Unseen Tours' virtual 'Not-in-a-Pub' quizzes: Niche tourism for social inclusion and empowerment in times of COVID-19

The COVID pandemic has particularly affected those in marginalised positions of society, especially for those who previously depended on tourism as their only livelihood. As a response to the crisis, Unseen Tours – a social enterprise supporting (formerly) homeless and vulnerably housed Londoners by training and employing them as tour guides – created virtual 'not-in-a-pub-quizzes' to support their guides with an alternative livelihood. This chapter analyses Unseen Tours as a tourism niche through a social justice lens. Drawing on participant observations during the quizzes, conversations with guides and insights from Unseen Tours staff, this chapter shows that the quizzes created opportunities for an alternative income in times of crisis whilst empowering the guides to utilise their knowledge of London using the virtual as a stage. In addition, the chapter highlights how the quizzes had the power to stimulate a sense of shared solidarity with marginalised people, going beyond individualistic responsibility to mobilize collective abilities for social change in the future.