U.S. Department of State Launches Partnership with Airbnb to Support Rural Economic Opportunity Through Binational Tourism Between the United States and Japan

Coinciding with this week’s official visit between President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, the U.S. Department of State and Airbnb announced today a new partnership to support binational tourism with a focus on economic opportunity in rural areas.

Through this partnership, the Department’s flagship professional international exchange – the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) – will bring Japanese tourism and hospitality professionals to the United States beginning later this year to collaborate with their American peers and study best practices in rural tourism. As part of the program, participants will stay in Airbnb listings around the United States in rural areas. By focusing on rural economic growth and cross-cultural connections, this exchange program underscores the valuable role people-to-people diplomacy plays in the expansion of economic opportunity and equity.

The International Visitor Leadership Program is the Department’s premier professional exchange program. Each year, approximately 4,000 current and emerging foreign leaders in a variety of fields visit the United States through the IVLP. More than 200,000 international visitors have engaged with Americans through the IVLP, including over 500 current or former Heads of State or Government worldwide.

For more information, please contact the ECA-Press@state.gov. Follow @ECAatState on social media for updates and highlights of the programs.