NextSharkNextShark.com

Airbnb Cancels Sleepover at the Great Wall of China After Backlash From Local Officials

Airbnb Cancels Sleepover at the Great Wall of China After Backlash From Local Officials

August 9, 2018
SHARE
After what appears to be a backlash, Airbnb canceled a contest that supposedly let eight people spend an entire evening at the Great Wall of China.
In a statement on Aug. 7, the company said that it “deeply respects” the feedback on its “Night at the Great Wall” promotion without going into details.
“We were excited to promote the Great Wall and Chinese cultural heritage with our Night At The Great Wall and while there was an agreement in place that was the basis for the announcement of this event, we deeply respect the feedback we have received.
“We have made the decision to not move forward with this event and instead we are working on a range of other experiences and initiatives that showcase China as a destination and highlight how people-to-people travel can drive human connections.”
Image via YouTube / Airbnb
The contest, which was scheduled to end on Aug. 11, required participants to submit an essay answering “Why is it more important now than ever to break down barriers between cultures?” and “How would you want to build new connections?”
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

Four winners and their guests would have had the chance to spend a night in a refurbished watchtower located on the Badaling stretch of the Wall in early September.
Image via YouTube / Airbnb
The package reportedly included travel and visa fees, a multi-course dinner, a guided tour and various cultural experiences, such as a musical performance and lessons on calligraphy and conservation awareness.
“One of the goals of our Night At The Great Wall was to highlight how everyone can play a part in honoring and preserving this incredible piece of world history. We partnered with experts to help educate people about the Wall’s heritage and raise awareness of protection and preservation efforts,” Airbnb stated.
Image via YouTube / Airbnb
But as it turned out, local officials had not been informed of the promo, which was planned only between Airbnb and the state-owned Beijing Badaling Tourism Company, according to Chinese media.
Image via YouTube / Airbnb
Upon hearing the news, the propaganda department of Yanqing, where the guard tower is located, issued a statement saying that the district’s cultural relics protection office had not received any information from Airbnb regarding its planned activities.
Additionally, the office rejected the idea of turning the Great Wall into a hotel, pointing out that Airbnb’s activities do not conform to the concept of cultural preservation.
Image via YouTube / Airbnb
Meanwhile, the proposed experience drew mixed reactions from Chinese netizens.
“The Great Wall is a historical relic under protection, how can they let it be turned into a common guest house?!” the South China Morning Post quoted one as writing.
Another comment was positive, “Airbnb has come to China to promote Chinese culture, if they do it well we can support them.”
Featured Images via YouTube / Airbnb
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Carl Samson

      Carl Samson is a Senior Editor for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.