Brand USA and Airbnb have announced a new partnership designed to inspire travel dreamers to explore the US from the comfort of home. Hosted by unique “storytellers,” the experiences showcase cultures, cuisines, and people from across the US, and range from culinary traditions of the South to the art of spoken word poetry.

Based on Brand USA’s Online Experience program, launched in early 2019, Airbnb Online Experiences has been added to the collection as a means of providing “a new platform to share warm and welcoming stories about US destinations.” Airbnb launched its experience program at the start of the pandemic.

“As the world longs to travel again, we are delighted to help travellers understand places more deeply, meet real people, and uncover local perspectives to activate their wanderlust,” says Brand USA CMO Tom Garzilli. “It’s a fun and safe way to showcase what makes this country unique, and to invite international travellers to virtually experience our people and destinations first-hand.”

Among the opportunities are the chance to “meet” pro-surfer-turned-ocean-scientist, Cliff Kapono in Hilo, Hawaii; take an LGBT bar crawl in New York with history buff and tour guide Michael Ventriello; learn how to make an Old Fashioned at a Nashville distillery; submerge oneself in the authentic Southern notion of soulful food culture with a chef in Mississippi; and listen in on spoken-word poet Chris Webb in Cleveland.

Storyteller experiences range in price from approximately US$15 to $50 with funds going to support the Airbnb hosts, artists and small business involved.

And, says Airbnb Sr. VP Chris Lehane, “Our hope is that these Online Experiences will facilitate deeper connections between hosts and guests and encourage a future in real life trip.”

Visit the site HERE.