Estimated direct economic impact of Airbnb in Ireland in 2018 valued at over €700 million

Airbnb host income and guest spending were estimated to be worth over €700 million (€704,277,585) to the Irish economy in 2018 and globally exceeded €86 billion across 30 countries, according to data released by the company today.

Almost 1.8 million visitors to Ireland last year used Airbnb for some, or all, of their visit to the country. Travellers who stayed with Airbnb spent an estimated €537 million in Ireland during their trip or €116 on average per day.

Hosts in Ireland also saw a boost to their income, collectively earning €168 million (€167,466,473) by sharing their space on Airbnb in 2018.

The data reveals the most popular destinations for visitors outside the main urban centres in Ireland. Based on visitor numbers in 2018, the top five destinations in Ireland for Airbnb guests are:

– Killarney
– Dingle
– Westport
– Tralee
– Kilkenny

Speaking about the release of the data, Jean Hoey, Public Policy Lead for Ireland, said, “Airbnb has transformed the way people travel, helping visitors to stay and explore in Ireland beyond the traditional destinations and hotspots. Our community of hosts and guests is helping to spread the benefits of domestic and overseas tourism and putting money in the pockets of local families, businesses and communities. With new regulations coming into effect on Monday, we are continuing to work with our host community to help them understand and comply with the new rules.”

This growth is accompanied by insights from the Airbnb community, which found:

– The majority of overseas visitors to Ireland arrived from the USA, followed by Great Britain, France and Germany
– Domestic travel made up almost 20% of all Airbnb guest arrivals across Ireland
79% of guests who stayed with Airbnb in Ireland say they use the platform to live like a local
– Around the world, 50% of travellers who saved money staying with Airbnb spent it in the neighbourhood they call home during their trip
– Those who say Airbnb impacted the length of their stay on average added 4.3 days to their trip.
– Guests are also benefiting from hosts’ knowledge of the local area, with 84% of hosts saying they recommend restaurants and cafes to guests and 69% offering their knowledge on cultural activities such as museums, festivals and historical sites.