Just in time for a post-Super Bowl victory lap, Airbnb launched its growing “Experiences” feature in Philadelphia.
According to the company, Airbnb saw significant growth in bookings from people visiting the city after the Philadelphia Eagles won on Feb. 4.
Of course, the majority of arrivals in the city were in time for the winning team’s parade, where Airbnb saw an impressive 80% increase in guest arrivals for the nights of February 7 and 8, compared to the previous week.
Perhaps the most interesting part of this spike is that of all those bookings, 60% were booked after the Super Bowl. Today, Airbnb has chosen to capitalize on the tourism boom by launching its “Experiences” feature, in which Airbnb users can book locally hosted activities unique to each city. By offering Airbnb experiences, Philadelphia joins the ranks of world-class cities like New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and Tokyo.
There are now 40 “unique local-led experiences” on offer in Philadelphia, according to Airbnb. Of course, it wouldn’t be a complete Philadelphia sightseeing program without a few mainstays. These include: a guided tour of Philadelphia to the rock steps made famous in the eponymous film, and a tour of locally favorite Philly cheesesteak spots, like the famous Frank’s. Others include cooking an Italian dinner with the best pasta chefs in town and chasing a walking tour of the Philadelphia music scene.
While the experiences weren’t launched in Philadelphia in direct response to the surge in travelers due to the Super Bowl, the timing makes sense given the surge in accommodation bookings on the site.
“As of November 2016, Airbnb only had 500 experiences in 12 cities,” an Airbnb spokesperson said. Reverse. “With the Philadelphia launch, there are now over 4,500 experiences in over 55 markets. We have increased by 2000% in terms of weekly bookings compared to January last year. »
While it’s too soon to tell if Philadelphia’s tourism boom will survive the afterglow of the Super Bowl, it’s clear that platforms like Airbnb are here to cater to those who indulge.
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