Meet the Hosts of The Big Easy

Hosting empowers local residents across New Orleans to earn extra income, provides affordable accommodation options for travelers and spreads tourism across lesser known parts of the city and helps support local businesses. In 2021, Hosts in New Orleans collectively earned nearly $114 million, with the typical Host earning over $16,500 in supplemental income over the year¹. The majority of Hosts are everyday people who share just one home. 

“As a single parent, hosting has become a crucial source of extra income for my family and me. For example, the unique part about being a host in the Treme neighborhood in the 6th Ward in New Orleans is that I get to help people traveling to New Orleans have an awesome and unique time. I also get to earn extra money to take care of my mortgage and my teenager’s college fund.” 

– Tiffany

“As a retired New Orleans Public School teacher, my income from my Airbnb allows me to maintain and upkeep my home –for example, getting a new roof, repairing and painting the house, and keeping it beautiful for myself and guests. At 80, Airbnb is my only source of income – particularly in the face of rising living costs. I’ve hosted over 300 times in my little guest suite, and people who stay here eat in uptown restaurants and shop in uptown boutiques. They go to coffee shops and bakeries and grocery stores and bars in the neighborhood. They spend their money here rather than just in the French Quarter and the main tourist attractions. And they love it because they feel that in a way they are getting a taste of real New Orleans.”

– Judith

“I live in the Uptown area and feel that the guests staying with us get a real taste of an old New Orleans home that was built in 1904. They can walk just three blocks to Magazine St., feeling safe and free to take in the shops, restaurants, and local businesses. I’ve enjoyed hosting a variety of visitors who all leave with a positive feel for New Orleans. They’re even potentially someone wanting to relocate here, and some have even told me that they’ve found the greatest city ever.  If I were no longer able to host, I would have real trouble just to keep the lights on in our home.”

– Claire

Airbnb supports responsible hosting 

Since our founding, the Airbnb platform has helped cities use existing space to scale accommodations and absorb influxes of visitors, all while creating important economic opportunities for Hosts and local small businesses. This includes extending those opportunities to neighborhoods that are outside of traditional city centers that have not traditionally benefited from the tourism economy.

Airbnb supports balanced regulations for home sharing around the world. We believe — and Hosts in New Orleans agree — that there should be clear rules for short-term rentals that enable, not hinder, residents’ and communities’ ability to enjoy the benefits of the tourism economy. We know that hosting on Airbnb is an important source of supplemental income for families across The Big Easy, and we are committed to continuing to work with leaders across the state to promote responsible hosting. 

In New Orleans: 

• 58% of Hosts surveyed in New Orleans said that the money they earn by renting out space on Airbnb helps them cover the rising costs of living².
• 46% of Hosts surveyed in New Orleans said that the money they’ve earned by renting out space on Airbnb helped them stay in their home.
• 31% of Hosts surveyed in New Orleans said that renting out space on Airbnb has helped them avoid eviction or foreclosure.
• 39% of Guests said that their spending in the city occurred in the neighborhood they stayed in³.
• 40% said that saving money on their accommodations by staying at an Airbnb listing allowed them to spend more on other goods or services in New Orleans.