Online hospitality service Airbnb has grown its South African home listings by 3 000 in the last four months and seen an increase of 163% over the last year.
The disruptive technology company, founded in San Francisco in 2008, is a community marketplace for people to list, discover and book unique accommodation around the world using the Web or a mobile phone. The accommodation ranges from a shared arrangement, to a room within a house (while hosts are present), to renting of a whole house (with no hosts present).
Airbnb is now available in more than 35 000 cities in 192 countries, and caters for all price points.
"South African tourism is enjoying impressive momentum, with visitors from around the world," says Nicola D'Elia, Airbnb Middle East and Africa GM. "Our vibrant community continues to expand, with international visitors reporting that the quality of the homes and hospitality in South Africa is outstanding. We look forward to growing our presence in this amazing market in the months to come."
Airbnb's detailed growth in SA over the last 12 months:
* Cape Town now has nearly 7 500 homes listed - catching up with cities like Sydney (12 950), Tokyo (9 345) and Madrid (8 493).
* The number of international guests travelling to SA and booking on Airbnb has increased by 259%.
* The number of South African guests using the service has increased by 183%.
Precautionary step
Airbnb has announced South African hosts now benefit from its Host Guarantee programme.
The Host Guarantee reimburses hosts at eligible homes for up to R14 million in damages in the event of guest damages which are not resolved directly with the guest.
"The peace of mind of our hosts is priceless. Every eligible booking on Airbnb is protected by our Host Guarantee at no additional cost to the host," says D'Elia.
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