Online marketplace and hospitality service, Airbnb, recently released data indicating the meaningful economic impact of home sharing during major college commencement ceremonies throughout Florida.
For graduation weekends throughout the state, local Airbnb host communities expanded lodging capacity and offered affordable rates for visiting families and loved ones. With hotels often selling out due to the influx of college parents, commencement ceremonies have long been known as sources of an unfortunate degree of price gouging, which the rise of home sharing has helped alleviate.
“Home sharing provides significant economic value by expanding lodging capacity during commencement weekends for Florida communities that are home to large universities,” said Tom Martinelli, policy director of Airbnb Florida. “As a Gator alumnus, I can certainly relate to my family having to book Gainesville hotel rooms a year in advance of my graduation, as is the case in college communities throughout the state. We’re very encouraged to see how our platform has been utilized to provide affordable lodging accommodations for college families during stretches when hotels traditionally reach peak occupancy.”
The data for Gainesville is as follows:
University of Florida
- Commencement Dates: April 28-30
- Total Airbnb Guests During Commencement: 752
- Percentage Spike from Previous Week in Guest Arrivals: 136%
- Total Airbnb Host Income During Commencement: $129,000
- Active Airbnb Hosts: 290
For more information, visit www.airbnb.com/economic-impact.
