Airbnb welcomes Stats NZ report

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Airbnb welcomes Stats NZ report

Auckland, New Zealand - Tuesday 11 June 2019 – Airbnb has today welcomed a new study from Stats NZ which found home sharing now accounts for nearly one in five guest nights in New Zealand.

The Stats NZ report, Accommodation and the sharing economy in New Zealand, found home sharing accounted for more than 8.8 million guests nights or 18 percent of total guest nights in 2018 - up from 8 percent in 2013.

The report also estimates home sharing’s contribution to gross output tripled from NZD$100 million in 2013 to more than NZ$300 million in 2018.

Airbnb’s Head of Public Policy Australia and New Zealand Brent Thomas said the report reinforced both the growth and importance of home sharing to New Zealand tourism.

“This report confirms our own data which shows home sharing is a massive benefit to New Zealand’s tourism industry and economy,” Mr Thomas said.

“Home sharing now accounts for nearly one in five guest nights which indicates just how important the sector is to New Zealand tourism.

“Importantly, unlike traditional trickle-down tourism with home sharing the benefits of tourism are spread throughout the community. The biggest beneficiaries from New Zealand’s home sharing boom are local families, small businesses and regional communities.

“Looking forward, we are incredibly optimistic about the future of our community and home sharing in New Zealand. Powered by a desire for more local, authentic and sustainable travel, we believe more travellers will choose to stay with Airbnb.”

The Stats NZ report aligns with the findings of the Deloitte Access Economics’ report, Economic effects of Airbnb in New Zealand, which found Airbnb guests in 2017 spent more than $781 million in New Zealand and supported more than 6,000 local jobs. The report also found that two-thirds of Airbnb’s economic activity in New Zealand occurred outside Auckland.

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