Enjoy a day in Paris from home with Airbnb Online Experiences

The dry season in the Philippines is synonymous with beach and nature escapades with the family and barkada. Summer is one of the most exciting seasons to create new memories with your loved ones, and with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Filipinos will be prioritizing health and safety by staying home. This doesn’t mean that summer has to be any less fun or memorable – Airbnb Online Experiences are here to keep the spirit of travel alive with exciting and unique virtual adventures for all ages.

To create new and meaningful ways for people to travel virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, Airbnb launched Online Experiences a year ago. Introducing an online format for Experiences allowed both in-person and new Hosts to earn income during these unprecedented times, and to share their passions and local culture with guests all over the world through the screens of their smartphones and laptops.

Since then, it has swiftly evolved to become one of guests’ favorite ways to travel while staying home. In 2020 Airbnb revealed that 63 percent of guests booked Online Experiences to be entertained and 56 percent booked to learn about other cultures and lifestyles[1]. Food and Drink has been the most popular category globally and across the Asia Pacific region, accounting for nearly 40 percent of seats booked.

This year as we put our usual trips to the beach and favorite summer spots on hold, these Airbnb Online Experiences may just provide the perfect indoor summer vacay to enjoy with your families and friends.

Embark on urban adventures across the world

Explore the streets and famous attractions of cities you’ve been yearning to visit! Immerse in interesting local stories and folklore from Airbnb Experience Hosts as they bring you into their very own world.

  • Enjoy A Fabulous Day in Paris with Parisians Anto, Peter, Herbert and Tais as they bring you to famous sites in the City of Lights, including the Louvre and the Royal Palace. You’ll be sure to pick up a couple of French words before you bid them au revoir.
  • If you’ve been dreaming of visiting Japan and experiencing its rich anime culture, Yuki the Otaku can take you on a tour around Akihabara, the Otaku capital of Japan to learn more about Tokyo Anime and its Subcultures.
  • Join Host Cinthia on Rio’s Carnival Backstage Live Experience. Learn more about the rich history of the Afro-Brazilian culture and how to play Brazilian drums using items you can find at home.

Plant some summer joy with home horticulture

The pandemic ignited interest in home gardening around the world, as people under lockdown began sprucing up their homes with house plants and enjoying the associated benefits of stress relief and exercise. Whether you’re a budding plant enthusiast or an experienced gardener, you’ll surely find an exciting Online Experience on Airbnb.

  • Still struggling with overwatering or finding the right amount of light for your plants? Fret not as you learn Plant Care Basics with Hilton Carter.
  • For those dreaming of building a mini garden, interior and garden designer Kevin will share several Easy Gardening tips so you can create your personal sanctuary at home.
  • Enjoy this Traditional Healing and Houseplants experience with Host Wynnie, as she brings you through the natural healing properties of plants over a cup of tea.

Explore the culinary world

It’s no secret that Filipinos love to eat and are always raring to explore the newest restaurant or latest food craze. If you have mastered Dalgona coffee and ube pandesal, maybe it’s time to take your kitchen game a notch higher with these Online Experiences.

  • Learn how to make the most authentic and delicious Portuguese sangria on this Sangria and Secrets with Drag Taste experience, while being entertained with live performances by fabulous drag queens. This is a one-of-a-kind, cabaret-style cocktail party you’ll remember for years to come.
  • Make Mexican Street Tacos with a Pro Chef as Host Graciela teaches you how to prepare street tacos from scratch – the perfect snack before your afternoon siesta!
  • Discover the benefits of delicious and Healthy Asian Fusion Recipes with Parisian cook Chris, as he teaches guests how to prepare nutritional yet tasty Asian dishes.

Learning Self Care 101 at home

As Filipinos spend more time at home, prioritizing wellness has taken on a whole new meaning. Here are some rejuvenating Online Experiences that will leave you more grounded and relaxed.

  • Meditate with Japanese Buddhist monk Kuniatsu, who has resided for over 20 years at Shitennoji Temple. Take a break with this 60-minute experience as he walks you through different types of meditation practices.
  • Enjoy this happiness meditation with chocolate experience as Host and holistic coach Ana demonstrates how chocolate can help bring about inner peace, gratitude and lots of happiness
  • Centre your mind and body with this beautiful Cello Meditation Concert hosted by Janice, which encourages guests to experience healing and deep relaxation through music.

Whether discovering a far-flung destination for the first time, trying out a new interest, or revisiting a familiar city, Online Experiences is a safe and easy way for Filipinos to enjoy a virtual summer vacay from home.

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5 digital payment services to convince you to go cashless

06/02/2020

One of the products of being in quarantine is the rise of cashless payments not just for convenience, but also for safety.  This is because contactless payments lessen the chance of bacteria or virus transferring through the exchange of paper money and coins.

