Margaret River Pro a big break for WA as visitors support regional tourism

Margaret River’s Surfers Point will become the focal point of the World Surf League for the next two weeks, but it is the entire South West that will benefit from an influx of spectators, competitors, and event staff as demand for accommodation peaks over the duration of the event which commences 20 April.

Attracting the finest surfers in the world, the Margaret River Pro is unique from other global sporting events that visit Australia in that it takes place hours away from a major capital. 

This in turn draws thousands of fans into a regional area where much-needed tourism dollars go on to benefit smaller local businesses, and where Airbnb listings become vital in providing a range of affordable options to accommodate guests.

According to the WA Government, the 2022 Margaret River Pro attracted more than 3,500 visitors, generating more than $8.1 million for the WA economy¹.

“Hosting on Airbnb is a great way to help showcase Margaret River and the entire South West by sharing your home or a spare room with guests attending this incredible world-class event.

Airbnb offers a unique opportunity for new and existing Hosts in Margaret River, Eagle Bay, Dunsborough, Busselton to support the event, while also earning extra income to combat the rising cost of living, and making guests feel extremely welcome, pointing them in the direction of the best hidden gems and local businesses to support.

Hosts collectively earned almost $1.8m² by Hosting during the event last year, but what separates the Margaret River Pro from other iconic sporting events around Australia is that after the show moves on, recreational surfers can literally surf the same break for the rest of the year.

Home sharing helps cities and especially regional areas use existing homes to scale up their capacity where there isn’t enough space in traditional accommodation. It also empowers locals to provide sustainable and affordable options across the region which benefits the local economy.

Western Australia has such a solid events calendar which attracts visitors from near and far, including international cricket, the FIFA Women’s World Cup in July, Taste Great Southern, or the Cape to Cape and accommodation supply on Airbnb brings valuable tourism dollars to the entire economy of the state.

Whether it is accommodation in urban areas like Perth and Freo, or off the beaten track, there is an Airbnb to suit most group sizes and budgets.”

Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb’s Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand. 

It is estimated that there at least 768,000 spare bedrooms sitting empty in Western Australia³, more accommodation means more affordable accommodation, benefitting travellers, Hosts, and the entire community of businesses that surround them.

Short-term rental accommodation makes a large contribution to Western Australia’s economy, and plays a critical role in the visitor economy, contributing $315 million in guest spending, $265 million in value added to the economy and 2,535 jobs.

In 2019, almost 2.8 million visitor nights were spent at Airbnb listings in Western Australia. Airbnb also helps spread visitor dollars across all corners of the state: $64 million in spending outside of the Perth region and $97 million generated for the economy in regional WA⁴.

“Every year we host guests for the Margaret River Pro. We are located 30 minutes from Margaret River in the once quiet seaside village Dunsborough but that hasn’t stopped guests booking and exploring the region.

“These tourist towns thrive when there are events like this and without Airbnb and other short term holiday platforms, there just wouldn’t be the accommodation to cope with the influx of people.”

Local Host Pam Herron

The South West of WA boasts precisely the type of accommodation Airbnb guests are looking for right now. In May 2022, Airbnb introduced a new way to search designed around Airbnb Categories, making it easy to discover millions of unique homes guests never knew existed. In data released last month, it was revealed that among the 50+ categories Aussie guests were booking the most, Beach stays took top spot, with Surf stays (number three) close behind.

From the world cycling championships in Wollongong, this month’s AFL Gather Round in Adelaide, or last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Airbnb Hosts have a long history of helping cities accommodate big events, while generating benefits for local families and communities. Home sharing allows cities to flexibly increase the number of guests they can accommodate without expensive building and infrastructure projects, providing a more sustainable way of accommodating a surge in visitors.

With the event fast approaching, we encourage those who are thinking about Hosting to start getting their property and listing ready. Last year, Airbnb made it even easier to Airbnb your home through Airbnb Setup, featuring one-to-one guidance from a Superhost, the opportunity to host an experienced guest as your first guest, as well as one-tap access to specially-trained Community support agents. Together with even more AirCover for Hosts, which tripled damage protection to $3 million and expanded guest identity verification, among other top protections for both inside and outside your home, it’s a great time to become a Host and start earning.

1 https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/McGowan/2022/09/2023-Margaret-River-Pro-dates-released-for-crucial-WSL-event.aspx

2 Total Host Earnings for Busselton and Augusta, Margaret River region for WSL event from 24 April – 4 May 2022

3 ABS data based on number of private dwellings in WA at last Census  (1m) and the percentage of dwellings nationally with at least one empty room (76.8% Ahuri Research)

4 https://news.airbnb.com/en-au/new-economic-modelling-reveals-wa-economy-could-lose-almost-100m-a-year/