Sports and Airbnb: A Winning Combination

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Sports and Airbnb: A Winning Combination

Sporting events have always been a pillar of global travel. Nothing captivates the world like a huge, global sporting event, and for decades they have served as beacons for travelers from around the globe, bringing together people from dozens of different countries for weeklong festivities.

 

It is fitting, then, that sports have been a key driver of Airbnb’s popularity ever since the earliest days of the company. In 2010, when the Airbnb community was just beginning its worldwide growth, soccer fans headed to South Africa and hosts there welcomed just under 500 guests arrivals at homes across the country, earning just over $100,000 from reservations that spanned the big event.1

 

The Airbnb community has come a long way since then: there are now over 6 million Airbnb listings around the globe, and there have been over 500 million guest arrivals at places to stay on Airbnb. Every week, Airbnb hosts are welcoming fans into their homes as they attend sporting events large and small, or Airbnb Experience hosts are joining their guests on unique, one-of-a-kind sporting Experiences. And 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.

 

Today, we’re exploring new data that illustrates the strong, long-running relationship between sports and Airbnb. Over the past decade, Airbnb has helped cities host major sporting events, creating new, flexible accommodations inventory and promoting healthy travel that better enables local communities to benefit from these global showcases. Sporting events have also been a galvanizing force for the growth of home sharing in local communities, introducing a new economic platform with positive ripple effects that last long beyond the final whistle. In fact, 44 percent of Airbnb hosts around the world say they hosted guests traveling for a sporting event, which goes up to 54 percent in the United Kingdom and 55 percent in the United States.2 And Airbnb has been an increasingly popular platform for sporting communities around the world, especially with the development of new sports Experiences.

 

Helping Cities Welcome The Sporting World To Their Doorstep

For cities around the world, hosting a major sporting event can be both a burden and a benefit. They can create a tremendous economic windfall, but groups like the Brookings Institution and World Economic Forum have questioned how much of that windfall actually makes its way into the pockets of local citizens.3, 4 And the massive influx of tourists can place a strain on a city’s infrastructure, especially in places with limited accommodations. Over the past decade, Airbnb has helped to ease the infrastructural burden for cities that host major sporting events, and has enabled local residents to more directly participate in the economic benefits they can often bring. Global sporting events help to illustrate the potential and benefit of the Airbnb platform like few other things can.

 

In 2016, Airbnb was the Official Alternative Accommodations provider for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Our community of hosts in Rio helped make up the gap in the city’s existing accommodations inventory, with over 80,000 guest arrivals occurring at Airbnb listings over the 3 weeks of the event.5 And unlike mass tourism that bottles up the economics of travel and takes money out of communities, Airbnb’s unique form of healthy travel helped local Rio residents see economic benefits from the influx of travelers to their city: hosts in Rio earned over $30 million from reservations spanning the weeks of the event.6

 

In 2018, when the soccer world descended on Russia, Airbnb hosts welcomed nearly 300,000 guest arrivals at listings across the country during the month of the event and earned over $40 million in collective income. Travelers from over 150 countries (and nearly 8,000 different cities) stayed at Airbnb listings during this time, including a disproportionately high percentage of families and big groups traveling together. Ten percent of all guest arrivals were by families, and 17% of all guest arrivals were by groups of five or more.7 All of the top twenty biggest nights in Russia in Airbnb history occurred during this time.8

A review of Airbnb booking data shows that this pattern has played out at major sporting events around the world throughout Airbnb’s history.9

 

Events

Estimated Guest Arrivals at Listings During Span

of Event

Estimated Total Host

Earnings from

Reservations Spanning

Event Dates

World Cups (2014, 2018)

391,000

Over $79 million

Olympics (2012 through

2018)

112,000

Over $37 million

Super Bowls (2015-2019)

49,000

Over $27 million

NCAA Final Fours

28,000

Over $8 million

 

We anticipate this pattern continuing into summer 2019, and as Airbnb grows, so does our community’s participation in hosting major sporting events. Based on current booking data, we estimate the following projections for a variety of global and regional sporting events10:

 

Event

Estimated Projected

Guest Arrivals at Listings in Host Cities During

Span of Event

Estimated Projected

Total Host Earnings

from Reservations

Spanning Event Dates

Copa America (Brazil)

Over 80,000

Over $11 million

Cricket World Cup

(England, not including

London)

Over 150,000

Roughly $5 million

Rugby World Cup (Japan)

300,000

Over $43 million

Wimbledon (London)

Over 185,000

Over $3 million

 

Sports Galvanizing Home Sharing in Local Communities

Sporting events have been a galvanizing force for the growth of home sharing in local communities, bringing new economic opportunities to hosts that last long beyond the events themselves.

