We expected about around 60 guests. We got even more! So many business owners and Airbnb hosts that they could barely fit into this amazing place that is bed-vyne brew.

Last night, Explore Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Airbnb organized the first AirbnBrooklyn meetup. The purpose of this event was to “connect local small business owners with Bed-Stuy Airbnb hosts in order to continue and expand the great work of keeping travelers exploring and supporting the community.”

During the event, we gave business owners a “AirbnBrooklyn toolkit” with all they need to understand tourism in Brooklyn and start making profit out of it! Bed-Stuy Airbnb hosts, wearing red name tags, and Bed-Stuy businesses owners, wearing blue ones, had opportunities to mingle and to exchange ideas about business and tourism in their neighborhood.

They ended up the night talking, laughing, eating and drinking. When I left, the majority of them were still there, hanging out. It seemed they were having a lot of fun! It was the first meetup of this kind ever organized. Yet, I am confident it is not going to be the last one.

Special thanks to the Bed-Stuy Gateway BID, Bridge Street Development Corporation, Bed-Vyne Brew for supporting this event. Thanks Antonina Agrusa and Andrew Hoan Steininger from the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Roberto Celestin, Caroline Baca and Molly Turner from Airbnb for supporting my work.