Airbnb has an estimated direct economic impact in Edinburgh of £320m

New data from Airbnb reveals that guests and hosts on the platform generated over £320m for the Edinburgh economy in 2018 alone. 

Guest spending in Scottish neighbourhoods and communities accounted for more than three quarters (£244 million) of the total figure generated for the city. Guests spent on average £101 per day on activities like cultural experiences, sightseeing, shopping, travel and food and drink.

Edinburgh hosts who shared their space on Airbnb also enjoyed a boost to their income, collectively earning over £78 million in the past year.

This announcement comes as Airbnb reveals that host income and guest spending led to over £4.2 billion (USD5.6 billion) in estimated direct economic impact for the UK, and exceeded USD100 billion globally in the last year.

Hadi Moussa, Airbnb, Country Manager UK and Northern Europe, said: “Airbnb has transformed the way people travel, helping visitors to explore beyond the traditional destinations and hotspots.

“Tourism plays an important role in the Edinburgh economy, and the Airbnb community of hosts and guests are helping to spread the benefits of this tourism, enabling travellers to live like locals and putting money in the pockets of local families, businesses and communities.”

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

• Domestic travel made up 46% of all Airbnb guest arrivals in Scotland, followed by the USA, France and Germany
• 77% of guests who stayed with Airbnb in Scotland said 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.

Based on estimated guest arrival numbers in 2018, the top ten destinations in the UK for Airbnb guests are:

1. London
2. Edinburgh
3. Glasgow
4. Bristol
5. Manchester
6. Brighton
7. Liverpool
8. Belfast
9. Bath
10. Cardiff

Importantly, Airbnb listings are not concentrated in any one market, and no one city accounts for more than 1 percent of listings worldwide. Airbnb continues to lead the way on working to ensure home sharing grows responsibly and sustainably in the communities its hosts call home.