A chambermaid makes a bed inside a room at a hotel of the JC Rooms brand in Madrid, Spain. Picture: REUTERS/ANDREA COMAS
Picture: REUTERS/ANDREA COMAS

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ROOM rental service Airbnb currently offers a range of accommodation options for travellers in SA‚ ranging from apartments‚ houses to a camper van and even a pirate ship. With business growing‚ the company is looking for more hosts to come on board.

If you are considering it‚ here is an overview of the business in SA for the period January 1-December 31 2015‚ as compiled by the Financial Mail.

Hosts

• 7‚500: number of hosts, up 90% over 2014

• R28‚800: average earnings for a typical host

• 66%: proportion of hosts who share space in their primary residence

• 44: age of the average host

• 49%: proportion of those who use Airbnb income to help them afford to stay in their homes

Guests

• 134‚000: Number of inbound guests in the past year‚ up 250% over 2014

• 4.9: average length of stay (measured in nights) per guest

• 37: average age of the booking guest

• 91%: proportion of trips involving four or fewer guests

• 2.5: number of people in the average travel group

• 4.7: average host rating‚ out of five

WHO THEY ARE: 42% of guests were from Europe‚ 32% from Africa and the Middle East region (26% SA) and 18% were from North America.

Find the full story in the Financial Mail‚ out now