Airbnb, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have launched a five-day global Olympic festival with Olympians and Paralympians, giving guests around the world access to their sporting heroes. Through these experiences, guests will be able to interact with global athletes who will help train their minds and body like a sporting pro. Sania Mirza, is one of the many global athletes who will be hosting an exclusive Online Experience for the very first time on the Airbnb platform. Her session will go live on the Airbnb platform and will be bookable for fans globally during the festival. She said, " During the experience, I will take guests through a quick functional training, share my training regime and inspire them to strike the perfect balance between wellness of the mind and body, all from the comfort of my home in Hyderabad.”
Bookings for the five-day event will open on July 22, with more than 100 Olympian and Paralympian Online Experiences offered by Naomi Osaka, Yusra Mardini, Rui Hachimura, Allyson Felix, Lex Gillette, and others.
Some experiences include: Chat mind, body and spirit with Jackie Joyner-Kersee (athletics, USA), push through boundaries and level up in life with Meb Keflezighi (marathon, USA), get vulnerable to unlock greatness with Kerri Walsh Jennings (beach volleyball, USA), and Zumba beachside in paradise with Tom Hintnaus (athletics, Brazil)
"Guests will be able to connect and interact with some of the most elite competitors within the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, giving them even more reasons to cheer them on next year,” said Airbnb co-founder, Joe Gebbia. Fans who book will proudly support their heroes ahead of Tokyo 2020, as proceeds will provide valuable income to athlete hosts, now and beyond the festival, including some who are on the road to their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.
"We are delighted to collaborate with Airbnb to provide innovative economic empowerment opportunities for Olympic and Paralympic athletes around the world,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
"Paralympians and Para athletes are masters of innovation and finding creative solutions to daily challenges they face,” said IPC President Andrew Parsons. "The summer festival of Olympian and Paralympian Online Experiences celebrates this tenacity and gives Para athletes a platform to share their stories to empower others, while also offering a new earning opportunity especially needed during these difficult times." Visit airbnb.com/festival for full details.