 

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.11

 

Event

City

% Growth in Listings in

the Six Months Before

Event

Winter Olympics 2018

Gangwon-do, South Korea

123%

Summer Olympics 2016

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

88%

World Cup 2018

Russia (12 Host Cities)

201%

World Cup 2014

Brazil (12 Host Cities)

221%

Super Bowl 2017

Houston

215%

Super Bowl 2018

Minneapolis

188%

Super Bowl 2019

Atlanta

132%

NCAA Final Four 2016

Houston

72%

NCAA Final Four 2017

Phoenix

30%

NCAA Final Four 2018

San Antonio

27%

 

A Growing Sporting Community

Airbnb has long been popular among athletes and those in the sports community, especially those who are frequently on the road or travel to cities for events that last several weeks at a time, like tennis players.

 

And worldwide, a number of Airbnb destinations are popular among those seeking out athletic activities from ski to sea. We looked at the data to see which cities are the most sports-heavy, both in the US and internationally.

 

Top US sports towns (based on number of reviews that mention sports as percentage of total active listings):

  • Bellingham, WA
  • Burlington, VT
  • Buffalo, NY
  • Asheville, NC
  • Eugene, OR

 

Top International sports towns (based on number of listings that mention sports in description as percentage of total active listings):

  • Calangute, India (popular water sports destination in Goa)
  • Huez, France
  • Xabia (or Javea), Spain
  • Porec, Croatia
  • Protaras, Cyprus

 

Sports are also an increasingly big driver of the popularity of Airbnb Experiences. Providing opportunities for travelers to stay active while meeting new people in a new destination, sports Experiences are among the top five categories of Experiences booked by travelers over the past year.

 

And they’re gaining momentum: sports Experience bookings have grown 380% in the past year.12 Countries in Latin America and Asia are trending as sports Experience destinations:

 

Fastest-growing countries based on year-over-year sports Experience bookings growth for May 2018 vs. May 2019:

  • Puerto Rico
  • Mexico
  • Vietnam
  • Costa Rica
  • Italy

 

From Brazil to England to Japan, the entire Airbnb community looks forward to a summer full of sporting events, and the unique opportunities they bring for the world to join together under the universal language of sports.

 

Read more about: Experiences, Feature, Homes, Sports

 

1. Based on Airbnb internal data from South Africa between Jun 11, 2010 – Jul 11, 2010

2. Based on a survey administered by Airbnb in January 2019 that received over 237,000 responses from hosts and guests around the world about their experience using Airbnb in 2018

3. World Economic Forum, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/06/world-cup-football-smart-investment-russia-host/

4. Brookings Institution, https://www.brookings.edu/book/circus-maximus-the-economic-gamble-behind-hosting-the-olympics-and-th...

5. Based on Airbnb internal data from Rio between Aug 5, 2016 – Aug 21, 2016

6. Based on Airbnb internal data from Rio between Aug 5, 2016 – Aug 21, 2016

7. Based on Airbnb internal data from Russia host cities for the World Cup between June 14 – July 15, 2018

8. Based on Airbnb internal booking data pulled May 2019

9. Table below based on Airbnb internal data from the dates and places of each sporting event

10. Table below based on internal Airbnb data measuring future guest bookings and host earnings for each event

11. Data in table below based on internal Airbnb data from the dates and places of each of the events listed below

12. Based on year-over-year Airbnb booking data comparing May 2018 to May 2019

15 Replies 15
Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Thanks @Airbnb 
No mentiion of little ole New Zealand???

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hey @Helen427,

 

Aww, well I'm very happy to talk about New Zealand instead! 🙂 You've had some great sporting events in NZ. I'm a fan of rugby and the last Lions Tour was fantastic. I imagine that brought in a lot of tourists, many of which I imagine stayed in Airbnbs.  🙂

 

(I'm not sure if you are a rugby fan?? If so, we should start a new topic talking about the World Cup!! Exciting times!) 


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Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Yes @Lizzie we have had many Sporting and other events where Airbnb has played an important role.

 

Yes I do follow Rugby but I'm more of a Rugby League supporter.

