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Airbnb and 23andMe Are Launching a Heritage-Based Travel Program

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by Eben Diskin May 22, 2019

There have been some pretty unlikely business collaborations throughout the years, and Airbnb and 23andMe might rank among the strangest. On Tuesday, the homesharing site and DNA-testing company announced a program to help people connect with their ancestry through heritage-based travel. The program is designed to capitalize on the increasing popularity of travelers visiting the homes of their ancestors in an attempt to reconnect with their roots.

According to a statement by 23andMe, “The collaboration, which allows customers to more easily find homes and experiences inspired by their DNA, also offers the ability to delve into locales even with which they have no genetic ties.”

Here’s how it works: When 23andMe customers take a DNA test, the company usually sends them an ancestry report that reveals the origin of their ancestors. With the new collaboration, when people receive the report they will also find Airbnb offerings of activities and places to stay in those given regions.

Users concerned about the privacy of their information can rest easy, as a spokesperson for 23andMe told Gizmodo, “As part of this collaboration, 23andMe will not be providing any customer information, personal or genetic, to Airbnb, and Airbnb will not be providing any personal information about its users to 23andMe.”

H/T: Gizmodo

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