Urban Adventures targets Airbnb users with Locals on Tap tours

Urban Adventures has launched a range of activities where travellers can meet local people as it targets Airbnb users. The new Locals on Tap activities last about an hour or two and focus on ‘off-piste’ attractions and trendy neighbourhoods that aren’t on the typical tourist circuit. Participants can meet fellow travellers, chat with locals and ask any questions … Continue reading Urban Adventures targets Airbnb users with Locals on Tap tours

Urban Adventures has launched a range of activities where travellers can meet local people as it targets Airbnb users.

The new Locals on Tap activities last about an hour or two and focus on ‘off-piste’ attractions and trendy neighbourhoods that aren’t on the typical tourist circuit.

Participants can meet fellow travellers, chat with locals and ask any questions they have about the destination, such as riding public transport, finding the best places to eat or getting tickets for sporting events and concerts.

The tours are aimed at a new breed of travellers who swap hotels and hostels for Airbnb, skip tourist sites in favour of local cafes and markets, and want to feel like a local as well as solo travellers.

In Berlin, a €25 two-hour meet-up includes a mini-tour of Kreuzberg, advice from local experts and drinks at a non-tourist bar.

In Tokyo, for €27.97 you get a mini-tour of the Asakusa district and Sensoji Temple and can “kick back with new friends at a funky spot”.

Each tour is also rated by culture shock and physicality.

Tony Carne, general manager of Urban Adventures, said:  “The move to apartment-style accommodation like Airbnb means that the days of making friends across a hostel kitchen table or rooftop garden are gone – so people are finding it more difficult to meet fellow travellers than ever before.

“On Locals on Tap, customers can find those insider tips and nuggets of information they really want. We want to save people time and money by letting them know what locals know.”

The tours are available in 50 cities, including Florence, Lisbon, Berlin, Shanghai, Honolulu and Singapore, a full list is here.

To give travellers a taste of the new product, Urban Adventures is giving away 100,000 of the new tours from October to December in its biggest ever giveaway.