Going beyond that, this service also offers a host of other benefits like rewards points, discounts, and promotions. And once travel becomes safe again, going cashless is probably one of the most convenient ways to pay when you’re abroad.

A couple of years back, there weren’t many options for cashless payments apart from credit cards and debit cards. And while those are still very viable and reliable services today, technology has provided new, easier, and more accessible ways to transition into the use of these virtual wallets with some of them having contactless options.

If you want to adopt this payment method but don’t know where to start, then keep reading on as we list some of the popular apps and services (not credit cards) that can help you get started.

PayMaya
Paymaya

Paymaya is probably one of the most popular apps to use today for contactless payments because of the number of services it offers. It gives you a virtual prepaid credit card that you can use as a regular credit card online. Being prepaid, you get the option to load in the exact amount you need or even plan ahead and load your budget for the day/week/month so you can also track your expenses.

Services: Virtual prepaid card, QR code payments, bills payments, prepaid mobile reloading, send money to other users or banks, cash-out to banks or remittance centers, optional physical card

Cash-in methods: Online bank transfer, physical self-service kiosks, debit or credit card, partner establishments, and merchants

GCash
GCASH

GCash is right up there with PayMaya in being a widely used payment service. A product of Globe Telecom, GCash also operates as an app but acts as a mobile wallet instead of a prepaid card like PayMaya. You can, however, also avail of the optional GCash Mastercard to get a physical card and number that you can use for online or physical purchases. Unfortunately, GCash is limited to Globe Telecom customers only.

Services: Bills payment, send money to other GCash user and banks, cash-out at partner outlets or ATM, buy and borrow mobile load, buy in-store with partner merchants, GCredit.

Cash-in methods: Through Globe stores, partner outlets, online bank transfer

GrabPay

GrabPay is a mobile wallet service that comes from the ride-sharing company, Grab. Initially created for easier payments for its services, GrabPay has evolved beyond that and can now be used for other non-Grab related services. Customers can access GrabPay through the original Grab app.

Services: Payment for Grab services, bills payment, prepaid mobile reloading, transfer to other GrabPay wallets, cash out to banks, in-store payments with partner merchants, online payment with partner merchants, and apps

Cash-in methods: Grab drivers, Online bank transfer, ATM transfer, over-the-counter bank transfers, debit or credit card

Coins.ph

While not as widely popular as others, Coins.ph offers a capable mobile e-wallet solution like GCash. It’s an app-based service like the others but what makes Coins.ph different is that it’s the first licensed virtual currency provider in the Philippines. Interested customers can purchase digital currency like Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, or Ethereum through their platform.

Services: Bills payment, prepaid mobile reloading, send money to other users or bank account, payment request, purchase game credits

Cash-in methods: Partner merchants, physical kiosks, GCash, online bank transfer, over-the-counter banking,

PayPal

PayPal is a payment service that’s been around for a very long time now. It’s probably one of the most globally-recognized online payment solutions around. It recognizes different currencies and is accepted in most local and international stores. With a multitude of features, PayPal mostly focuses on personal and commercial payments and doesn’t offer local services like direct bills payment. It’s important to note, though, that PayPal will need its users to be registered in order to send and receive money. Accounts can then be linked to banks or cards for cashing in and out.

Services: Send and receive personal payments, commercial payments, cash-out to banks or cards, payment to local and international partner merchants, GCash and PayPal integration

Cash-in methods: Bank transfer, credit and debit card transfer

Special mention: beep
cashless payments

Metro Manila’s Beep card is fairly new but a great initiative in introducing a cashless payment system for local transportation. Like Hong Kong’s Octopus card or Japan’s ICOCA, BEEP is an RFID-enabled, stored value card that can be used for trains and buses in the city. And with the current pandemic, contactless payments during commutes should be the choice to lessen the possibility of being infected.

Services: Payment for LRT1, LRT2, and MRT trains, payment for Point-to-Point buses, BGC Bus, Citylink Coach Services, toll payments on NLEX and CAVITEX, in-store payment at partner merchants

Cash-in methods: LRT and MRT stations, beep e-load stations, Bayad Centers, partner merchants, Coins.ph app, selected bus ticket booths, Family Mart, Circle K

Final Thoughts

With technology rapidly evolving, it won’t be surprising if a few more options for cashless or contactless payments pop up. Apart from those listed above, there are already other options like BPI’s QR code payments, WeChat Pay, AliPay, and others. Bottom line is, cashless payments are becoming the norm and are, truthfully, a whole lot more convenient than having to line up in banks, hand cash for deliveries, or visit individual payment centers to settle bills. We may be far from being a completely cashless society but the fact that we have more than one option to do so is already a great start.

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