Experiences Ignored: Tours, Activities & the Airbnb IPO

The struggling Experiences unit, all but ignored in Airbnb’s IPO documentation, has already transformed tours and activities more than most in the sector would admit. And it may play an even bigger role as the Airbnb story unfolds.
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The Airbnb IPO has generated significant interest and anticipation across the travel industry. But for travel’s third-largest sector, tours, activities, and attractions, it’s quite the letdown.

In fact, it’s a barren wasteland. 

The Airbnb S-1 filing mentions Experiences 252 times. Except for some thin, flowery descriptions of the product, the document states nothing about the business, except this: “Substantially all of the bookings on our platform to date have come from nights.” All of the metrics that matter, such as bookings, revenue and profit, blend with the core homes business. 

So where does that leave Airbnb Experiences and its future on tours, activities, and attractions? 

The Launch that Changed an Industry

Airbnb launched Experiences in late 2016 to much fanfare as part of a grand vision to transform travel: Airbnb Trips. The new “Trips” division would include transportation, dining, and experiences as well as accommodation. The launch took the travel industry by storm, as homes-focused startup dismissed mass tourism and conventional tours and attractions in favor of unique, intimate, and often quite unusual experiences with locals that could only be found on Airbnb. 

Four years later, however, Airbnb remains an online accommodation marketplace at its core. With some 5.6 million active accommodation listings and just a little over 40,000 Experiences, Airbnb Experiences is still just a fascinating side note that’s had more impact on the tours and activities industry than it has on Airbnb’s own business. 

And the impact on the industry has been profound. With little or no paid marketing, Airbnb has brought alternative, “off-the-beaten-track” experiences with locals into the mainstream. The company forced every major player in tours and activities – online and off – to rethink its approach to product design and marketing with “local” and “authentic” in mind. Indeed, “experiences” has become a widely used alternative to the industry moniker “tours & activities.”

Purchase Arival’s Inside Airbnb Experiences, a complete, data driven, in-depth analysis of Airbnb Experiences  

How Big Is Airbnb Experiences?

Airbnb Experiences has grown phenomenally on the supply side from its launch in 2016 with 500 Experiences to more than 40,000 by the end of 2019. But beyond a handful of limited and often conflicting references in the business media, there is very little information available on bookings and revenue.

This Reuters article from early 2018 cited an inside source at Airbnb that bookings could top 1 million that year. The Information reported that Airbnb Experiences had $15 million in revenue for the first three quarters of 2018 and approximately $35 million in 2019, which would put gross bookings in the $175 million range for the full year (assuming a 20% commission).

How Big Could It Be?

More important than how big the business is today is just how big it could become. Based on the company’s level of investment and the degree to which it touts Experiences as part of the overall Airbnb story, the company’s plans for the unit hardly seem diminished. 

Airbnb’s S-1 filing claims a total addressable market, or TAM, for Experiences of a striking $1.4 trillion. This figure is based on an Experiences market report from research firm Euromonitor. It includes $239 billion in recreational leisure spend by tourists and another $1.1 trillion in non-travel-related recreational spend. The categories include leisure, recreation and food service, according to Euromonitor. 

The larger $1.1 trillion market of non-tourism spend on recreational activities is a distraction at this stage. It likely includes such categories as movies, sports, entertainment, and other local leisure activities that travel companies do not participate in, with Groupon as one notable exception. Significant penetration into this sector by Airbnb would require a profound business model shift or expansion that is not likely anytime soon.

The directly addressable $239 billion is reasonably in line with Arival’s projected market size of $254 billion in gross sales for tours, activities, attractions and experiences in 2019. 

How to Scale without Mass Tourism

With an Experiences business likely not much more than a few hundred million dollars in gross bookings in 2019, Airbnb has captured a miniscule portion of the $254 billion tours, activities and attractions sector. Before the company, the key question is how it can effectively scale the business without aggressively pursuing traditional leisure tourism supply from the largest operators and attractions.

