SINGAPORE - Urban gardening, chap chye cooking classes and baduanjin qigong exercises are among the activities that will be on offer to tourists and locals in Geylang Bahru.

Seniors at Touch Seniors Activity Centre will conduct the experiences for $50 a time with proceeds going to Touch Community Services.

The charity has joined forces with home-sharing website Airbnb to offer people the chance to get a deeper view of Singapore.

"Travellers today are looking for more authentic and intimate experiences," said Airbnb head of Trips, South-east Asia and India, Mr Sriram Vaidhya.

"We believe that the experiences put together by the seniors are a true showcase of that."

Seniors were selected based on their ability to speak English, willingness to learn, positive attitude and their hobbies.

With Singapore's elderly population increasing in size, more initiatives are being implemented to support the community.

Assistant manager at the centre, Ms Yong Yin Hoong, said: " We want to empower our elderly people and encourage them to stay active. By having these experiences, they can showcase their skills and knowledge."

Retired food laboratory technician Maria Yee, 61, will be sharing her passion for gardening. She said: "This platform has given me a chance to share what I love, remain active and think creatively."

The experiences were made available to book on Thursday (March 22) via Airbnb's website.