Airbnb continues to add travel options for its wide array of travelers.
The home-share platform, which is expected to go public this year, just launched Airbnb Adventures. The new section builds on its growing “Experiences” venture, in that it’s aimed at customers who want to travel off the beaten path.
Subscribe to Observer’s Business Newsletter
“Ditch the tourist trails and go deeper with wildly unique adventures around the world,” the company announced in a blog post. The bookings will be available for small groups, with trips ranging from two to 10 days and starting at $99, in coordination with local tourism agencies.
“Adventures” listings already being offered include “Golden Deserts in Oman” and “Island hopping in Indonesia.” It’s unclear how Airbnb will handle safety and liability issues that could arise from pairing travelers with local hosts to embark on “Mountain trekking in Nepal,” for example; though, the company states all logistics will be handled by hosts, who will “coordinate your gear list and provide local transportation.”
Unlike Airbnb’s standard itinerary booking section, Adventures offers an all-inclusive experience that includes what the company calls “expertly curated itineraries.” Additionally, food and drink will also be included in the booking fees, with Adventure hosts providing customers with both lodging and meals.
Earlier this year, the San Francisco-based company acquired the last-minute hotel booking app HotelTonight. The acquisition is expected to help Airbnb begin offering more “high end” listings to complement its current crop of boutique hotel offerings.
“Working with the incredible team at HotelTonight, we will offer guests an unparalleled last-minute travel experience that provides unique, memorable hospitality on every trip, on any schedule, at any time,” said Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky during the acquisition in March.
Adventures is now available to book for all Airbnb users.
