Para athletes hail arrival of latest Airbnb Athlete Travel Grants

Athletes around the world have again welcomed the support offered from Airbnb through the Athlete Travel Grants programme, which opens up for a new round of applications on Athlete365 for athletes hoping to compete at the Paris 2024 or Milano-Cortina 2026 Games.

The programme will provide 1,000 Paralympians, Olympians, and Paralympic and Olympic hopefuls with a USD 2,000 grant to cover their travel and accommodation expenses.

More than 4,500 athletes applied to receive a grant in 2023, with the programme helping athletes financially and logistically as they prepare for the upcoming Paralympic and Olympic Games.

The initiative is a collaborative effort between the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), International Olympic Committee (IOC), and Worldwide Olympic Partner Airbnb. After supporting 500 athletes in 2021 and 2022, the latest round in April 2023 offered 1,000 grants to be used over 12 months across multiple trips, including accommodation for competitions and training camps to support their qualification efforts for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

‘The Airbnb Travel Grant allowed me to develop as an athlete’

Among the athletes to receive a grant was Canadian Para triathlon athlete Leanne Taylor, who was able to use her grant on travel to the United States and connect and collaborate with other elite Para triathlon athletes.

“I really appreciate having received the Airbnb Athlete Travel Grant. I was fortunate enough to be invited to train with the Para triathlon resident team in Colorado Springs. The Airbnb Athlete Travel Grant allowed me to accept this invitation,” said Taylor.

“Spending time in a team environment did wonders for my performance in Para triathlon. I learned more about my equipment, honed my skills swimming in open water and developed the kind of confidence that can only be achieved by chasing a Paralympic champion around a race car track. 

“The Airbnb Travel Grant allowed me to develop as an athlete and foster relationships with other athletes that will result in more collaboration and competition within our sport.” 

With Paris 2024 in mind, we are seeing an uptick in demand for this programme. In 2023, the number of applications grew by over 40 per cent and two million dollars were distributed to 1,000 Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls from 166 countries and 91 sports (Olympic and Paralympic), with equal distribution to male and female athletes. Since the programme began in 2021, four million dollars have been distributed. 

Jitske Visser, chair of the IPC Athletes’ Council, said: “I truly believe the Airbnb Travel Grant is a great opportunity for athletes, especially those who compete in individual sports.  It’s really important to feel really at home in the place where you’re training for the next competition".

"Having your own space to relax is different to staying at a hotel. And the bonus with the travel grant is that after the competition, you can treat yourself to a bit of needed recovery time.  I would urge any Para athlete papering for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games to apply for the Airbnb Travel Grant", she added. 

The new edition, which will award grants worth USD 2,000 to another 1,000 Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, is being launched earlier than initially planned to meet the needs of athletes who are aiming to compete at Paris 2024.

To be eligible for the grant, athletes must be competing under an IPC- or IOC-recognised International Federation within a sport that is part of the official sports programme for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 or Milano-Cortina 2026. Applications are open from 30 November to 20 December 2023. 

Other recipients included:

•    Team USA Paralympic badminton athlete Jayci Simon, who last week won a silver medal in the Women’s Singles SH6 at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games, used her Airbnb Athlete Travel Grant to pay for accommodation at tournaments in Western Australia and Thailand earlier this year.

•    South African Para athlete Daniel du Plessis used part of his grant to cover a stay in used his grant to cover a stay in Pretoria before he flew to Thailand for the World Ability Games. 

•    French Paralympic table tennis player Kevin Dourbecker used his grant on accommodation which allowed him to recover after the European Championships in Manchester, England where he won a bronze medal.

•    Lena Knippelmeyer, a Paralympic bronze medallist for Germany in wheelchair basketball, has got full use from her travel grant. It allowed her to stay one night a week in the Netherlands when she trains at the Dutch National Sports Centre. She also used it to extend a stay in Thailand after the U25 wheelchair basketball world championships. 

Of the 4,538 applicants, 2,637 were Olympians or Paralympians, with the remainder consisting of elite athletes hoping to compete at an Olympic or Paralympic Games for the first time. Athletes from 166 different countries applied for the Athlete Travel Grant in 2023, with applications being made in 42 different languages, showing the global reach of the programme. 

‘Athletes are at the heart of our partnership’

Speaking about the importance of supporting athletes as part of their partnership, Bertrand Burdet, Deputy Director, Airbnb France.

“Supporting athletes lies at the heart of our partnership, and we’re committed to building programmes that offer economic support where needed, through our incredible host community that provides athletes with Stays and Experiences, and by creating economic empowerment opportunities for athletes who are hosts on Airbnb themselves,” he said.” “We look forward to continuing to find ways to support athletes as they pursue their dreams.”

In addition to the Airbnb Athlete Travel Grants, the IOC and IPC's partnership with Airbnb has previously resulted in the Airbnb500 travel grant, which was offered to all athletes who competed at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. 

More than 8,500 athletes received the Airbnb500 grant, providing them with a USD 500 Airbnb travel credit to celebrate their accomplishments and use towards unwinding after the Games or pursuing their next goals. This opportunity will be again available for all Olympians and Paralympians at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.

How to apply

Applications open on November 30 2023 on olympics.com/athlete365/airbnb-athlete-travel-grant  for eligible athletes and will close on December 20, 2023 at 10.00 am PDT/16.00 CET. The Airbnb Athlete Travel Grant can only be used towards stays in association with training, medical, or competition-related travel, and is not intended for non-sports-related personal use. To learn more about how the Airbnb Athlete Travel Grant works and the terms that apply, visit the dedicated page on Athlete365.