New data shows Buffalo Airbnb hosts have handled 29,000 guest arrivals since Memorial Day this year, leading to $2.5 million in total earnings according to Airbnb.
Unsurprisingly, Buffalo was second to New York City in the state for expected guests. The hospitality service was used by about 1.2 million guests this summer, up from 933,000 last summer.
Northeast Press Secretary Liz DeBold Fusco said host income has increased a lot in just one year.
“Not only are visitors from all over the country and the world seeing Buffalo and other parts of upstate New York as incredible vibrant laces to visit, other New Yorkers are seeing parts of their own state as incredible locations for their vacation,” said Fusco.
Airbnb is starting to interact with more local governments. They’ve reached tax agreements with 24 counties across the state so far.
“We’re supporting state wide legislation that would also allow us to collect and remit taxes to the state itself,” she said. “As we hopefully continue to see this growth, that is another area in which government can actually benefit.”
Fusco said they haven’t done so in Erie or Niagara county, but they’ve made a few partnerships with businesses in Buffalo already.
“We've had a wonderful partnership with Buffalo Niagara,” she said. “We’ve been proud to work with Pegula Sports. We hope to continue to invest in this city and investing in our hosts for the foreseeable future.”
More than 187,000 New York City residents used Airbnb to visit other parts of the state this summer. Some other interesting data Airbnb provided:
- 25 percent of hosts this summer are sharing their home for the first time
- 11 percent are seniors
- 57 percent are women
- The top five participating New York State cities are New York City, Buffalo, Ithaca, Saratoga Springs and Niagara Falls.
