Hotels have been struggling over the years to keep the attention and loyalty of travelers since Airbnb has hit the scene.
Clever Real Estate conducted a survey of 1,000 Americans to see what travelers prefer, and they found that most travelers are “Team Airbnb.”
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According to the survey, 60 percent of leisure travelers who use both hotels and Airbnb prefer the home rental platform versus hotels. However, 68 percent of business travelers prefer hotels and have negative experiences using Airbnb for work.
In terms of reviews, Airbnb experiences are only slightly more positive with an average of 4.3 stars for home rental properties versus 4.2 stars for hotels. So while travelers are satisfied with both Airbnb and hotels on a similar level, many seem to choose Airbnb for the price, access to home amenities and the local, authentic experience they provide.
Perhaps surprising then is that 53 percent said that they have privacy concerns with vacation rentals, with 58 percent concerned primarily about hidden cameras. Seven percent of those surveyed had found a hidden camera in their unit, and yet only 12 percent believe Airbnb rentals are uncomfortable and 10 percent see them as unsafe.
Despite hidden camera fears, most travelers still have a positive outlook on Airbnb. Seventy-one percent see it as a positive route in terms of global tourism.
Airbnb isn’t just gaining in popularity for travelers but for homeowners as well. Fifty-four percent of homeowners said they would consider renting out their homes as 82 percent believe it’s a good way to make money from their property.
Still, there is hope for hotels. Marriott’s Home & Villas luxury rental service is becoming more widely-known among travelers. Half of all luxury travelers have heard of this new service and like that it is integrated into Marriott’s reward program.
