Airbnb reports a big Bend boost in 2016
Airbnb, which bills itself as “the world’s leading community-driven hospitality company,” announced Thursday that its host community in Bend earned a combined $7 million in supplemental income while welcoming nearly 52,000 travelers in 2016. The company said Bend has become the second-most popular city for home sharing in Oregon, behind Portland.
The 52,000 inbound guest arrivals represent an 81 percent growth over the year before, the company said The big increase in guest arrivals comes as the city of Bend and Airbnb reached an agreement allowing the platform to voluntarily collect and remit lodging taxes on behalf of all hosts and guests.
Airbnb said its guests “want to live like a local, and when they travel to Bend, they’re looking for a travel experience that’s unique to the area, like its famous craft beer scene and hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor recreation.”
“Airbnb guests typically stay longer and spend more money at local businesses, so this can generate significant revenue for the local community,” the company said.
This comes as Oregonians are increasingly embracing home sharing, which allows people to turn one of their greatest expenses – their home – into a tool to make ends meet. The typical host in Bend earns $9,700 per year sharing his or her home for 46 nights a year. Hosts keep 97 percent of what they charge for their listing.
Founded in 2008, Airbnb said its mission is to create a world where people can belong when they travel by being connected to local cultures and having unique travel experiences. Today, Airbnb is the world’s leading community-driven hospitality company, with over 3 million listings in 50,000 cities and more than 191 countries across the globe.
