With many Americans at home and most conventional travel put on hold, we know cabin fever is at an all-time high. Cue Amazon Explore, a new interactive offering that puts the world at your fingertips, giving U.S. customers access to a wide range of live virtual experiences across the globe—all from the comfort of home.
Amazon Explore allows customers to bring global flavors, sounds, scenes, and culture into their homes with the help of local experts. Select from more than 250 handpicked experiences across 20 geographic locations and seven categories. So far, top trending countries to explore include France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, and the most popular categories have been Culture & Landmarks, Food & Drink, and Nature & Outdoors.
Each session uses real-time communication with local hosts through one-way video and two-way audio to give you a true sensation of "being there" as you visit vibrant destinations and participate in bucket list activities. You can walk down a street of your choosing, getting a panoramic view of your surroundings, and ask questions about anything you see. When a shop catches your eye, your host can enter, browse items, show you an item from all angles, and ask questions directly to the shop owner. You can then purchase the items (even those not available on Amazon.com) and receive them at your home as simply and securely as if you were shopping on Amazon.
A local host from Barcelona Paella Experience, Joshua Weitzer, notes, "I think that the unique part of what I'm offering on Amazon Explore is that I make sure to offer classes that are not simply cooking classes but also a bit of a window into local food culture and history. I like to think that once people take a cooking class with me, they can say that they learned more about Spanish cuisine than just a new recipe."
Amazon Explore experiences start at $10. Current customer favorites include:
- The Toucan Rescue Ranch in Costa Rica and the wildcat preservation at Las Pumas Rescue Center in Costa Rica are led by local guides who bring customers up close and personal with wildlife. These experiences can serve as an exciting, educational virtual vacation for all ages.
- Visit the Old Town of the Czech Republic's capital in Prague, where a local guide will walk you through the city's rich history and culture while providing a firsthand look at the beautiful architecture and monuments through an immersive sightseeing tour.
- Fine-tune your culinary skills and brush up on your history with a virtual empanada cooking demonstration that dives into Argentinian culinary heritage.
- Fulfill your international shopping spree dreams by virtually exploring and shopping Kyoto's traditional Higashiyama neighborhood.
Now through February 14, 2021, Amazon Explore is also offering 30% off select experiences, including a virtual cocktail tour through Argentina and a stroll through a small Slovenian city, Ljubljana, complete with epic love stories inspired by the town.
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