The largest sub-sector is ticketed attractions, such as monuments, landmarks, museums and amusement parks. Attractions represent 46% of the $254 billion pie, yet Airbnb does not sell tickets to any of these venues.

Airbnb, staying true to its brand of offering unique, authentic travel, has chosen to focus on small group or private activities hosted by individuals. The company’s objective is to provide unique, intimate experiences with locals.

However, the vast majority of in-destination recreational tourism volume is operated by a small percentage of operators and attraction providers with scale. In fact, just 14% of operators account for more than 80% of total industry revenue, according to Arival’s Experience Revolution: The Size & Structure of the Global Operator Landscape.

What Comes Next?

At some point there will have to be an Experiences reckoning, and Airbnb faces some key questions about the future direction of the unit. Namely, can the unit be profitable while staying true to the long-tail model of small, local unique Experiences? Or should it expand into more conventional tour and attraction products? 

Airbnb is already testing the waters. According to Arival’s new report, Inside Airbnb Experiences, many of the most popular listings are, in fact, pretty conventional sightseeing tours. There are also many traditional operators listing on Airbnb already, and some have multiple, even dozens, of listings. Airbnb also made an investment in attractions-focused OTA Tiqets late last year.

No matter what comes next, Airbnb’s impact on travel’s third-largest sector has already been wide-ranging and significant. If the company decides to see stick with it, and all indications are that they will, then the tours, activities and attractions industry is in for one interesting ride. 

But then again, we are the Best Part of Travel. 


Purchase Report:

Delve deep into Airbnb Experiences with Arival’s latest report, Inside Airbnb Experiences

In anticipation of an Airbnb public offering, we undertook a comprehensive analysis of Airbnb Experiences listings to understand the structure and size of the business, the scale and dynamics of product listings, and to identify what makes a successful Experience on Airbnb. With the company’s IPO expected in December 2020, this report provides essential insight into Airbnb’s Experiences business.


Free Webinar: Arival Town Hall, Inside Airbnb Experiences

Date: Wednesday, 16 December 2020 | Time: 12pm (EST)

Airbnb has grown Experiences remarkably to more than 40,000 listings in 90+ countries worldwide and had a profound impact on tours, activities, and attractions. In advance of the IPO, Arival has published a new report, Inside Airbnb Experiences, to assess the structure and size of the business and what it means for our industry.

Join the conversation at this special Arival Town Hall as Arival CEO Douglas Quinby shares key insights from the new report and discusses Airbnb, the IPO, and what it means for operators with industry experts and operators experienced with Airbnb Experiences.

What will be discussed at Arival Town Hall: Inside Airbnb Experiences:

  • Key findings from Arival’s new report Inside Airbnb Experiences
  • Reaction to the Airbnb IPO
  • The impact of Airbnb on tours and activities
  • The challenges, opportunities, competitive outlook and future of Airbnb Experiences
  • Whether tour and activity operators should apply to list on Airbnb
  • What makes a successful Experiences listing

Join the conversation and bring your questions and perspectives!

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ARIVAL | ACTIVATE BANGKOK ON SALE NOW!

ARIVAL | ACTIVATE BANGKOK

12- 14 June 2023 | In-Person

Asia’s leading conference for tour & attraction suppliers to grow & connect

Research

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The Global Refund Program reimburses you for the Ticket Cost of a non-refundable, unused Ticket, less any Refunds if a Ticketholder is unable to use their Ticket due to one or more of the following reasons:

