Be my guest: Airbnb visualises live user activity around the world

The map makes use of live data, generated by Airbnb guests and hosts, to create an effective but whimsical experience. Guests are plotted on the map with beating white dots, giving the homes they are staying in a lifeblood and pulse. Live check-ins are visualised with colourful characters, dancing and waving at the viewer.

The map is part of the #OneLessStranger movement, which is designed to inspire kindness and make the world a friendlier place. It is also annotated with milestones that show how fast Airbnb has grown in the recent past. While 2,000 guests and hosts used Airbnb on New Year’s Eve in 2009, an astonishing 550,000 guests stayed in places booked through Airbnb on New Year’s Eve 2014.

For more on how to use people’s data to create immersive and playful experiences, read our Big Friendly Data microtrend.