Airbnb Cancels Contest for Overnight Stay at the Great Wall

Last week, Airbnb launched what was possibly its most enticing giveaway yet: a stay atop the Great Wall of China. Now, six days later, it's announced that the contest is off.

The vacation rental company had partnered with the Beijing Tourism Development Committee to send four winners and their guests to spend a night atop the Great Wall, hoping to promote sustainable tourism to China. This would have made the winners the first people in thousands of years to spend a night atop the 13,000-mile-long wonder of the world. However, it immediately received criticism on social media, raising concerns that the contest could cause damage to the wall and that using a historical monument for overnight stays might not even be legal.

"We deeply respect the feedback we have received," Airbnb said in a statement. "We have made the decision to not move forward with this event."

The company says that it remains committed to its goal of promoting sustainable tourism in China and "will be working closely with our hosts and guests in China as well as community leaders to highlight the culture and history that make China one of the most dynamic destinations in the world."

Featured image courtesy of Airbnb.