Airbnb Experiences for Hosts: How it Works

Airbnb Experiences allow hosts to connect travelers with unique experiences designed to give them insider access to their destination. Through Experiences, guests can learn about hosts’ cities and communities.

Key Takeaways

• Airbnb Experiences should create meaningful interaction between hosts and guests, not just a passive activity.
• Airbnb sets specific requirements and restrictions for hosting Experiences.
• Find out what the most popular Airbnb Experiences are right now, and how they are priced.

Airbnb Experiences is an Airbnb feature that guests use to book activities. It can be anything from guided tours and food tastings to outdoor activities. Hosts can offer Experiences either as a business or as an individual.

To actually make money with Airbnb Experiences, you need to demonstrate real expertise, offer insider access that guests can't easily find on their own, and create a genuine connection with participants. Your listing and offer need to be compelling enough that people actually feel it's worth their time and money to show up.

Take a closer look at what the program offers, and how iGMS can help.

Are Airbnb Experiences Still a Thing?

Experiences are relaunched in 2024. In an interview with Skift, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky explained that they needed to refine the product.

He was quoted as saying, “They need to be more unique to Airbnb. We need things you can only find on Airbnb." The company is focused on scaling high-quality supply for both Experiences and Services, expecting these segments to grow in the future, as they note in their Q4 2025 report.

What about Online Experiences?

Airbnb launched Virtual Experiences in April 2020 to help hosts and guests connect during the COVID-19 pandemic. As demand declined, in 2021 the company discontinued any kind of online experience to focus on in-person experiences.

What Are Airbnb Experiences?

Airbnb Experiences are activities that guests can book during their journey to immerse themselves in local culture and have some unforgettable moments. Local hosts lead these activities. It can be anything from food tasting, visiting local landmarks, attending artisanal workshops, to guided hikes, bike rides and other outdoor activities.

How Do Airbnb Experiences Work?

Hosts are not allowed to offer experiences unless they have first been approved by Airbnb. To offer an experience, hosts need to apply to join the program.

Hosts can submit an application for an Airbnb Experience to airbnb.com/host/experiences. Airbnb will then contact them to let them know if their application has been approved or not. The waiting time is generally around two weeks, but it can be less. 

Do I need to have a property to host Experiences?

No. Hosts who want to offer experiences don’t have to own a property or host overnight guests at a property. Hosts are also free to host experiences as often as they like, with no hosting restrictions, as STR regulations do not apply.

Do I need permits or licenses?

One thing that both platforms have in common is the requirement of business licenses for hosts.  This is especially true if an experience involves food, alcohol, or transportation.

How to create an Airbnb Experience listing

There are strict requirements for what must be included in your Airbnb experiences listing. The Experience itinerary must be detailed and accurate, so guests know exactly what to expect. This includes:

• Activities guests will participate in
• Meeting location and instructions
• What’s included in the experience (e.g., items provided by the host)
• At least 3 activities and enough detail to set clear expectations.
• No open-ended itineraries.
• All photos (minimum 5) must meet Airbnb’s quality standards.
• Listings must accurately describe accessibility features.
• A clear, action-based title that describes the experience
• A detailed description explaining what guests will do and what to expect
• A clear explanation of why you’re qualified to host the experience.
• The experience must be connected to local culture, people, or the environment.
• The location for the experience must be safe, clean, and comfortable.
• All features required for the activity must be included.

Give guests all the details they could need before they show up in person such as maximum group size or minimum age requirements. The profile photo should be a clear image of the Host, not a company logo, and the profile name must be the Host’s real name. Hosts should provide a personal description in the "About Me" section.

What are the requirements to host an Experience?

According to the Airbnb help center, experiences should "provide expertise, insider access, and connection.”

Expertise means you must offer a skill or knowledge that demonstrates clear experience or authority in the activity.

Insider access means you should give guests something they wouldn’t easily without locals, like unique locations or behind-the-scenes access.

Human connection means the experience should create meaningful interaction between you and the guests, not just a passive activity.

As for expertise and knowledge, they require one of these things:

• Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in their field.
• Multi-generational knowledge, family background, or heritage.
• Media coverage, press, or endorsements from established outlets demonstrating leadership in their field.

What Can be Offered as an Airbnb Experience?

Experiences may range from wine and food tastings to outdoor yoga classes. Just be sure not to confuse them with Services, another Airbnb product that stands on its own.

What are Experience categories?

For guests looking to book an experience, there are a few categories to choose from. These categories include:

• Arts (street art)
• Classes and Workshops
• History (landmarks, cultural tours)
• Food & Drink (tasting, cooking classes, food tours)
• Health & Wellness (bike tours, workouts)
• Nature
• Sports
• Entertainment
• Music
• Social Impact
• Fashion
• Beauty
• Nightlife
• Concerts

What are the popular things to do on Airbnb Experiences?

Airbnb published the list of the most popular Experiences on their platform, which are:

• Sightseeing and toursWalking tour guided by a local guide, historical explorations, cinematic tours, and cultural landmarks.
• Culinary explorationsFood tasting, wine tasting, cooking classes like pastry-making, farmers market tours, and tea ceremonies.
• Nature and outdoor activitiesHiking, surfing, biking, garden tours, and sunrise adventures in natural landscapes.
• Arts and culture endeavorsMuseum strolls, flea market explorations, painting, tattoo workshops, and traditional crafts.

