National tourism agency VisitBritain and Airbnb have announced a partnership to promote and broaden local-led tourism experiences.

The GBP 500,000 match-funded partnership will work with businesses and destinations to promote local experiences and broaden the range of experiences available. It aims to get more Brits to take a holiday at home to boost tourism, collaborating with the tourism organisations of Scotland and Wales to promote local experiences.

Experiences on the Airbnb platform offers handcrafted activities, tours and educational workshops led by local experts, from a trip to a hidden jazz club in London, to trekking with llamas in the Yorkshire Moors.

“We want to boost demand for travel”

VisitBritain’s commercial director, Carol Dray, said: “Our Experiences collaboration with Airbnb greatly amplifies our marketing reach and increases the range and depth of bookable tourism experiences locally, giving people more choice.

“We want to boost demand for travel right now, inspiring more young Brits to take ‘microgaps’ and be advocates for experience-based travel in Britain now and in the future, benefitting local businesses and boosting the economy.”

The campaign’s focus is to get more young Brits to take a short break at home. It encourages them to take a ‘microgap’ — a break typically taken during a gap year but condensed into a short break.

“Open new streams of revenue”

Hadi Moussa, Airbnb general manager for Northern Europe, said: “Britain has always been a hub of creativity and innovation, with many locals having diverse skills and unique talents that should be celebrated and shared. From young entrepreneurs to charities and small businesses, this new partnership will help open new streams of revenue for local businesses and destinations, while also promoting everything that Britain has to offer.”

The partnership will also see the national tourism agency and Airbnb hosting a series of free regional workshops across Britain during March and April for destinations and local tourism businesses, entrepreneurs and charities.