Airbnb Reached Estimated Direct Economic Impact of €650 Million in Denmark

Travel on Airbnb had an estimated direct economic impact of more than $100 billion in its top 30 countries around the world in 2018, according to new data released today. In Denmark alone, travel on Airbnb generated an estimated direct economic impact of more than $650 million – or nearly $2 million per day – made up of $508 million of guest spending and  $145 million of host earnings. 

The new data is based on a survey responses from 237,000 hosts and guests, as well as data from Airbnb’s internal systems. It shows that 1 in 4 guest arrivals on Airbnb in Denmark are Danish nationals travelling domestically, and that both domestic and international visitors report spending an average of $141 per day in local communities. 

The data also shows how Airbnb is changing how people travel, where people travel to, and who benefits from travel in Denmark:

Changing how people travel

• Over 7 in 10 guests stated that the desire to ‘live like a local’ was important in their choice to book through Airbnb and nearly half of the guests indicated the ‘desire to meet new people’.
• The average trip length on Airbnb in Denmark is over 3 days and guests who say Airbnb impacted the length of their stay on average added 2.9 days to their trip.
• The Danish are increasingly using Airbnb to travel themselves; last year, an estimated 940,000 Danish travelers used Airbnb to travel abroad or domestically. 

Changing where people travel

• In Denmark, 85 percent of guests said the location being more convenient than hotels mattered in their decision to use Airbnb.
• About 2 in 3 guests said wanting to explore a specific neighborhood mattered in their decision to use Airbnb. 
• In 2017, more than 40 percent of cities in Denmark with an active listing on Airbnb had no hotel. 

Changing who benefits from travel

• The typical listing on Airbnb in Denmark was shared for 23 nights per year. Hosts keep up to 97 percent of the posted price of their listing. 
• 3 in 4 hosts in Denmark say they recommend specific cafes, restaurants and cultural activities to their guests, suggesting that spending takes place in the areas where locals go, beyond tourist hotspots. 
• Over 9 in 10 of guests to Denmark indicated that saving money is one of the reasons why they choose Airbnb, and nearly half of them indicated that as a result they spent more money on food and shopping. 

“Travel on Airbnb in Denmark boosted the economy with nearly $2 million per day in 2018. And unlike any other form of traveling, Airbnb ensures local residents and their communities can benefit from that economic boost, while providing more sustainable and authentic solutions to guests. We want to continue working together with all stakeholders across Denmark to help hosts share their homes responsibly and promote tourism that is local, authentic, diverse, inclusive and sustainable.” 

Hadi Moussa, Country Manager Northern Europe at Airbnb