Ohio Airbnb Hosts Earn $50M, 460K Guests Stay in State

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Airbnb hosts in Ohio welcomed 460,000 guests in 2018, earning a combined $50 million in supplemental income, the hospitality company said in its 2018 statewide overview.

Across the Buckeye State, about 6,000 Ohioans share their homes through the service, averaging about $4,800 per year in supplemental income.

“Statewide data indicates that Airbnb and its host community appear to be complementing, rather than competing with, the Ohio hotel industry,” the company said in its report, citing analysis from HotelNewsNow.com that finds development in Ohio’s major markets.

“This suggests that Airbnb is opening up the state to a new slice of prospective tourists by catering to travelers less able to afford hotels, those who desire to stay in neighborhoods or cities that lack hotels, and families who prefer to be together under one roof,” the Airbnb report continued.

Franklin County was the most popular area for Airbnb visitors, with 107,000 arrivals and $11.7 million in total host income in 2018. Ranked No. 2 was Cuyahoga County with 88,000 visitors and $10 million in host income. Following were Hamilton County (80,000 visitors, $8.5 million in income), Ottawa County (15,500, $2.1 million) and Montgomery County (17,300, $1.7 million).

Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties were not ranked in the top 20.

Last year, Airbnb introduced its Experiences feature to Ohio, which provides locals the opportunities to put together itineraries for visitors to cities like Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. The service, which provides and extra source of income for creators, will be expanded in the state in 2019.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.