Kiwi Olympians Sarah Cowley and DJ Forbes will be giving the inside track on Tokyo. Photo / File, Supplied Airbnb
Kiwi Olympians Sarah Cowley and DJ Forbes will be giving the inside track on Tokyo. Photo / File, Supplied Airbnb
Kiwi sports stars are inviting tourists behind the scenes in Tokyo, at an Olympics being held behind closed doors.
New Zealand's star of track and field Sarah Cowley and ruby sevens player DJ Forbes are among over 200 former Olympians and Paralympians, sharing their experiences of the games online.
The online programming hosted by Airbnb, features work outs, talks, Q&As and virtual tours from the world's leading athletes.
Highlights include a guide to sports climbing's first year at the Olympics, with 'Free Solo' climber Alex Honnold and private yoga sessions with Kiwi Sochi Olympic snowboarder Christy Prior.
As an official sponsor for an Olympic Games with zero guests, Airbnb is in an unusual position.
Olympic loss: Airbnb has lost its share of 88 million visitor nights during the Toyko Games behind closed doors. Photo / File
In 2019, just before the scheduled Olympic year Japan was on target for gold.
Surpassing 88.5 million hotel nights in 2018, according to the Japan Times, BnBs now find themselves without any bookings and games that are a year delayed.
After a state of emergency was declared last week, now even domestic Japanese tourists cannot attend the games. This represents more than just a sporting upset for the hospitality sector.
However, official accommodation sponsor Airbnb is determined to make the most of their time in Tokyo by inviting Kiwi sports fans into a digital Olympic village.
Sarah Cowley, the former heptathlete and broadcaster and from Rotorua, will be reporting from Tokyo with a live Q&A during events to share "insider knowledge on the form of our Kiwi athletes."
Heptathlete and NZ Olympic Committee Chair, Sarah Cowley will be sharing some insider knowledge of the track and field team. Photo / Greg Bowker
As the current Chair of the NZ Olympic Committee she'll be inviting questions and helping Kiwi sports fans get "pumped" for the starter pistol.
Alongside Cowley, rugby sevens star DJ Forbes will be sharing his experiences of what it's like to spend two weeks in MIQ as an athlete, fresh off the plane from Tokyo.
Beyond the virtual village, Airbnb has also curated a range of experiences from locals to share a bit more insight on what tourists are missing out on.
Behind closed doors: Olympic volunteers are conducting virtual tours of hidden gems, such as GUNDAM the robot. Photo / Supplied
Far from the absent crowds there are tours of Yokohama city, including a meet an greet with an 18m-high robot called GUNDAM.
Online experiences in Miyagi, Fukushima, Yokohama, Shizuoka and Tokyo will give a bit more insight into what life is like outside the stadiums and - hopefully - whet appetites for a return to Japan, in the not too distant future.
For a range paid and free tours from volunteers and athletes in the Tokyo village, see: airbnb.co.nz/olympics
