TORONTO — Today the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Airbnb announced a significant agreement to support the Olympic Movement through to 2028.
The partnership will span nine years and cover the next five Olympic Games. The partnership looks to keep in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals initiative while lowering costs for Olympic Games organizers and stakeholders and minimizing the need for construction of new accommodations.
“Airbnb and the IOC have a strong track record in creating and accommodating the world’s greatest events. Our Olympic partnership will ensure that the Games are the most inclusive, accessible and sustainable yet and leave a lasting positive legacy for athletes and host communities. Airbnb’s mission is to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere and we are proud that the Olympic spirit will be carried by our community,” says Joe Gebbia, Airbnb co-founder.
The partnership aims to generate hundreds of thousands of new hosts over the next decade.
“This innovative partnership underpins our strategy to ensure that the efficient staging of the Olympic Games is sustainable and leaves a legacy for the host community. With Airbnb’s support, we will also develop new opportunities for athletes around the world to develop their own direct revenue streams through the promotion of physical activity and the Olympic values,” says Thomas Bach, president of the IOC.
The IOC will make at least US$28-million worth of Airbnb accommodation available over the course of the partnership to athletes competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games for competition and training related travel.
“On behalf of the Athlete’s Commission, I am delighted that our new global agreement with Airbnb will benefit the athletes directly. We work to empower athletes around the world on and off the field of play and this agreement is another example of how we are supporting and advocating for athletes throughout their career,” says Kirsty Coventry, chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
Airbnb will now support the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing 2022, the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, the Olympic Winter Games Milano-Cortina 2026, and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028.
