Airbnb hosts and guests in the United Kingdom (UK) 2017-2018
What is Airbnb?
Airbnb is an online accommodation portal that allows hosts to list their properties for short term rental. The company was founded in San Francisco in 2008 by two entrepreneurs who came up with the idea when looking for ways to meet their high rental costs. Travelers like using Airbnb as it offers a cheaper alternative to hotels and gives them a more authentic experience. The company was valued at 38 billion U.S dollars in 2018.
Airbnb in London
London is one the most popular cities in the world for Airbnb use: London had the highest number of Airbnb guest arrivals in Europe as of 2017, which is unsurprising considering it is one of the most visited tourist cities in the world. Compared to the rest of the UK, just over a third of active Airbnb listings were in London. The growth of Airbnb in London however was not without its problems. Like other cities, councils and communities raised concerns regarding the impact on the local housing supply and having control over who is living in the rentals. This led the Greater London Council to apply a 90-day limit on listings for entire homes in one year.