Airbnb offers to live for free: The company is on the hunt for 12 intrepid travellers to spend an entire year living the nomadic lifestyle in home rentals around the world. By Stacey Leasca
On Wednesday, the home rental company announced the “Live Anywhere on Airbnb” opportunity. The aim, the company explained, is to have 12 lucky people share “their unique experiences with Airbnb,” which “could help inform future product upgrades and innovations on the platform, helping to lay the groundwork for the future of nomadic living.”
Airbnb offers to live for free – what you need to know
Their input, Airbnb notes, could shape product changes and resources that would improve the long-term living experience, help define ideal accommodations for solo travellers or groups like families, and even help to better understand the financial benefits of hosting while travelling.
In exchange for all this knowledge, Airbnb will cover the cost of accommodations and provide an allowance for transportation for the duration of the pilot programme. Participants can even choose to host their primary residence on Airbnb during their travels and earn extra money while they travel.
The reason for the programme appears to be because of the growing popularity of long-term stays in private home rentals. According to Airbnb’s Report on Travel & Living, the share of stays 28 days or longer increased by 10 per cent in nights booked from 2019 to 2021.
“The experience of living on Airbnb has been truly transformational for us,” Debbie Campell, a long-term Airbnb guest, shared in a statement. “Live Anywhere on Airbnb will give even more people the opportunity to see the world through a whole new lens just as we have. We’re excited to see more people living and working from wherever they choose.”
Starting today, those interested can submit their applications at www.airbnb.com/liveanywhere. And truly, everyone’s invited to apply, including remote workers, empty nesters, young families, and more. Participants just need to be 18 years old or older and must be able to travel for 12 consecutive months from July 2021 to July 2022. Airbnb will assist with listing suggestions, local Experiences, and more. Each participant will be allowed to bring up to three companions to be part of the programme.
Editor’s Note: Keeping the current situation of the pandemic in mind, T+L India recommends every reader to stay safe and take all government-regulated precautions in case travel at this time is absolutely necessary. Please follow our stories on COVID-19 for all the latest travel guidelines.
Related: How To Travel Safely During The Pandemic, According To An Epidemiologist
