An Airbnb sport impact report has revealed that major events continue to be a key driver for reservation numbers and host earnings.
Since launching in 2008 the hospitality service giant has grown to more than six million listings worldwide and there have been more than 500 million guest arrivals.
The contribution of sport and major events have been crucial for the company’s growth. According to data published in the study – Sports and Airbnb: A Winning Combination – 44% of hosts welcomed guests who were travelling for a sporting event. In the United Kingdom the figure rises to 54% while in the United States it increases to 55%.
In 2016 80,000 guest arrivals for the Rio Olympic Games booked with an Airbnb host. While in 2018 for the Fifa World Cup finals hosts in Russia welcomed nearly 300,000 guest arrivals and earned more than $40m in collective income.
The company said in its report: “Sporting events have been crucial to helping Airbnb work toward its mission of creating a world where anyone can belong anywhere: few other forces are better at bringing communities together and cutting across the barriers of language and culture. Sports are a universal language.”
RWC the highlight of 2019
Airbnb predicts that 2019 will also be a huge year because of four major sporting events taking place:
- Copa America (Brazil)
- Cricket World Cup (England and Wales)
- Rugby World Cup (Japan)
- Wimbledon (London)
According to the study the Rugby World Cup, which takes place from September to November, promises to be a lucrative tournament for Airbnb hosts in Japan.
It’s estimated that more than 300,000 guest arrivals will book at listings in host cities during the Rugby World Cup. More than $43m will be generated in total host earnings.
The company said: “Throughout Airbnb’s history, sporting events have played a huge role in introducing home sharing to communities that may not have encountered it before.
“When cities are hosting major sports events, they often receive an influx of guest demand for accommodations.
“Airbnb’s flexible platform means that a city doesn’t need to undergo the infrastructural burden of building new accommodations to meet this demand.
“Instead, we consistently see a wave of new hosts that join Airbnb and add their listings to the community.”
Main image: airbnb.com