Great idea re Rugby World Cup topic.

 

I recall when I hosted English Language students during Korea-Japan World Cup Football/ Soccer and we had been watching it live on Sky and I had a cat who also enjoyed watching TV.

No sooner had we all gone to bed and it was silent she started playing with a hollowed out ball like a soccer ball going ping into the wall from one side of the room to the other, it was hilarious!!

 

Rugby coverage is a bit of a touchy subject re accessibility to viewing it here in New Zealand as there's been all manner of issues with the internet and Livestreaming of it - some blame Spark however I personally think it's tied in with 'connectivity and Microsoft updates that have caused it, don't start us on DNS with Windows 10!!!

Thank goodness for trusty ole radio coverage.

All the best to all teams

 

 

Talia21
Level 2
St Leonards, Australia

St Leonards, Tasmania. BMX Championships. Gets me a week biannually! Dads with kids & bikes. GO Rural Tasmania! I love it. So much more...

Dawnett1
Level 3
Stillwater, OK

Stillwater, Oklahoma is the home of the Oklahoma State Cowboys and my cottage is 15 minutes from campus. I have to block my calendar as soon as the football schedule is released so I can adjust my rates. If I don’t game weekends get booked within hours of the schedule being released. Once I open my calendar back up I get bookings. Months out. 

 

Graduation generally books a year out. 

 

If you host in or near a college town it is a good idea to pay attention to the college’s calendar. 

Kym6
Level 4
Auckland, New Zealand

Nothing for NZ as yet. 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

@Kym6 

Have you had anyone stay for the Women's World Cup Rugby?

 

It's been a fabulous event for us to have back in our community.

 

How has it been in the UK @Huma0 @Stephanie @Jenny @Emilie @Quincy @Catherine-Powell 

It's timely to have an update on the impacts of Sports events and our communities, especially as the Women's and men's Rugby League World Cup has also been taking place on the other side of the world where you are.

 

@Dale711 

Happy to report I finally went to my first Rugby Game at Eden Park last weekend with a delightful French lady who was staying in my home and has travelled to some of the same places I have and where those I know live.

 

It's been an incredible week and there's more fun times looming this weekend!!!

 

Good luck folks to whichever team/s you support.

 

I'm torn between you all because I've meet lovely people from all countries partaking.

 

 

 

 

Kym6
Level 4
Auckland, New Zealand

@Helen427  The answer is No. Our accommodation has been and is booked for the whole of Nov. We had a couple of people from the States stay back in 2017 that were competing in the World Masters Games.

Emilie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

@Helen427 I must admit I'm not very tuned into sports so I can't really comment on the effect here in the UK ... but how wonderful to hear that the Women's World Cup Rugby has been such a positive event for your community!

 

Did you receive any guests coming for the event, or go to one yourself perhaps? 😊

 

Emilie

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Nuwan7
Level 2
Surrey, Canada

Great article.

Vancouver Canada is one of the best places in the world for winter sports. It was the host City of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Now it is the 2019 winter getting closer, its going to be a gorgeous season for skying and snow activities.

Dylan143
Level 2
Pensacola, FL

Great article

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Glad you found this interesting @Dylan143 and @Nuwan7, it's quite amazing when you see the figures. It's great to see the knock on impacts of having events like this on places and that hosts are able to benefit from the increase in visitors. 

 

Have you found this in your areas?


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Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

Elena87
Level 10
СПБ, Russia

Having experienced the FIFA World Cup 2018 in my hometown - there are some operational downsides.

 

Some people, and shysters, thought it was going to be the new Klondike - there was no quality control on new listings, as compared to Booking dotc who didn't allow new listings that weren't preapproved then even suspended to keep integrity. I had first hand stories from guests of some unsuitable new listings and unprepared rookie hosts.

 

Price tips were way too low(for those that use them).

 

Lots of listings set up just for a month in June 2018  still languish on the site, now abandoned. No attempt to clean up these up.

Beth4552
Level 1
Eagle Rock, VA

I'm glad you're a sponsor of the Olympics but concerned to read in the Financial Times that you are not using your sponsorship of the Winter Olympics in China as a chance to build a relationship with China that includes gentle pressure about China's human rights violations.

I was considering AirBnb for my Thanksgiving holiday plans and decided after reading this that I wouldn't. I'll be at a hotel for that period of time. I wanted you to know that it matters to me and surely to others here.

Thank you.