Airbnb uses ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ concept for new trip

LOS ANGELES — A lucky few will be able to live the adventures of Phileas Fogg from Jules Verne’s classic “Around the World in 80 Days.”

Hosted by Airbnb, a small number of guests will travel across 18 countries using eight modes of transportation, including a hot air balloon, to promote a new collection of available bookings called Airbnb Adventures.

The experience is meant to mirror Fogg’s journey from exploring the Galapagos islands to hiking mountain ranges in Australia, said Joe Zadeh, Airbnb’s vice president of experiences.

“We thought that the notion of circumnavigating the globe and visiting all these different cultures and communities in 80 days is just a really fun and interesting premise,” he said.

Starting June 20, guests can book the 80-day trip, which comes with a price tag of $5,000 and includes all travel, lodging, activities and meals. Guests will depart from London on Sept. 1, 2019. The company did not say how many of the packages would be available.

Zadeh said the company chose to recreate the story of “Around the World in 80 Days” because it encompasses the spirit of the new program, focused on giving travelers an experience that is difficult to find anywhere else, especially for the price tag.

“We really want to make the point that adventures are accessibly priced,” he said.

Developed from already available hours-long trips called Airbnb Experiences, Airbnb Adventures allows people to participate in two- to 10-day treks ranging from $79 to $5,000. Adventures are capped at 12 travelers or less. Other notable bookings include searching for Sasquatch in Washington and trekking through the Amazon.