Airbnb and Bumble team up to create virtual dating experiences

If you’re single right now and looking to mingle virtually, you’re not alone. In fact, you may be among the more than 100,000 Bumble users globally who have updated their dating profiles to mention that they are quarantining. To help star-crossed matches connect from afar, Airbnb is releasing a collection of Bumble-approved Online Experiences designed to help matches go on virtual dates and find something to converse about.

Launched in April 2020 (when most of the world was under lockdown), Online Experiences help a user unlock access to hosts across the world, including Buddhist monks, sommeliers, magicians, and more. Whether visiting the dogs of Chernobyl, bringing the flavors of India to life at home, or making cheese with a mama goat and her kid in Malibu, guests have the chance to connect with new people and travel virtually from their own living room.

Lean into your shared culinary cravings with a wine class with an expert in Portugal or a how-to on Mexican street tacos. Or virtually sneak away to a hidden date-night spot, like the secret Amsterdam jazz club, a live show with sangria and drag queens in Lisbon, or Japan's oldest brewery for sake secrets. Beyond offering virtual date experiences, this offering lets users traverse the world without leaving their bedrooms.

While having the backup of other guests from around the world on an Online Experience with you and your match may help put first date jitters at ease, those who want to sneak away for quality time together can opt for private bookings and request specific booking dates. Booking seats through this feature has been gaining popularity, as they have tripled since pre-pandemic bookings.

Bumble recently announced the launch of its new virtual dating tools, including a “Virtual Dating” badge that will appear in users’ profiles who are open to date via video chat. This badge allows Bumble users to find and filter their prospective matches based on who is looking to date virtually. During this time when it’s best to take dates virtual, Bumble has also expanded its distance filters to allow users to match with anyone in their country.

Other Online Experiences perfect for virtual dating include:

● Turkish Fortune Coffee Reading (New York, New York)

● Fall in Laugh (Lisbon, Portugal)

● Tarot Reading with Mak Jagger (Austin, Texas)

● Meet the Wooly Sheep of My New Zealand Farm (Rotorua, New Zealand)

● GINspiration History & Cocktails at Home (Bath, United Kingdom)

● Discover the Rhythms of Puerto Rico (Hatillo, Puerto Rico)

● Pasta with Luca & Lorenzo (Florence, Italy)

● All about Coffee with a Pro Taster (Bogotá, Colombia)

● Drink and Draw (Lisbon, Portugal)

● Farm to Table from the Mediterranean (Klis, Croatia)