Indian communities with no hotels able to share benefits of tourism, thanks to Airbnb

Friday, July 14, 2023

Airbnb hosts and guests have emerged as important drivers of economic activity in areas of India that are underserved by traditional lodging, reports Travel Daily News. According to a new research, there were over 19,000 visitor arrivals in areas within India with Airbnbs but no hotels in 2022. This has resulted in about INR 40 million in host profits.

The data, based on the first-ever study of Airbnb and OpenStreetMapdata, reveals the value Airbnb listings offer to neglected regions, allowing guests to explore new locations by taking the route less frequented.

The epidemic produced unprecedented disruption to worldwide tourism, resulting in a 70 percent drop in foreign visitor numbers.

Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager for Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, was quoted by Travel Daily News as saying, “This study demonstrates that without home-sharing, these economic opportunities for small communities and their businesses might be lost entirely. Guests have the ability to travel to many more places by using Airbnb, as compared to hotels that traditionally are located in higher-traffic areas.”

In 2022, guests stayed in over 100,000 different cities and towns worldwide, and the top ten most-visited places on Airbnb accounted for almost 7% of all visits, up from 10% in 2019.

When compared to five years ago, the number of towns where tourists stayed rose by more than 25% in 2022, expanding tourism to new and distinct destinations.

Since March 2020, more than 13,000 towns across the world have had their first Airbnb booking. Since March 2020, approximately 100 cities and towns in India have received their first Airbnb booking.

Domestic tourism has shown to be durable in times of crisis, as well as a source of more immediate and beneficial economic influence on local economies. A weekend vacation to a nearby area is not only easier to organise, but also far less expensive. Airbnb has shown to be an alternative that may aid in the development of this form of tourism by giving a more cheap choice for lodging and extending accommodation services in more and new areas.

Domestic night bookings in India doubled in 2022 compared to 2019.

Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager, Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan says, “Distributed travel offers sustainable and affordable alternatives that create a positive impact on the local economies and communities. Unlike traditional travel that concentrates tourism in specific areas, causing overcrowding, congestion and tensions, Airbnb is helping disperse guests, tourism income, and benefits to new and trending destinations, even those without hotels. We recognize the challenges posed by mass tourism trends and are committed to investing in solutions that not only help alleviate these challenges but also allow guests to explore new communities and create additional income opportunities for the locals.”

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