behind these haunted places and be able to have access to all the areas too. 

Ghost tours are better held at night, so you should only host an experience like this if you can build it into your schedule. It is a lot of fun, and it isn’t an activity that many people host, so there won’t be much competition either.