Airbnb lobs incentive towards new landlords for Wimbledon fortnight

Airbnb is offering £100 to new Hosts welcoming their first Airbnb guest during the Wimbledon Championships, which begin on Monday.

Last year during the tennis tournament, the typical Host in the areas around Wimbledon earned almost £1,000 and collectively Hosts earned £2.4m. 

The bonus scheme for new Hosts encourages locals to make the most of the increased demand for holiday accommodation by hosting on Airbnb, generating additional revenue for themselves and their local community. New Hosts must opt in to the scheme by listing their space on the Airbnb website. 

The UK government’s Tourism Recovery Plan recognises key sporting events as major boosts for the UK travel sector, and the platform claims the incentive for new Hosts will help ensure that everyday families in London benefit.

Airbnb says the incentive offers “an exciting opportunity for individuals who have a spare room to generate additional income over the summer months.” 

In 2022 private room Hosts earned a collective £102m in London, with the typical private room Host in the Wimbledon area earning over £3,400 over the course of all of 2022. 

The service - which is increasingly emphasising the rental of rooms in a bid to offset criticism of whole-house lets diminishing the mainstream rental stock - says listing a spare room on Airbnb has proved an economic lifeline for families across the UK, allowing guests to travel affordably by staying with local Hosts sharing their homes to boost their income. 

Private room Hosts in the UK earned a total of almost £205m last year, while the typical UK private room Host earned almost £2,200, with four in 10 Hosts in the UK saying the additional income helped cover the rising cost of living. 

New data also reveals that guests this year are travelling from as far as New Zealand and Hong Kong to stay in Airbnb’s during Wimbledon. 

Amanda Cupples, General Manager for Northern Europe at Airbnb, says: “British sporting events such as Wimbledon play a massive role in our tourism industry, drawing fans from all over the world. Airbnb offers a unique opportunity for local families to benefit by opening their homes to earn some much needed income in tough economic times, giving guests a taste of authentic local hospitality during an iconic British event.”