Today, I have news. Exciting, bursting-with-pride, shit-my-pants-with-nerves kinda news.

As of June, I will be sharing the love for my home city of Manchester, into a more structured walkabout tour, as an Airbnb Experiences Host.

Ahhhhhhh! And I’d LOVE for you to join me by booking here.

Image Courtesy of Alex Ward Photography

As many of you will know, Airbnb have made a name for themselves by specialising in unique, quirky, and off-the-beaten-track accommodation. Now, having observed pretty astutely how much travel has evolved, they’re offering the same principal, but through the “Things To Do” market.

Tours. Walks. Dining. Music. Art. Whatever it is you want to see from a city, it’s often made 100% better if you experience it with a local; someone with genuine passion and/or knowledge for their specialist area.

It’s a great fit for me. Whilst I’ve mostly documented my home-life on this here blog, outside of that I’m travelling when I can to find new and exciting places. Places to photograph and put into frames around the house. I breathe in the culture of my city every day and try to make it out to as diverse events as I can.

Having a long established love of colour, and hosting my first Colour Walk back in September 2017 (thanks to the encouragement of the In Colourful Company crowd), I have felt less afraid of sharing this passion of mine.

Image courtesy of Bethany Rose Photos and taken at my Manchester Colour Walk

Wandering down dingy streets to find new hidden art. Connecting more with people in my community for a ‘catch up’ brew, even if we’ve never physically met.

The way we travel has changed and upon my latest foray abroad, myself and my bestie (my travel buddy on this particular trip) discovered that most of our cherry picked destinations, we found on Instagram – because it’s the highlight reel of locals and tourists alike for location scouting.

In the same way that Airbnb shook up accommodation by offering something a little different, and a fabulous alternative to those who aren’t one for faceless chains, Experiences hopes to offer the same.

Sure, we can all go and queue up at TripAdvisor’s top attraction spots for the same pictures (I’m looking at you lot who’ve tried to push over the tower of Pisa. You know who you are). It’s about offering something different. Really absorbing a city’s vibe and heart. Not just through scenery, although that is important, but through the people that make it worth visiting.

So that’s what I want to do too and I hope I fit that bill.

I’ll be hosting an Instagram-worthy Colour Walk around the city starting in June.

I’m thrilled to have been asked by Sian at Make It Moregeous to become involved in the Manchester launch this Spring. Sian will also be hosting, with her “Interiors Restoration with a TV Presenter” experience.

We’ve also got “Make a Manchester Bee Mosaic“, “Manchester’s Craft Beer Crawl” and an “Independent Bike Tour of Manchester” – with loads more yet to be announced. We have a diverse bunch up here so whether you’re a local who just wants to do something a little different on your day off, or if you’re new to Manchester and want to try tourism in a new way, it’s an exciting time for Manchester.

Will you be joining me?