From learning the art of violin-making in Paris, to shopping for vinyls in Tokyo with a local expert or even staging your own performance, Airbnb’s new “Music Experiences” is the latest product aimed at expanding the short-term-vacation rental site into a larger experiential travel outfit.
Open to both travelers and locals alike, Music Experiences goes beyond stadium gigs and mainstream artists to focus on intimate live performances, underground nightlife, the local music scene, and special events hosted by artists and industry professionals.
The new service is in partnership with Sofar Sounds, a global network of artists and musicians who play intimate gigs for music-loving audiences.
Music Experiences is the latest extension of Airbnb’s Trips platform launched last fall, which offers bookable experiences, insider recommendations from locals in-the-know, and social meet-ups. This is an expansion that sets the brand up to compete with the likes of one-stop shopping travel behemoth TripAdvisor.
The service is currently featured in 13 cities including London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Barcelona, Nairobi, Cape Town, Detroit, Miami, Paris, Havana, Tokyo, Florence and Seoul.
“Music is an incredible way to bring people together,” said Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky in a statement. “Through the platform, we’re able to support up and coming and local artists by connecting people to their events and bringing their music to even more fans around the world.”
Meanwhile, Airbnb has been steadily rolling out their Trips platform in cities around the world, with Paris and Barcelona as the latest additions.
Paris-bound travelers, for instance, can sign up for one of 100 bookable experiences or take up the recommendations of local celebrities and experts on everything from where to buy the classic Parisian scarf, where to see a comedy show, where to run, buy lingerie and even the best-smelling places in the city.
Some of the experts tapped for Airbnb’s Paris Trips include French chef titan Alain Ducasse, pastry chef Pierre Hermé, and Morgane Sezalory, founder of popular women’s fashion boutique Sezane. JB
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