Thanks to the Washington Nationals’ latest playoff appearance, online hospitality service Airbnb has seen a 24 percent jump in guest arrivals, adding to the local economy in the District.
This uptick comes after a banner summer for Airbnb in the city. Between June and August 2017, Airbnb’s D.C. host community experienced 120,000 guest arrivals and earned over $22.5 million in additional income to help support their families, pay their bills and make ends meet according to the company.
“This summer was the biggest travel season yet for Airbnb’s global host community, and as the Nationals’ playoff series kicks off, we’re proud to continue spreading the economic benefits of the tourism industry to more District families, small businesses and neighborhoods,” Will Burns, Public Policy Director for Airbnb in the District of Columbia said.
During the Nationals’ appearance in the National League Division Series, Airbnb estimated nearly 13,200 guest arrivals will occur in the D.C. metro area between Oct. 7 and 8 — an increase of more than 2,500 guest arrivals from the Nationals’ first weekend of playoff games in 2016 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Last weekend’s games was projected to bring $6.8 million in economic activity to the District, including $5.4 million in guest spending at D.C. restaurants, cafes and retail shops.
Airbnb says its local host community expects to earn a total of $1.4 million during the popular sporting event, an increase of nearly 20 percent from the same time last year.
“The price of a typical booked Airbnb private room listing will be $56 — a stark contrast to D.C. hotels which routinely price gouge consumers during special events,” the organization said in a statement.
Between January and August 2017, the top destinations for Airbnb guests from the District included New York City (13,600), Havana, Cuba (5,600), Paris (5,200), Los Angeles (4,900) and Philadelphia (4,800).
Katherine, an Airbnb host in D.C.’s Ward 4, said that as a “young family, Airbnb is really important to us financially and socially.”
“A middle school teacher from Georgia and her two kids stayed with us this summer to visit our local museums, and we hope the excitement they expressed also inspires our own children to be that excited about the city they call home,” she said.