  1. Any serious Injury or any unforeseen serious Illness occurring to a Ticketholder which results in a Ticketholder being unable to attend the Event for which the Ticket is purchased. In the case of such Injury or Illness, the Ticketholder must be examined by a physician, who must advise the Ticketholder in writing not to attend the Event.
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  3. Any serious Injury or any unforeseen serious Illness occurring to a Ticketholder’s Immediate Family Member that is considered life-threatening or requiring hospitalization. In the case of such Injury or Illness, the Ticketholder’s Immediate Family Member must be examined by a Physician.
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  10. A Ticketholder who is on Active Military Duty having been deployed overseas at the time of the Event.
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  1. A Ticketholder not arriving at the venue due to a delay by the Common Carrier used for transportation.
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  4. Fire, burglary, vandalism, flood, or Natural Disaster causes the Ticketholder’s place of work to be unsuitable for normal business practice after the purchase of Tickets and within 48 hours of the Event.
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  6. A Ticketholder or their Spouse being laid off or terminated through no action or fault of their own, after at least 3 continuous years of permanent employment with the same employer. The termination must occur after the purchase date. Self-employed workers, volunteer workers, or any other unpaid workers do not qualify for a refund.
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  8. A minor Ticketholder being unable to attend an Event because the Ticketholder on whom they are dependent to take them to the Event is unable to take them due to one or more of the reasons listed above.

What We Will Not Refund

No refund will be provided as a result whether directly or indirectly of the following:

  1. Alcohol or substance abuse; or conditions or physical complications related thereto of a Ticketholder or a Ticketholder’s Immediate Family Member;
  2. Any general restrictions imposed on traveling or gathering as a result of COVID-19;
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  6. Pollution or threat of pollutant release;
  7. Any unlawful acts committed by a Ticketholder or Ticketholder’s Immediate Family Members
  8. The Event being canceled by the venue or promoter for any reason (including bad weather);
  9. Lost or stolen Tickets;
  10. Dental treatment, except as a result of an Injury to sound natural teeth;
  11. Participation in any military service, maneuver or training exercise not overseas;
  12. Inability to obtain a visa required for travel;
  13. Making a false or fraudulent refund application or support a refund application by false or fraudulent document, device, or statement;
  14. Submitting your refund request more than 45 days after the Event;
  15. Any expected or foreseeable events not listed under the What We Will Refund section

General Conditions

  • You must provide sufficient documentation to verify your refund request falls under one or more of the reasons listed in the What We Will Refund section.
  • You must make all necessary arrangements to arrive at the event on time.
  • You must not be aware of any material fact, matter or circumstance, at the time the refund protection was purchased, which may give rise to a refund request.
  • You must take all reasonable precautions to prevent or reduce any request for a refund

Unless we agree otherwise:

  • The language of this document and all communications relating to it will be English; and
  • All aspects of the contract, including negotiation and performance, are subject to English laws and the decisions of English courts.

Definitions

  • Accident means an unexpected, unintended, unforeseeable event.
  • Active Military Duty means serving in the armed forces.
  • Common Carrier means an entity licensed to carry passengers for hire by air, or on land or water. Common Carrier does not include vehicle rental companies.
  • COVID-19 means Coronavirus disease known as COVID-19.
  • COVID-19 Test means any positive test for COVID-19 that can be evidenced and requires a Ticketholder to self-isolate.
  • Event means an experience or a series of experiences, with specified or expiration dates, that a Ticketholder reserves, registers, attends, or participates in such as sports, performing arts, camps, tournaments, conferences, lodging, specialized classes, spa treatments, or other similar experiences.
  • Illness means a sickness, infirmity, or disease that begins after the Ticket is purchased, which prevents the Ticketholder from attending the Event, and is not a Pre-existing Condition.
  • Immediate Family Member means a Ticketholder’s spouse, parent, child, foster child, stepchild or child-in-law.
  • Injury means bodily injury caused by an Accident, directly and independently of all other causes and sustained on or after the purchase date and before the Event Date.
  • Mechanical Breakdown means a mechanical issue that prevents a vehicle from being driven, a flat tire requiring professional roadside assistance, or a vehicle becoming inoperable. Mechanical breakdown does not include running out of fuel, the need for routine maintenance, or inoperability because of lost, unavailable, or stolen keys.
  • Natural Disaster means flood, wildfire, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, blizzard, or avalanche that is due to natural causes.
  • Physician means a licensed/qualified medical practitioner who is practicing within the scope of his or her license/qualification and who is licensed to prescribe and administer medication and to perform surgery that is appropriate for the condition and locality. A Physician does not include someone residing in Your home, an Immediate Family Member, or Your in-laws (parent, child, sibling), aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or legal guardian.

