Airbnb Experiences are a great way for hosts to make extra money while fitting in time for their passion around other commitments. Read on to find out how to make money with Airbnb experiences, the types of experiences you can offer, and why you should consider hosting an Airbnb experience for enthusiastic travelers.
How To Make Money with Airbnb Experiences
In order to get started with making money with Airbnb experiences, you first need to think of a unique experience idea and create an Airbnb account. Next, create your experience on the Airbnb website and fill in all the details that Airbnb prompts you for. Then, you’ll need to describe your experience and qualifications and describe the experience in detail. Once that’s complete, upload some high-quality photos of your experience in action and submit your application. Once accepted, you can get to work providing your guests with an unforgettable experience!
Need help writing a great Airbnb experience description? Get in touch for more information.
Making Money with Airbnb Experiences
Research Your Idea
Before jumping into creating your Airbnb experience, you’ll need to do your research, and spend some time thinking about what will make your experience different from other experiences in the area.
Search for other experiences on Airbnb similar to the one you’re considering, and take a look at the details and the price. This is necessary first to make sure that Airbnb will accept an application like yours, and secondly to make sure your experience is financially viable for you.
Create an Airbnb account
Once you’ve got a winning idea, you can do ahead and create your account with Airbnb.
Create an Experience and Enter the Details
Next, create the new experience on your account and enter the details that Airbnb requires. You’ll probably be asked about the location and type of experience, and be asked to choose from a list of activities.
Read more about how to create an Airbnb experience.
Describe Your Experience and Qualifications
After you’ve given Airbnb the basic details of your experience, you’ll need to answer some questions about what makes you an authority on the subject. You’ll be prompted to answer questions like ‘How long have you been doing XYZ?’ and ‘Do you have any formal certificates and awards in XYZ?’. This is necessary so that Airbnb can establish what makes you qualified to offer such an experience.
Describe the Airbnb Experience
Next, you’ll be prompted to write a description of the Airbnb experience, noting factors like:
- What guests will be expected to do during the experience;
- What itinerary the guests will be following; and
- Specific details of what sets this activity apart from others.
This experience description is great because it details exactly who the experience is for, and what guests can expect from the service. The itinerary is clear, and prospective customers are referred to a social media account for even more examples of the photos they can expect. The description even includes the photographer’s top tips, such as bringing an extra pair of shoes to walk around in, and when the crowds are smallest.
Upload Photos
Then, there’ll be a place to upload seven high-quality images that represent your activity or service. These photos should ideally show people engaging with the activity, and perhaps a location shot of where the activity will be taking place. Natural lighting and candid photos work best with Airbnb.
Learn how to write irresistible photo captions.
Wait for Your Application Result
Now there’s nothing you can do other than wait for Airbnb to get back to you with a result on your application. If your application is denied on the first try, don’t worry! You can tweak bits of your application and try again. Make sure to really focus on your personal expertise and what makes your experience different from all the others available.
Get to Work!
With a successful application under your belt, your Airbnb experience is now live! You can get to work facilitating wonderful memories for tourists wanting to learn from the locals. Remember, providing a brilliant service or experience and exceeding expectations is the best way to get five-star guest reviews.
Read more: secret writing great guest reviews.
What Are Airbnb Experiences?
An Airbnb experience is an activity designed and led by a local for tourists. The phrase ‘live like a local’ is often used by Airbnb to describe the ‘experiences’ part of the site, as the idea is to give tourists an authentic and genuine experience, immersed in local culture. Airbnb hosts can share their skills and passions with anyone who wants to learn, regardless of whether they have a place to host them or not.
How Much Money Can I Make with an Airbnb Experience?
The amount of money you can make with an Airbnb experience depends on the type of experience you offer and the value you provide, the number of people booking your experience, and whether you have any expenses or not. You can receive tips from happy travelers, and offer certain promotions and discounts to incentivize large groups to join your tour or activity.
Art and Culture
In the US, art and cultural experiences vary considerably in price depending on what they are. A photography session may cost anywhere between $40 – $100 per person, while tours may cost more than this, depending on how long the tours typically last for.
Types of ‘Arts and Culture’ experiences in England.
Food and Drink
Food and drink tours typically cost more than $50 per person, and more if they involve a class of some sort. Generally speaking, the more unique the activity, the more an Airbnb host is able to charge for it. The amount charged also depends significantly on experience level. An ex-Michelin Star chef will likely charge more than a local with no professional cooking experience.
Types of ‘Food and Drink’ experiences in Italy.
Maximizing Income from Airbnb Experiences
In order to maximize the income that you receive from your Airbnb experience, you should try different price ranges, testing and measuring the number of bookings vs. the amount of income you make with each price you test. In addition to this, consider setting up an experience with few or no expenses, so that everything you charge you can keep as a profit.
What Are the Most Popular Airbnb Experiences?
There are many different types of Airbnb experiences. Airbnb itself tends to categorize experiences into four sections: Art and Culture, Food and Drink, Entertainment, and Sports.
Photography Services
Did you really go on holiday if you didn’t post 50 photos on Instagram to prove it? In the age of social media, photography services are a massively popular type of Airbnb experience. Whether your photography is related to specific architecture in your city, or whether you specialize in certain aesthetics of photo shoots, the demand for this type of service is big.
Airbnb really values unique experiences, so if you’re planning on offering a photography experience, make sure it will stand out from the rest.
Walking Tours
Another popular type of Airbnb experience is a walking/sightseeing tour. This is popular with all kinds of different tourists, not just the ones who want to post everything on social media. You could offer a local tour of historical spots, a tour of local restaurants, a tour of street art in your city, or tours to celebrity or historical figure homes in the area.
Activities and Classes
There are a huge variety of activities and classes available when looking for Airbnb experiences. Whether you’re an experienced surfer, ex-professional chef, roller-skating champion, or just a person with a passion, hosting activities and classes is a great way to make an extra income by doing what you love.
Some activities could include:
- Sports like football, surfing, archery, tennis, snowboarding or golf
- Classes like cooking, yoga, meditation, painting or pottery
When deciding what kind of experience to offer, look to the hobbies that you already enjoy and have experience in.
Read the Airbnb SEO Cheat Sheet here.
Nightlife and Shopping Tours
Another popular type of Airbnb experience is entertainment tours, for example, nightlife, bars, and shopping tours. These tours are aimed at a more niche target audience and will depend on your personal expertise and hobbies. You could do a tour of luxury shops, popular clothing stores, local markets, and unique, quirky stores in the area. You could even partner with local businesses in the area to offer exclusive discounts and incentives for recommending to friends or family.
Another great place to recommend local attractions is your guidebook. Learn how to create a professional guidebook and manual for guests here.
Are Airbnb Experiences Good?
Hosting Airbnb experiences is a great way to get paid for doing something that you love while meeting new people and working very flexible hours. You set your schedule, meaning that you can work as much or as little as you’d like. Your passion for your tour or activity will show, inspiring your guests and encouraging fantastic new memories.
Make money with Airbnb experiences by setting up your account and giving Airbnb all of the details of your expertise and experience. Get paid for your passion and give back to the tourists who visit your local area. Whether it’s a photography session, boxing class, or yoga session on the beach, get creative and craft a magical and unique experience!
Check out my Airbnb copywriting services for more information about crafting the perfect Airbnb listing description, Airbnb guidebook, or Airbnb experiences copy.