Wisconsin Airbnb hosts earned $25.2 million, welcomed 210,000 guests in 2017

Airbnb's Wisconsin host community earned a combined $25.2 million in supplemental income while welcoming about 210,000 guest arrivals to the state in 2017.

The guest arrivals to Wisconsin via Airbnb represents 97 percent year-over-year growth, according to a news release from the company.

There are now more than 4,000 Wisconsin hosts sharing their homes via Airbnb, typically earning about $6,300 a year in supplemental income.

Statewide data indicates Airbnb and its host community appear to be complementing — rather than competing with — the Wisconsin hotel industry.

Reports from the Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association demonstrate that state hotel occupancy rates, daily prices and revenue have grown steadily, in parallel to Airbnb’s growth.

Airbnb said this suggests it is opening up the state to a new slice of prospective tourists by catering to travelers less able to afford hotels, those who desire to stay in neighborhoods or cities that lack hotels and families who prefer to be together under one roof.

In addition to the new income going into the pockets of hosts, the state is generating new revenue through a tax agreement announced in June that allows Airbnb to collect and remit the Wisconsin state sales tax (as well as a number of local resort taxes) on behalf of its hosts.

In 2017, Airbnb also secured tax agreements with Madison and Green Bay to collect and remit local hotel taxes on behalf of local hosts. 

The home sharing community provides significant value through expanded lodging capacity for communities when hotels sell out, including in Madison during huge events related to the university, in Green Bay during Packer games and in Milwaukee during the summer festivals.

In 2017, Airbnb also released data indicating the potential of home sharing for more rural communities of Wisconsin that lack traditional hotel accommodations.