Airbnb reports number of guest arrivals up 85%

The number of travellers using Airbnb accommodation in the summer soared by 85% to 1.6 million, according to new data from the home sharing firm. Almost half (48%) of the 1.6 million guests between June and August were domestic travellers. The average stay in the UK was for four days, just shy of the European … Continue reading Airbnb reports number of guest arrivals up 85%

The number of travellers using Airbnb accommodation in the summer soared by 85% to 1.6 million, according to new data from the home sharing firm.

Almost half (48%) of the 1.6 million guests between June and August were domestic travellers.

The average stay in the UK was for four days, just shy of the European average of five.

London was the most popular destination in the UK, hosting more than 500,000 travellers in thousands of Airbnb listings.

Edinburgh was the second most popular destination, beating off competition from popular tourist hot spots Paris, Barcelona and Amsterdam.

Other popular spots in the UK included Cornwall, Brighton and Devon, which each saw more than 10,000 guest arrivals this summer.

The European staycation average – the percentage of each nation who holidayed at home – is 15%. However, more than half of people in France (53%) taking a domestic holiday this summer.

This data emerged as a new Airbnb poll revealed that the majority of international travellers think post-Brexit London is open, friendly and welcoming, as the the capital’s mayor takes his #LondonIsOpen campaign to the US.

As many as 86% of respondents believe London is open and welcoming, with 92% saying it is a great city to visit.

Across Europe as a whole, Airbnb welcomed a total 16 million arrivals this summer, up 70% with 12.5 million being Europeans.

France was the most visited country in Europe this summer with 3.6 million guest arrivals, up 86% on last year. The most popular cities were Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse.

Italy followed with 2.4 million arrivals, a 58% rise, with the majority of guests visiting the popular summer regions of Salento, Trapani and the Sicilian coasts.

Spain saw an 81% increase, welcoming 2.2 million.

Airbnb UK country manager, James McClure, Airbnb UK Country Manager, comments: “It’s great to see Brits giving such a boost to UK tourism with so many choosing to holiday at home this summer, taking in the delights our nation has to offer from Edinburgh to Cornwall, and of course London.

“VisitBritain reported a record breaking first-quarter in domestic holidays this year and this positive momentum seems to be continuing throughout the year.

“Airbnb listings in the UK are up 80% on last year which will really help to support this sharp rise in demand.”

EMEA managing director, Olivier Gremillon, added: “The way that people live, work and travel is changing and our Airbnb community helps respond to these changing needs.

“With over 2.5 million homes on our platform globally and over half of these in Europe, we can offer extraordinary diversity and choice to travellers seeking authentic and local experiences.

“The more that people use the Airbnb platform, the more we can spread the benefits of tourism to communities that need it most.”