Rural Airbnb Hosts in the US Earned $316 Million in 2018. Airbnb image.
Vermont Business Magazine In the first five months of 2019, rural travel continues to rise with over 1 million guest arrivals to those states, earning hosts more than $129 million, according to a new Airbnb report. In Vermont alone, the first half of 2019 has brought in about 175,000 guest arrivals, according to Airbnb, with local hosts earning a total of $25 million, the most of any rural state this year. Also according to Airbnb, 59 percent of hosts report that hosting has helped them to stay in their home.
In 2008, Airbnb was founded in the midst of the Great Recession as a way for people to turn what is their greatest expense – their home – into a means to cover basic household expenses, pay the rent or mortgage, avoid eviction and foreclosure, or to save for retirement. Airbnb hosts have also been able to use supplemental income earned to support their travel or entrepreneurship.
In the 10 years since Airbnb began in a San Francisco apartment, we have grown into a global community with hosts across more than 6 million listings in 191 countries and 100,000 cities, helping visitors reach urban and rural destinations alike. According to new survey findings and an analysis of internal data released this week, Airbnb’s host and guest community generated over $100 billion in estimated direct economic impact across 30 countries in 2018 alone*.
The U.S. Census Bureau defines rural as what exists outside of urban clusters with upwards of 2,500 residents or urban areas with 50,000 or more. In the 2011-2015 five year Census estimate, 13 states were identified having more than a 35 percent rural population**.
In 2018, the number of guests traveling to those rural states increased by more than 60 percent year-over-year, helping hosts earn over $316 million. And with over 57,000 listings in those rural states, Airbnb helps accommodate guests where traditional lodging accommodations are few and far between.
And in the first five months of 2019, rural travel continues to rise with over 1 million guest arrivals to those states, earning hosts more than $129 million. Below outlines rural travel and host earnings for the 18 states in the U.S. with more than 30 percent rural population***:
Just six years ago, only nine city regions had at least 100,000 Airbnb guest arrivals. Last year, there were over 350 city regions with at least 100,000 guest arrivals, traveling to places outside of your traditional city centers. In fact, only 3 percent of all active listings are in New York City, London and Paris where five years ago it was over 10 percent, an indication that people are diversifying where they’re traveling.
Airbnb’s mission is to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere, and as more travelers look outside urban centers, there’s something for every guest. As of May 15, 2019 there are over 18,000 tiny houses listed on Airbnb, over 4,700 castles and over 2,400 tree houses globally.
Airbnb Estimated Direct Economic Impact Exceeds $100 Billion in One Year
Airbnb’s mission is to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere. To advance our mission, we are focused on reimagining travel by building an end-to-end travel platform that combines where you stay, what you do, and how you get there, all in one place. As our community continues to grow, we are generating substantial economic benefits for hosts and communities. According to new survey findings and an analysis of internal data released today, Airbnb’s host and guest community generated over $100 billion in estimated direct economic impact across 30 countries in 2018 alone*.
Unlike other business models that siphon the money they generate out of communities, Airbnb activity directly benefits the communities our hosts call home. Since Airbnb was founded, hosts have earned over $65 billion that many use to pay the bills and pursue their passions. Small businesses – many of which are located outside of the traditional tourist districts – also benefit from Airbnb guests, many of whom spend the money they save on accommodations at local establishments.
This growth has come as Airbnb helps spread the benefits of tourism to some of the least visited destinations in the world, as well. Between 2016 and 2018, guest arrivals of travelers on the Airbnb platform increased substantially in places like Moldova (190%), Vanuatu (187%) and New Caledonia (175%).
According to an Airbnb survey of more than 228,000 responses from our host and guest community around the world:
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84 percent of Airbnb hosts say they recommend restaurants and cafes to guests.
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69 percent of Airbnb hosts say they recommend cultural activities such as museums, festivals, and historical sites to guests.
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51 percent of Airbnb hosts say hosting has helped them afford their homes.
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On average, Airbnb guests say 42 percent of their spending occurs in the neighborhood where they stay.
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50 percent of guests say they spent the money they saved by staying on Airbnb in the cities and neighborhoods they visited.
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70 percent of guests say wanting to explore a specific neighborhood matters in their decision to use Airbnb.
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86 percent of guests say the location being more convenient than hotels matters in their decision to use Airbnb.
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Guests who say Airbnb impacted the length of their stay on average added 4.3 days to their trip.
Airbnb Direct Economic Impact in 2018 (30 countries )
Based on Host Income and Estimated Guest Spending- in USD during trip
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USA: 33.8 billion
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France: 10.8 billion
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Spain: 6.9 billion
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Italy: 6.4 billion
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UK: 5.6 billion
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Australia: 4.4 billion
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Canada 4.3 billion
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Japan: 3.5 billion
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Mexico: 2.7 billion
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Portugal: 2.3 billion
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Germany: 2.3 billion
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China: 2.3 billion
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Brazil 2.1 billion
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Greece: 1.4 billion
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Netherlands: 1.3 billion
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Korea: 1.2 billion
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Thailand: 1.1 billion
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New Zealand: 912 million
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Croatia: 910 million
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Ireland: 832 million
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Malaysia: 734 million
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South Africa: 685 million
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Argentina: 664 million
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Denmark: 654 million
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Switzerland: 651 million
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Austria: 625 million
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Indonesia: 593 million
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Philippines: 586 million
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Colombia: 560 million
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Czech Republic: 555 million
As Airbnb grows, we look forward to continuing to share data on our direct economic impact in communities around the world.
* 2018 estimated direct economic impact is the sum of Homes host earnings and estimated guest spending. Host earnings is based on internal Airbnb data. Estimated guest spending is based on nearly 12,000 responses to a voluntary survey sent to a sample of Airbnb guest accounts that had taken a trip to those countries in 2018. No payment or other incentive was provided in exchange for completing the survey.
** American Community Survey: 2015.
*** All figures rounded to the nearest percent, million, or thousand.
Source: Airbnb · July 2, 2019