Airbnb unveils new community guest house concept
Airbnb has launched a new community guest house concept designed to foster closer relationships between guests and the communities they are visiting.
The new venue, the Yoshino Cedar House, located in the Nara prefecture of Japan, was created by the company's new in-house design studio, Samara.
Rather than being described as a hotel, Yoshino has been unveiled as an integrated guest space intended to draw visitors to rural communities. It will function as a centre to provide communities with a meeting point and a place to host tourists. Samara plans to create similar spaces in declining rural communities worldwide.
Visitors can book to stay at the guest house via Airbnb. It will be run by the local community and visitors will be encouraged to interact with their hosts, mirroring Airbnb residences where travellers stay with the property owners. The proceeds of each booking will go towards the local community.
According to Co.Design, Airbnb is considering introducing the concept into the UK and other countries.
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