Ireland Insights Report

34 Pages·2014·4.1 MB·English

Contents
Foreword / 2
Executive Summary: Ireland / 3
Overview of the Airbnb Community in Ireland / 4
Host Profile / 6
Host Stories / 7
Guest Profile / 8
Guest Origin / 9
Guest Stories / 10
Airbnb and Tourism / 11
Tourism and the Local Economy / 13
Regional Case Study: Dublin County / 14
Regional Case Study: Dublin City / 16
Regional Case Study: Mid-East / 18
Regional Case Study: Mid-West / 20
Regional Case Study: Midlands / 22
Regional Case Study: North West / 24
Regional Case Study: South East / 26
Regional Case Study: South West / 28
Regional Case Study: West / 30
2
Foreword: Aisling Hassell
Opening Ireland up to the world
Miles of dramatic coastline, rural villages surrounded by At the core of Airbnb is the guest and host experience.
fields and cities buzzing with activity: Ireland’s incredible Today guests are craving authentic experiences and a
scenery and culture-packed towns and villages have trip that is packed with meaningful connections. They
been celebrated by tourists for decades. want the familiarity and comfort of a home, while also
embracing the chance to stay in accommodation that’s
But in the age of the sharing economy, the way we travel more affordable. This flexibility then helps them travel
and live is changing. Home sharing is now recognised as more and stay for longer.
a more authentic way to travel, which delivers huge value
to local economies and is in turn moving Ireland’s tourism These authentic experiences are provided by hosts. They
industry in new and exciting directions. are local champions who give insider tips, and access
to genuine culture. They allow guests to explore new
While Airbnb is a worldwide platform – with listings ground in local neighbourhoods, even in a region they
in 191 countries – the Ireland Insights Report shows might feel familiar with already.
how popular the country is. Between November 2016
and November 2017 approximately 1.2 million people This, in turn, is giving a substantial boost to the local
travelled in Ireland using Airbnb, with guests choosing community. Guests and hosts on Airbnb contributed
between 22,800 active listings on the platform. Options €506 million to Ireland’s economy, with significant
ranged from entire lighthouses on the coast to family spending in the bars, restaurants and shops in the host’s
friendly barns, along with spare rooms in cool centrally neighbourhood.
located city pads and history-laced townhouses in
suburbs. Travelling on Airbnb is a rewarding, enlightening and
culture-rich experience – and there’s plenty more of
The platform has spread tourism footfall out of city Ireland to discover. This report will illustrate the positive
centres and has provided accommodation options in role Airbnb is playing to help open new tourist corridors
previously undiscovered parts of the country. While to the Ancient East and beyond.
Dublin City will always be a popular destination for
visitors, Airbnb has put new towns and villages on the
map. Domestic travel has also seen a surge in popularity; Aisling Hassell
in fact almost double the number of residents in Ireland Ireland Site Lead and Global Head of Customer Experience
are travelling on Airbnb within the country compared to
a year ago.
2
Executive summary: Ireland
As the sharing economy gains momentum, the way €115 million, with a significant number of female and
we travel and live is changing. Visitors to Ireland senior hosts recognising the economic rewards of
are increasingly looking for flexible options, quirky sharing their home. Hosts are regional ambassadors
bedrooms and authentic, yet affordable experiences. with local recommendations that benefit the shops,
This in turn is having a valuable economic impact on restaurants and sites in their neighbourhood. What’s
tourism in Ireland. more, their homes open up lesser-known parts of Ireland
for guests to explore, and drive tourism footfall into
In the year-long period between November 2016 and new regions. By opting for flexible and authentic home-
November 2017 there were 1.2 million guests travelling in sharing experiences, hosts and guests using Airbnb have
Ireland via Airbnb. This helped local households earn contributed €506 million to Ireland’s economy.
Economic Impact
€115M 1.2M €506M
Income earned by local Inbound guests Economic activity generated
households in the past year by hosts and guests
3
Overview of the Airbnb community in Ireland
Hosts on Airbnb in Ireland have been welcoming communities: the average annual earning for a typical
guests into their homes since 2010. The following host on Airbnb in Ireland is €3,500, with listings being
page captures the activity of the Airbnb booked for approximately 37 nights of the year.
community in Ireland between 1 November 2016
and 1 November 2017. Additionally, the number of Irish residents travelling on
Airbnb has also increased. The platform was used by
Activity on Airbnb is spread across the villages, towns 676,000 guests over the last year, and the staycation
and cities of Ireland, with 22,800 active listings across has become increasingly popular. The number of Irish
the country, and welcoming approximately 1.2 million guests using the platform to travel within the country
guests between 1 November 2016 and 1 November 2017. has almost doubled since last year (an increase of 98
These visitors are looking for new and authentic ways to percent), with 17% of guests now using the platform to
travel, and the platform is helping guests explore lesser- travel domestically.
