This is the first study looking at the impact of the Airbnb community on Japan, and comes after similar studies in France, New York, London, and many other cities across the world. The economic impacts presented in this report were calculated by Professor Tatsuyuki Negoro of Waseda Business School and his team, and looked at all travel to and within Japan during the one year-period from July 2014 through June 2015.
The study found that Airbnb hosts are regular people who share their homes and use the money they earn to pay the bills and make ends meet. They are attracting new visitors to Japan who stay longer, spend more and are more likely to return, and spread economic benefits to parts of Japan that haven’t previously benefited from tourism. Airbnb is complementary to the existing tourism industry in Japan and increases consumer choice, providing authentic and local travel experiences for guests from around the world.
“Airbnb is a growing, global phenomenon that has a profound positive impact on the Japanese economy,” said Yasuyuki Tanabe, Country Manager of Airbnb in Japan. “It is supporting regular families, turning homes and surplus housing into economic assets and growing and diversifying tourism across Japan. We are pleased the government recognises the benefits of home sharing for everyone in Japan and look forward to working with them on clear and simple rules for home sharing, and to make Japan a global leader in the sharing economy.”
Some highlights of study include:
- From July 2014 to June 2015, the Airbnb community contributed 221.99 billion yen in total economic activity to the national economy in Japan in one year and supported 21,791 jobs.
Airbnb listings in Japan have more than doubled annually since 2010, and listings span more than 300 cities in all 47 prefectures in Japan.
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