Refund means:

  • Money returned to You by the supplier;
  • Any credit or voucher for future events You receive or are entitled to receive from the supplier; or
  • Any credits, recoveries, or reimbursements You receive or are entitled to receive from Your employer, a credit card issuer, or any other institution.
  • Spouse means a Ticketholder’s lawful spouse as defined by law and includes civil unions and domestic partners.
  • Ticket means the registration or reservation required to attend or participate in an Event and paid for in full by You. A ticket is deemed used once the Ticketholder attends any part of the Event.
  • Ticket Cost means the total amount paid for one Ticket, including any prorated taxes, fees, and shipping costs. Ticket Cost does not include costs added after the refund protection has been provided.
  • Ticketholder means the person to whom this ticket is issued and has an incidence of ownership under this ticket. Ticketholder does not include a Ticket Reseller.
  • Ticket Reseller means a person or entity that buys tickets for the purpose of resale and includes any marketplace designed to facilitate such resale. Ticket Reseller includes ticket scalpers and ticket brokers.

THE “GLOBAL REFUND PROGRAM” IS A PROGRAM OF JSV EVENTS LIMITED WITH REIMBURSEMENTS MADE BY VERICLAIMS, INC. POWERED BY FANSHIELD INTERNATIONAL, LLC AS AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF JSV EVENTS LIMITED (REGISTRATION NO 10712264)

Welcome to Arival!

Arival is pleased to welcome all of its international attendees to the USA and would like to make the process as seamless as possible.

If you are traveling to the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less, you may be eligible to visit the US without a visa if your country is participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

Visitor Visa

Overview

Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), for tourism (visa category B-2), or for a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2).

Here are some examples of activities permitted with a visitor visa:

  • Consult with business associates
  • Attend a scientific, educational, professional, or business convention or conference
  • Settle an estate
  • Negotiate a contract

Learn more about Business Travel to the United States on a visitor visa here

  • Tourism
  • Vacation (holiday)
  • Visit with friends or relatives
  • Medical treatment
  • Participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organizations
  • Participation by amateurs in musical, sports, or similar events or contests, if not being paid for participating
  • Enrollment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree (for example, a two-day cooking class while on vacation)

Learn more about Business Travel to the United States on a visitor visa here

These are some examples of activities that require different categories of visas and cannot be done while on a visitor visa:

  • Study
  • Employment
  • Paid performances, or any professional performance before a paying audience
  • Arrival as a crewmember on a ship or aircraft
  • Work as foreign press, in radio, film, print journalism, or other information media
  • Permanent residence in the United StatesThese are some examples of activities that require different categories of visas and cannot be done while on a visitor visa:
    • Study
    • Employment
    • Paid performances, or any professional performance before a paying audience
    • Arrival as a crewmember on a ship or aircraft
    • Work as foreign press, in radio, film, print journalism, or other information media
    • Permanent residence in the United States

How to Apply

There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary by U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Please consult the instructions on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website.

Complete the Online Visa Application

  • Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 – Learn more about completing the DS-160. You must: 1) complete the online visa application and 2) print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
  • Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must be in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.

Schedule an Interview

Interviews are generally required for visa applicants with certain limited exceptions below. Consular officers may require an interview of any visa applicant.

If you are age:Then an interview is:
13 and youngerGenerally not required
14-79Required (some exceptions for renewals)
80 and olderGenerally not required

You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live.

Visa Appointment Wait Times

Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category, so you should apply for your visa early. Click the button below for more information on wait times, required documentation, interview tips, extending your stay and more.

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