Airbnb claims to have boosted the Irish economy last year by half a billion euro.
It commissioned research carried out by Oxford Economics says the house share platform supports 5,000 jobs.
The Government has tried to limit the number of short-term lets on Airbnb in an attempt to free up 12,000 rental properties however it was blocked by the EU.
Travel on Airbnb in Ireland provides 6% of all nights in paid accommodation in 2022.
The typical Host in Ireland earned just over €5,600 last year.
Airbnb-linked spending represented 10.5% of all international tourism-related spending, and the report values Airbnb’s total contribution to Ireland’s GDP at over €500m in 2022.
Airbnb-related economic activity in Dublin was valued at €152m, accounting for 30% nationally, but this was followed by activity in Kerry and Cork which was valued at €107m.
Jobs
In total, almost 5,000 jobs were supported by activity on Airbnb last year, with the hospitality and tourism, food and beverage services, arts and entertainment, and transport sectors all benefiting from the platform.
More than 1,200 jobs supported by activity on the platform were filled in the west of Ireland. In Dublin, more than 860 jobs were supported by Airbnb in 2022.
Economic Boost
In 2022, private bookings accounted for 16% of all Airbnb activity in Ireland, representing over 700,000 guest nights and contributing over €80m to the Irish economy.
In Dublin specifically, 30% of guest nights stayed were in private rooms, generating €38 million in 2022 and making up over 25% of total Airbnb-linked spending in the county.
David Goodger, Managing Director, Europe & Middle East, Tourism Economics at Oxford Economics said:
“Our analysis highlights that Airbnb listings have a sizeable impact on the tourism economy in Ireland supporting nearly 5,000 jobs. In 2022, guests using the platform accounted for over €500 million of tourism spending with much of it benefitting local tourism businesses, beyond the Hosts on Airbnb themselves. As modern travellers seek authentic and varied visitor experiences, Airbnb listings play an important role enabling visitors to experience Ireland’s tourism offering. They also help to disperse tourism expenditure and bring economic benefits to regional areas of the country which is particularly important for local economies.”
Derek Nolan, Head of Public Policy at Airbnb Ireland said,
“Airbnb provides authentic and affordable stays for guests in Ireland and drives economic benefits for local Irish families and their communities by generating employment and dispersing tourism across the country. We want to play our part as a key pillar of the Irish tourism economy, and support the introduction of a Host register to protect Ireland’s tourism, unlock the benefits of hosting for Irish families, and help local authorities to clamp down on property speculators.”
