Year-on-year supply and demand for internet accommodation service Airbnb is exploding in South Africa with triple-digit percentage growth.<\/p>\n
This is according to Airbnb general manager for the Middle East and Africa Nicola D\u2019Elia, who is visiting South Africa this week.<\/p>\n
Airbnb uses internet technology to enable ordinary property owners to rent out rooms and even entire homes to guests from anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n
The number of South African homes listed on Airbnb has jumped from around 9 000 in July this year to 13 000, said D\u2019Elia.<\/p>\n
But on a year-on-year basis, he told Fin24 the service has grown 163% in terms of local homes listed, while the number of nights booked in South Africa has increased 259%.<\/p>\n
South Africa is Airbnb\u2019s biggest African market followed by Morocco, which has 9 000 homes, said D\u2019Elia.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a bit like the S-curve where we\u2019re now at that point where growth is becoming exponential,\u201d D\u2019Elia told Fin24.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I think there is still huge potential.\u201d<\/p>\n
At this stage it is hard to determine if demand is outstripping supply as hosts can have multiple night bookings from different guests, D\u2019Elia explained.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Cape Town is Airbnb\u2019s biggest African city with 7 500 homes listed while Johannesburg stands at 1 500 and Durban at less than 1 000.<\/p>\n
But Durban has experienced 500% growth in Airbnb year-on-year, Cape Town 224% and Johannesburg 320%, said D\u2019Elia.<\/p>\n
Up to 70% of Airbnb guests in South Africa are also international, he explained.<\/p>\n
D\u2019Elia said key reasons for Airbnb\u2019s growth in South Africa include people enjoying the service, a greater trust in the platform and even word of mouth marketing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going back to what travelling and hospitality was 100 to 200 years ago. I would say hotels were a disruptor at the time because people… were staying at people\u2019s homes before,\u201d D\u2019Elia told Fin24.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo in a way, Airbnb is nothing new. It\u2019s just bringing back hospitality in a different way in the traditional sense of hospitality,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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