Australia is the only major country in the world where regional Airbnb stays outnumber city stays, accounting for 56% or 1.7 million guest arrivals in 2016. While foreign tourists are flocking to Australia’s major cities, the locals prefer travelling interstate for mini-breaks, fuelled by the growing popularity of lazy, long weekends in the country.
The most popular regional destinations for Australians are Cairns, Noosa, and the Gold Coast in Queensland; Byron Bay in New South Wales; the Great Ocean Road in Victoria; Margaret River in Western Australia; and Robe, Victor Harbor, and Kangaroo Island in South Australia.
Regional and coastal Queensland benefited the most from Airbnb visitors in 2016, with $160m spent outside Brisbane. Meanwhile, regional Airbnb guests spent $135m in New South Wales, $69m in Victoria, $23.4m in Western Australia, $17m in Tasmania, and $6m in South Australia.
The survey’s results don’t surprise Matilda Coles, who resides in SA’s Barossa Valley. While her parents head for a shack on the Murray River every Friday afternoon to unwind and fish, Coles rents out their three-bedroom Tanunda home to Airbnb guests for $700-$800 a weekend.
Coles, who manages the bookings and greets the guests, said the house is typically booked by couples from Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne, many of whom want a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of city life.
“We’ve only been doing it for six months but the reaction has been fantastic; people seem to love the garden, the views and exploring the Barossa area,” she said. “Because mum and dad are always away, it seemed a good opportunity for them to earn a bit of income so they can have some extra spending money and maybe think about retiring a bit earlier than they otherwise might have been able to.”
Coles recommends wineries and restaurants for her guests to visit, helping spread the tourist dollars to others in the area. Indeed, the positive impact of country getaways cannot be underestimated. According to a Deloitte Access Economics report on the economic effects of Airbnb in Australia, visitors have contributed a total of $410m to regional economies and helped create 3,777 jobs.
McDonagh called Airbnb a “lifeline” for local communities that have been hit low by economic downturns. Tourists helped “put more money in the back pockets of everyday Australians and regional small businesses … spreading the benefits of the tourism boom more widely.”
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