Did you know Airbnb’s first-ever guest was Amol Surve, an Indian? That was way back in 2006, when Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia first turned their pad in San Francisco into a bed and breakfast place. It worked out perfectly well for Surve, who crashed there for a few nights. And his hosts made sure he got a taste of the city that offers much more than just Lombard Street and the usual touristy haunts.
A new feature
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Two years later, Chesky and Gebbia along with Nathan Blecharczyk started Airbnb, a portal for listing and booking accommodations the world over. Today, the company offers three million homes in 191 countries and these homes together have hosted 160 million guests by arrivals. Last November, the founders added a new feature called Airbnb Trips. This brings together homes, experiences and places in one trip, allowing travellers to try out a new experience with locals. From learning astronomy and Korean embroidery to desert biking, Samurai swordplay and dance moves, there are over 800 activities available. “We call this transformative. You can walk through other people’s lives and see their experiences,” says Chesky, who was in the Capital to announce the launch of Trips in India. To begin with, they’ve introduced 15 activities in Delhi. Some of these include learning about the journey of couture with a behind-the-scenes tour of designers Shantanu & Nikhil’s factory in Noida, where 350 people come together to create one outfit. Or, a few hours of song writing and producing music with jazz classical duo, Anindo Bose and Pavitra Chari; end-to-end understanding of brewing and crafting coffee at Krittivas Coffee Culture; a three-day session on hand spinning and weaving saris with Rta Kapur Chishti at The Sari School; and learning re-purposing and sustainable design at Rajiv’s garden studio. “I don’t think automation can replace everything we do. If you have a passion for something in your world, you can experience it with others and share it,” says Chesky.
As of now, Trips is available in 50 cities. “We are adding cities every week. Experience is a way to discover a community through its passion. There are local artisans all over the world,” says Chesky. Shanghai, Queenstown (New Zealand) and Sydney are the other cities where Trips is making its debut. This is part of Chesky’s vision to “make travel magical and easy. Make it a world where you feel you belong”. “Travel has never been about where you go, but about who you can become,” he adds.
Soon after its Delhi launch, there have already been queries for Vintage Viewfinders, where photographer Aditya Arya offers a tour of Museo Camera, a museum showcasing over 1,500 cameras; Shantanu & Nikhil’s Journey of Couture; and design workshop at Rajiv’s treehouse. According to statistics from the Airbnb team, India currently lists 22,000 active listings. Its growing at 187% since last year, with domestic business growing at 300%.
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