• India recorded an increase of about 140 percent in non-urban nights booked on Airbnb, when comparing Q2 2022 with Q2 2019, while non-urban long-term stays nights booked in India more than doubled.
• Off the beaten path destinations like Haldwani, Jibhi, Bir and Varkala have seen a considerable growth in the number of searches in Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2019.
• During the same period, the typical earnings for non-urban Hosts in India grew by almost 40 percent.
• Tourism dispersal is creating new economic opportunities for more people in the emerging destinations.

India, 6 September 2022 – As the travel revolution continues to unfold, the benefits of tourism are spreading further afield across India and empowering locals to earn a living and make ends meet, new analysis by Airbnb reveals.

With people continuing embracing flexible new approaches to travel and living, communities that have traditionally missed out in the past are increasingly well-positioned to secure a bigger slice of the tourism pie, according to new Airbnb report Further afield: Spreading the benefits of the travel revolution.

That’s presenting fresh opportunities for locals looking for new ways to supplement their income as they grapple with rising costs of living.

Key findings from the analysis:

• In India, the non-urban nights booked have increased by about 140 percent when comparing the second quarter of 2022 with the pre-pandemic second quarter of 2019.
• Internal Airbnb data comparing Q2 2022 with pre-pandemic Q2 2019, shows that a number of destinations outside major cities have seen considerable growth in searches.
  • In India, Haldwani, Uttarakhand recorded a growth of about 330 percent during this period, Jibhi, Himachal Pradesh showed more than 270 percent growth followed by more than 240 percent growth in both Bir, Himachal Pradesh and Varkala, Kerala.
• The typical non-urban Host earnings in India grew by almost 40 percent in the second quarter of 2022 when compared to the same period in 2019.
• On Airbnb, non-urban nights booked for long-term stays (28 days-plus) in India were more than double when comparing the second quarter of 2022 with the pre-pandemic second quarter of 2019.
• Among destinations outside the major cities in India that proved popular on Airbnb for long-term stays in the second quarter of 2022 were Arambol, Naggar, Kullu, Agonda and Almora.

Many people across India are turning to hosting as a way to harness the travel revolution in a way that directly benefits them and their families. Through hosting, they’re working to secure their financial independence and making a tangible economic contribution to their local community.

One such example is Airbnb’s partnership with the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA). In August 2021, Airbnb and SEWA expanded its partnership to the region of Ladakh. This partnership with SEWA, an organization representing 1.5 million self-employed women living mostly in India’s rural areas, is aimed at helping to provide livelihood opportunities for rural women through hosting, while also fostering digital inclusion and driving economic revitalisation for the broader community.

Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb’s General Manager for India, Southeast Airbnb, Hong Kong and Taiwan, said:“More than two years since the start of the pandemic, we continue to see fundamental shifts in travel that are creating tangible opportunities for communities that lay off-the-beaten track. It’s incredibly exciting to see travelers’ enthusiasm for exploring new destinations, as well as the positive economic impact they are creating on the local communities. This ongoing dispersal of travel is empowering locals to diversify their income through hosting on Airbnb and building financial resilience. We’re committed to continuing to work together with governments and other stakeholders to keep inspiring travelers to step off the beaten path and help ensure more communities can reap the benefits of tourism dispersal.”

You can view the full report here.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 about us and our industry that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements regarding travel trends, the travel industry and the future of travel, the behavior of Hosts and guests and about our future performance, prospects, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements.

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In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “plan,” “expect,” “could,” “potential,” “objective,” or “continues” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations. Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained in this press release, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur at all.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the objectives expressed or implied in this press release. Therefore, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the effects and duration of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic on us, the travel industry, travel trends, and the global economy generally; any further and continued decline or disruption in the travel and hospitality industries or economic downturn; changes in political, business, and economic conditions, including current geopolitical tensions and regional instability; and the other risks listed or described from time to time in Airbnb’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including Airbnb’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 and subsequent Form 10-Qs and Form 8-Ks, which are, or will be, on file with the SEC and available on the investor relations page of Airbnb’s website.

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