Major concerts and sporting events are leading to an explosion of Airbnb bookings in the UK, with local economies benefiting from the new trend called “Tour Tourism”. According to new data from the platform, bookings are up an average of 744% in cities hosting top artists and major events.
Cultural, music and sporting events generate around £28 billion to the UK economy each year, and two in five Airbnb hosts say they choose to rent out their accommodation especially during major events to boost their income. Meanwhile, 48% of guests follow hosts’ local recommendations for dining, shopping and activities, boosting local businesses.
Sabrina Carpenter’s tour, for example, saw bookings soar by 88% in Glasgow and over 2000% in Manchester, with many visitors travelling from as far afield as Qatar, Australia and Germany. ‘Tour Tourism’ has an international dimension: on concert days, searches by UK users for accommodation in Paris increased by 550%, Berlin by 1500% and Brussels by 1400%.
Similarly, Coldplay’s London tour caused an 800% increase in searches, with visitors arriving from New York, Hong Kong, Paris and Madrid. But the lion’s share this year seems to be claimed by the long-awaited Oasis reunion, with a jump of over 6000% in bookings for Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester and London. In Manchester, the increase reached 7200%.
The Glastonbury festival retains its iconic character, but this year there is also interest in the post-concert relaxation: bookings in South Somerset for the week after the festival increased by 108%.
Music is not the only driving force. Wimbledon attracts fanatical fans, with searches for accommodation in London increasing by 1000% when the results of the ticket draw were announced. Visitors are arriving from Sydney, Abu Dhabi, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Finally, the Silverstone Grand Prix increases enquiries for accommodation in Buckinghamshire by 61% year-on-year, with female visitors making up the majority of bookings – a sign that the passion for sport and events knows no gender.
Airbnb argues that ‘Tour Tourism’ is here to stay and is strengthening the economy, hosts and local communities by offering travellers experiences they love.