What works well if you have some themed offer in line with the local character. In Rome, one popular experience is a Vespa adventure through Rome with a photographer. Vespa makes the offering more attractive than a typical photo tour.

In Florence, Italy, you can find a Cooking Class With 360 Florence View, where the mesmerizing rooftop view makes the cooking class even more extraordinary.

Artisanal workshops are evergreen, like the one in Chicago where participants design their own fragrance.

Hosts with a specific set of talents can also create more quirky, out of ordinary offers, like a theatrical coffee fortune-teller from NY who tells the future using freshly prepared Turkish coffee while entertaining participants.

What CANNOT be offered as an Experience or are restricted?

According to the Airbnb experiences guidelines accommodation/lodging cannot be considered as an experience outside of the context of Airbnb Adventures.

Services are also not considered experiences. Since standard services don’t provide personal insights, local connections, or exclusive access, they usually aren't considered suitable.

Political activities are ineligible for the Airbnb Experiences program.

The Airbnb website has an extensive list of ineligible services, such as ticket sales, that you should browse.

Certain events also have additional restrictions. These include events involving sexual content or nudity, technically specialized outdoor activities, experiences involving weapons, animal experiences, social impact experiences, and adventures.

How Much Can a Host Earn by Hosting Experiences?

Airbnb had 483M nights and experiences booked in 2024 per Airbnb reports, and the number is projected to grow. In the Q4 report for 2025, Airbnb said its Gross Booking Value grew 16 percent year-over-year.

Now, hosts set their own price for each experience. There's no hard cap on what you can charge, but it makes sense to stay in line with what similar experiences are going for. On average, prices tend to fall somewhere between $30 and $150 per guest per reservation. Just keep in mind that your actual earnings will depend on the number of tourists in your city, and you'll need to factor in the Airbnb fees.

How Much Is the Airbnb Experience Commission Fee?

Hosts who want to take part in the Experiences program pay 20% of the final price as a commission fee to Airbnb.

Note that there is a difference between the Experience fee and the regular Airbnb service fee. If you own a rental property and offer an experience, you will be charged separately for both by Airbnb. 

Hosts are paid 24 hours after a completed experience. Airbnb will automatically withhold service fees from the payout.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Hosting Airbnb Experiences

As an Airbnb host, you might wonder if this is right for you. Consider these pros and cons before making the final call.

Pros of Airbnb Experiences Hosting

Wide Audience Reach

Airbnb gives you access to a huge global audience.

Flexibility

You’re in charge of your schedule.

Supplemental Income

A great way to earn extra money.

Unique Offerings

Airbnb lets you create experiences that show off your unique skills, passion and local culture.

No Guest Minimums

Unlike other platforms, Airbnb Experiences don’t need a minimum number of guests.

No upfront investment

You need minimal upfront investments compared to vacation rentals.

Cons of Offering an Airbnb Experience

High Commission Fees

Airbnb takes a 20% cut from each booking.

Strict Guidelines

Airbnb has some pretty strict rules for hosting Experiences.

Manual Booking Management

Managing bookings for Experiences is more hands-on, and you might need to use extra tools to keep everything organized.

Potential for Low Ratings

Getting good reviews is super important for your success on Airbnb.

Competition

Airbnb Experiences are growing, which means we expect more competition.

Cancellation Risks

Cancellations can be a real issue, especially for hosts who cancel without valid reasons.

FAQ

How many guests can I host with Experiences?

Experiences can attract bookings from group travelers as well as solo travelers. There's no minimum guest requirement.

What is the cancellation policy for Airbnb Experiences?

Most experiences will have a 1-day cancellation policy. This means guests can cancel for a full refund until 24 hours before the service or experience start time. For certain services and experiences, hosts will have the option to choose a 3-day cancellation policy. Note that Airbnb is very strict on host cancellations.

Can businesses host Airbnb Experiences?

Hosts can list their Experience as an individual and as a business. But business hosts must maintain valid licenses and insurance for their business and ensure their personnel who host reservations also meet these requirements. If you are a business, you must ensure your personnel are properly trained, educated, and licensed.

Final Thoughts

If you have time and skills, start thinking about how you can offer something unique beyond accommodation. Whether you’re looking to make some extra cash or boost guest satisfaction, adding an Airbnb Experience could be your next move.

To make hosting easier and more efficient, consider using a tool like iGMS. It automates a lot of the repetitive tasks that come with managing both vacation rentals and experiences. iGMS can help you:

• Manage and sync your listings across the top OTAs.
• Organize your messages within a unified inbox.
• Create messaging templates and automate your responses.
• Automate your guest reviews.

About the Author
Phoebe Gunning is a former content writer in the Marketing Department at iGMS. She is passionate about the vacation rental industry, notably helping hosts make the most out of their vacation rental businesses. Some of her hobbies include reading, traveling and drinking a good cup of coffee.