Published on : Thursday, April 19, 2018
Via this new initiative, Airbnb will expand its efforts to economically empower communities, drive travel to lesser-known places, and support environmentally-friendly travel habits with the Office of Healthy Tourism.
To democratize the benefits of travel, Airbnb brings a healthy alternative to the mass travel that has overwhelmed cities for decades.
Airbnb advocates tourism that is local, authentic, diverse, inclusive and sustainable. The company aims to promote tourism to places that need it the most; Airbnb is also providing the type of travel that is best for destinations, residents, and travelers alike.
To quote Chris Lehane, Airbnb’s Head of Global Policy, Airbnb’s Office of Healthy Tourism, “The company has already embarked on a number of initiatives to promote Healthy Tourism. Last year, Airbnb Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer Joe Gebbia opened the Yoshino Cedar House, a landmark listing in a rural community that was slowly disappearing due to an aging population, low birth rate, and exodus of young people. Since the house opened, Yoshino has hosted hundreds of guests from 32 countries, and 70 jobs have been supported in this small town by the spending of hosts and guests. The Office of Healthy Tourism will continue to focus on rural regeneration everywhere, from small villages in Italy to the countryside in China, to help bring the economic benefits of tourism to areas that want to welcome more travelers into their communities in a locally sensitive, sustainable way.”
Airbnb will collaborate with the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business to host the Africa Travel Summit in September 2018. The summit will focus on how to build a resilient tourism that can support places in times of resource scarcity.
Tags: Airbnb