Airbnb is giving four lucky winners the honor of being among “the first people in thousands of years to spend the night on the Great Wall of China.” The competition, open until August 11th, offers the prize of staying in a custom-designed home situated on one of the seven wonders of the modern world.
The competition, run in collaboration with the Beijing Tourism Development Committee, is intended to “promote sustainable tourism to China by spotlighting wide-ranging efforts to preserve the Wall’s deep heritage and bring Chinese culture to life.” The four winners will have to adhere to strict House Rules, such as respecting their 1.38 billion neighbors, refraining from waking ancient guards with loud music, and promising not to disturb dragons.
Built over 2,600 years ago, and spanning 21,000 kilometers, the landmark originally designed to separate cultures is instead a melting pot of tourism, attracting millions of guests from around the world. However, of the countless visits paid to the architectural feat throughout the decades and centuries, nobody has ever had the chance to call the Great Wall home for the night – until now.
Having been flown in from anywhere in the world, four guests will be treated to an overnight experience with 360-degree views, and a vantage point to watch the sunset over an intimate gourmet dinner inspired by various aspects of Chinese culture. The following morning, guests will embark on a sunrise hike through the Chinese countryside, as well as learning Chinese seal-engraving and calligraphy.
It’s been an honor to work with historians and preservationist groups in Beijing to bring this once-in-a-lifetime experience to the world. We are so proud to partner in this truly collective effort to highlight such an incredible landmark that now serves to unify people rather than divide them.
-Nathan Blecharczyk, Co-Founder and Chairman, Airbnb China
During the stay, guests must adhere to the following House Rules:
- Respect the neighbors, all 1.38 billion of them.
- No loud music that might disturb the ancient wall guards.
- Do not attempt to scale, skip, jump over, crawl under, or run the length of the wall.
- If you see any dragons, do not disturb them, but be sure to report it. On social media.
For a chance at winning, entrants must tell Airbnb via their listings page why they feel it is important to break down barriers between cultures and to build new connections. The four best entries will then be treated to the experience from September 4-7, 2018.
Entries will be accepted up until 23:59 (GMT+8) on August 11th, 2018. More information is available via the campaign link here.
News via: Airbnb
Update - August 9th 2018
Airbnb has announced that they have canceled the competition to stay overnight on the Great Wall of China, citing feedback they have received following the competition's unveiling. In a statement, they say "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."
