Bumble Partners with Airbnb to Offer Virtual Date Experiences

Bumble and Airbnb announced a partnership to provide a curated list of virtual dates to its dating app users featuring experiences from around the world.

Like most dating apps, Bumble has seen an increase in usage and messaging the last couple of months as people shelter at home in the midst of a global pandemic, and has sought to engage their users through its new video chat feature. The partnership with Airbnb is its latest effort to encourage connection while we shelter at home.

According to Travel + Leisure magazine, some of the date options include going to a speakeasy jazz club in Amsterdam or learning to cook Mexican street tacos with a professional chef, which have relatively low price points for a date ($12 and $9 per person, respectively).

If you have some extra cash, you can do a tarot card reading with Mak Jagger for $45 per person or take a pasta-making class from pro chefs in Florence, Italy for $32 per person. (Classes are done over Zoom and they will walk you through it.) You can also sip sangria and watch a drag show in Lisbon or visit Japan’s oldest brewery for secrets on making sake. Dates range from one to two hours each, according to the companies, and you can arrange to go on group dates with other people or do a private booking with a match who interests you.

For those looking for a deal, Bumble is sponsoring a contest where it is offering 100 of its users the opportunity to go one of these virtual first dates for free. The contest is open to all users, and more information on entering can be found on Airbnb’s website.

The pandemic has forced many companies to get creative in generating revenue, especially those like Airbnb that are centered around travel and tourism. Last month, the company created a feature called “Online Experiences” that offer tours, classes and workshops via Zoom. Bumble has also looked for ways to engage its subscribers, including offering a Virtual Date badge for those who are open to video chats. Now the two companies have found a way to help each other and offer a unique experience during an unprecedented time.

“If you’re single right now and looking to mingle virtually, you’re not alone,” Airbnb said in a statement. The company also said since they took their in-person experience offerings online, they have been gaining popularity: bookings have tripled since pre-pandemic times. 

As different regions around the world remain shuttered and summer travel plans are postponed, this offering could provide a welcome escape. For more on this dating service you can read our review of the Bumble dating app.