known parts of the country. This, in turn, is providing
significant economic boost to locals and their
Hosts
22,800 €3,500 37
Active listings Annual earnings Nights hosted per year
for a typical host for a typical listing
Guests
1.2M 2.7 676,000
Total inbound guests Average length Outbound guests
of stay per guest in the past year
4
Overview of the Airbnb community in Ireland
Listings on Airbnb visited in the previous year
Booked listings between November
1, 2013 and November 1, 2014
Booked listings between November
1, 2016 and November 1, 2017
This snapshot of Airbnb listings in Ireland highlights the extent to which the
platform is used across the country. The variety of accommodation and
flexible approach has helped diversify travel, providing access to previously
lesser-known and lesser-visited towns and villages. Dublin, Cork and Galway
(and their surrounding neighbourhoods) are popular, while smaller towns
(such as Killarney), and villages along the coast are now more accessible
options to visitors.
Currently active listings by type
Shared room
Private room 1%
48% Entire home
51%
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Airbnb host profile
The way we travel continues to evolve, and over the last
decade the sharing economy has gained momentum. This
has opened up opportunities for many people, including
hosts on Airbnb who are generating additional income
while sharing local knowledge.
As well as offering a variety of accommodation, the
platform offers a variety of hosts, ranging from students
to retirees and from couples to families. Approximately
70 percent of these hosts are renting their primary home
– either as an entire property (when away themselves) or
on a private room basis. The average host age is 45, with
females hosting more than men (60 percent compared
to 40 percent). In fact, Ireland has one of the highest
proportions of female hosts in the world – in November
2017 women represented 56% of active hosts globally.
These hosts benefit from the additional income that Airbnb
provides: the typical host earns €3,500 a year via the
platform, and it provides a useful supplementary income
for senior hosts who may have left full-time employment,
or those without a regular income.
In Ireland the average host has lived in their hometown for
26 years. They are local ambassadors that offer huge value
to guests by providing insider recommendations for local
restaurants, shops and sites. The platform allows hosts
to put their hometown on a global map, and helps guests
make an authentic local connection.
The majority of hosts on Airbnb in Ireland manage their
own listings, however property managers – who may
handle communication and check in – are sometimes
used for convenience. In addition, boutique hotels and
traditional bed and breakfasts are using the platform to
welcome guests.
Hosts
45 26 70%
Average host age Average number of Hosts who rent their
years a host has lived primary home
in their hometown
Host gender
Male
40% Female
60%
6
Host stories
“I am lucky to have a landlord who has allowed me
to host in my apartment. This additional income
has, it’s no exaggeration to say, totally changed
my life. Like many, my career and income were
negatively impacted by the recession, and I ended
up in significant debt. Airbnb has enabled me to
not only clear this debt, but also start to put some
savings aside, which I hope one day will be a
deposit for my own place.”
Helen, Dublin
“I love hosting on Airbnb because
it allows me to serve as an
ambassador for Ireland and share
my local knowledge with guests
during their stay. Airbnb also has
a positive impact on the local
economy, not just as guests spend
but as hosts like me may employ
cleaners and others to help upkeep
their listings. Eternally grateful I’m
able to help Cork prosper.”
Colin, Cork
“As pensioners, my husband and I share our spare
room on Airbnb to help supplement our income.
What we’ve gotten back in return far exceeded our
expectation, giving us a little nest egg to spend on
treats and for emergencies. We’ve also discovered
the added bonus of a new and exciting life full
of interesting international visitors who come to
Galway to enjoy the hospitality of locals.”
Anne, Galway
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Airbnb guest profile
Authentic experiences are at the core of Airbnb: it’s a
platform that allows people to travel in a different way.
In fact, 85 percent of guests travelling in Ireland say they
chose to travel with Airbnb so that they can “live like
a local” – trips are packed with local tips and culture,
meaning genuine connections are established.
Almost 90 percent of guests travelling on Airbnb to Ireland
are visiting for a holiday or leisure. With so many listings
at different price points, the flexibility of the platform
appeals to visitors who may not have been able to afford
to travel previously, and encourages them to stay longer. It
also gives them the chance to explore beyond the obvious
tourist destinations.
Guests also have the opportunity to enjoy the warmth and
comforts of their own home, while meeting friendly locals
along the way. It allows visitors travelling to Ireland to have
a genuine local experience.
Guest Profile
2.6 85% 89%
Number of people Guests who chose Airbnb of Airbnb guests visit Ireland
in the average party size so they can “live like a local” for vacation and leisure
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Guest origin
Guests from around the world are using Airbnb to visit Ireland
Airbnb helps guests from all over the world visit Ireland, but the platform
also helps facilitate domestic travel. Approximately 62 percent of guests are
arriving from Europe, and 17 percent of those European guests are actually
travelling from elsewhere in Ireland. Meanwhile North America accounts for
almost a third of all visitors travelling via Airbnb to Ireland.
Europe
62%
North America Asia
17% Ireland
32% 1%
17% United Kingdom
10% France
Africa
& Middle East
Latin America
1%
Australia
1% 3%
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