Report: Airbnb helps drive tourism in areas without hotels
AUSTIN (KXAN) --- Tourism is coming to places in Austin where there aren't any hotels, according to a report by Airbnb.
The report said Austin neighborhoods without hotels had more than 470,000 guests and made more than $130 million in host earnings in 2022.
"Airbnb guests visiting these areas without hotels, they bring their tourism dollars. So they're visiting the local bakery, they're visiting the local shop, they're going to bars and restaurants and spending their money in these business," said Airbnb Communications Lead Sam Randall.
Trending Austin neighborhoods:
- Robinson Ranch
- Del Valle East
- Georgian Acres
Promoting local businesses
Joe Arenella said his East Austin neighborhood is full of Airbnb listings.
A host himself, Arenella said he makes it a point to promote local businesses by providing guests with a long list of places to visit in the area.
"All the local restaurants, food trailers, and bars, obviously, and breweries," Arenella said. "People spend their four day weekend just in the neighborhood, enjoying everything that's here."
Arenella said this side business helps him keep up with rising prices.
"It's helped offset some of the property taxes, which as you know, can be expensive in Austin," he said.
Arenella said his slowest time for bookings is the end of July and August. But by September, he said it picks right back up.
"It just comes roaring back September, October, November through the rest of the year," Arenella said.
Changing neighborhoods
On the flip side, some people who live in the area are worried about how short term rentals change both the character and the cost of a neighborhood.
"I just noticed a family down the block. It looks like they're moving out, which is sad. But I'm not totally surprised because it's just crazy expensive over here," said east Austin resident Tori Goethel. "It's a really close knit community and I like that. I don't want to lose that."
Goethel said she doesn't oppose short term rentals but just hopes there's a balance of how many come into the area.
"My boyfriend lives in a condo and only a certain amount of them can be Airbnb or short term rentals," Goethel said. "I don't see why we can't do that in a neighborhood."