HYANNIS – There’s nothing like a Cape Cod summer. The summer vacation destination brings in thousands of tourists each year and has dramatic effects on the local economy.
Cape-based Airbnb hosts would agree, as residents of Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket Counties brought in $40 million in extra income this year by home sharing via Airbnb, a 38-percent increase from last year.
“We know that summer travel is a peak season for that area of Massachusetts. The beautiful beaches, the wonderful people, the driving and diverse cultural businesses and entertainment,” said Crystal Davis, Airbnb’s Public Affairs Manager for Massachusetts.
“We always take a look to see what our gust arrival and host activity is like in that part of the state.”
The total number of visitors to the Cape & Islands using Airbnb also increased since last year. Airbnb reports a total of 131,000 total booked guest arrivals to region this year, a 37-percent increase from 2017.
Over the course of this summer, Airbnb hosts in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket Counties gained $7,333 in supplemental income. Of the total amount of booked hosts in the area, 32-percent were senior citizens over the age of 60 and 33-percent were first time hosts.
“We know that home sharing gives families and travelers overall the ability to not only stay in any properties but to also experience travel amenities that they probably wouldn’t get in traditional accommodations,” said Davis.
“We know that Airbnb and home sharing overall gives travelers just additional options to make their travel experience more enjoyable, more flexible, and overall great for the community.”
CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce Wendy Northcross called the increase “impressive” in comparison to the traditional lodging industry. Northcross adds that the increase shows the growing popularity of online booking platforms coupled with Cape Cod’s continued popularity as a tourist destination.
“That’s compared to what we’ve seen in the traditional lodging industry of a 4-percent increase. So, you can just factor in what consumer preference is right now,” said Northcross. This is peak vacation time and those folks are probable here with their families, probably multiple cars coming for multiple weeks.”
Provincetown, Barnstable, Falmouth, Dennis, Oak Bluffs and Nantucket topped the list for most popular destinations. The most common cities of origin for Airbnb guests traveling to the Cape & Islands were Boston, New York City, Cambridge, Washington D.C., and San Francisco.
By TIM DUNN, CapeCod.Com News Center
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