Airbnb now in 13 000 SA homes

Airbnb has announced that it has grown its home listings in South Africa to more than 13 000, a 38% increase since the end of July of this year.

Airbnb, the world’s leading community driven hospitality company, has announced that it has grown home listings in South Africa to more than 13,000, an increase of 163% over a year ago and a 38% rise since its last market update at the end of July 2015. South Africa remains Airbnb’s largest market in Africa, with strong performance from Cape Town in particular.

“South African tourism is enjoying impressive momentum, with visitors from around the world coming to enjoy its beauty and its diverse attractions,” said Nicola D’Elia, General Manager for Middle East & Africa (MEA). “Our vibrant community continues to expand, with international visitors reporting that the quality of the homes and hospitality in South Africa is outstanding. We look forward to growing our presence in this amazing market in the months to come.”

Some notable statistics reflecting Airbnb’s growth in the country over the last 12 months include:

·         Cape Town now has nearly 7,500 homes listed on Airbnb and is catching up fast with cities like Sydney (12,950), Tokyo (9,345) and Madrid (8,493)

·         South Africa is an increasingly popular travel destination with the number of people traveling to the country and booking on Airbnb increasing by 259% over the past year.

·         More South Africans are using the service too with a 183% increase in the number of South Africans booking through Airbnb in the past year.

In support of its growing South African community, Airbnb has announced that South African hosts now benefit from its Host Guarantee program. The Host Guarantee reimburses hosts at eligible homes for up to R14m in damages in the rare event of guest damages which are not resolved directly with the guest.

“It’s the latest example of Airbnb’s commitment to helping create a safe and trusted community around the world. The peace of mind of our hosts is priceless. Every eligible booking on Airbnb is protected by our Host Guarantee at no additional cost to the Host,” said D’Elia.

Airbnb is an online marketplace that allows travellers to connect with people who have spare space in their homes. For travellers, the chance to book and stay in someone’s home offers the chance to experience a destination like a local. For homeowners, Airbnb offers the potential to meet and host people from all around the world, as well as making some valuable extra money to help make ends meet.