Fresh data highlights Airbnb's positive contributions to Ontario's sharing economy

TORONTO, Sept. 7, 2016 /CNW/ - A new report released by Airbnb shows hosts in Ontario and Toronto are earning modest, supplemental income from using the platform. The vast majority of hosts are sharing their primary residence, with the typical host earning $3,900 annually.

The new Ontario data report highlights how everyday people across the province are embracing home sharing.

Some of the highlights of the report include:

• Airbnb is growing in Ontario. There are more than 15,000 Airbnb hosts in the province, with 8,600 in Toronto. Over 7,600 bookings were made in Toronto in the first half of 2016.
  
  
• Airbnb hosts in Ontario are everyday people. More than half of our hosts in Ontario are women. 45 percent of our hosts are over the age of 40.
  
  
• The vast majority of hosts in Ontario are sharing their primary residence. 88 percent of hosts have one entire home listing.
  
  
• Most Ontario hosts are sharing their homes for a few nights each month to help make ends meet. Three-quarters of entire home listings are shared for 90 days or less of the year.
  
  
• Ontario hosts earn modest, supplemental income from hosting. The typical host earns $3,900 annually from their listing.
  
  
• Airbnb travellers benefit Toronto communities outside the major tourist hubs. After Downtown Toronto hosts, the highest-earning hosts can be found in the east end of Toronto with the typical host earning $4,800 annually.
  
  
• Guests to Ontario who use Airbnb stay longer. The average length of stay for an Airbnb guest is 5.4 nights compared to 4.5 nights for the typical overnight guest to Ontario.
  
  
• Airbnb guests to Toronto want to "live like a local". For example, Midtown Toronto and East Toronto boast the highest average trip lengths out of all Toronto districts, at 7.1 nights and 6.7 nights respectively.
  
  
• More Ontarians are choosing to stay closer to home when they travel. More than half of travellers staying with Airbnb hosts in Ontario were Canadian. 71 percent of these domestic visitors were from within the province.
  
  
• Airbnb gives Ontario travellers an affordable way to see the province and visit loved ones. About 80 percent of Toronto guests cited their reason for travel as vacation, leisure or visiting family and friends.

"Everyday Ontarians are embracing Airbnb," says Airbnb Canada Public Policy Manager Alex Dagg. "This report reinforces the fact that Airbnb is an economic opportunity for families and individuals who share their homes, allowing them to earn a little bit of extra money to pay the bills. For guests, it offers an affordable way to see the province and visit loved ones."

The data report found that most travellers to Ontario and Toronto who use Airbnb enjoy longer stays and stay in areas outside of Toronto's major tourist hubs. The vast majority of Airbnb's Ontario hosts are sharing their primary residences and are doing so part-time, usually 90 days or less of the year. Additionally, the report found that Airbnb is an important economic and social contributor to communities in Toronto.

Airbnb is engaged in productive conversations with provincial officials in Ontario about the sharing economy, the positive impact that home sharing has on local communities across Ontario, and the need to develop fair, easy-to-follow rules that support home sharing.

The report is the first to examine Airbnb's growth in Ontario, and comes after similar studies released in Vancouver, Copenhagen, and Airbnb's hometown of San Francisco as part of the launch of the Airbnb Community Compact.

About Airbnb
Founded in August of 2008 and based in San Francisco, California, Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world – online or from a mobile phone.  Whether an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 192 countries.  And with world-class customer service and a growing community of users, Airbnb is the easiest way for people to monetize their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.

SOURCE Airbnb

Image with caption: "Airbnb (CNW Group/Airbnb)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160907_C7581_PHOTO_EN_766329.jpg

Image with caption: "Courtesy of Airbnb (CNW Group/Airbnb)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160907_C7581_PHOTO_EN_766350.jpg

Darryl Konynenbelt, [email protected], 647-203-4340