Report says Arizona Airbnb hosts earned nearly $51 million in 2016

PHOENIX — Arizonans who rented a room or home to travelers on Airbnb in 2016 pulled in a tidy combined sum of nearly $51 million, a report said.

AZ Big Media said about 7,600 Arizona hosts on the popular app earned a total of $50.9 million from about 329,000 people who used Airbnb when traveling in the state last year.

The report said 2016 saw a 61 percent increase compared to the previous year in people listing an available space for travelers, while the 329,000 or so who used Airbnb to travel in Arizona was a 152 percent increase over 2015.

The average host earns about $4,900 per year on the app and will share or rent out a home for about 42 nights per year.

In 2016, Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation that prevents cities from banning short-term rental sites such as Airbnb.

“We are committed to doing everything we can to support 21st-century companies that employ Arizonans, advance the way we do business and improve the way we live,” Ducey said in a statement last year.

Some cities in Arizona — namely Scottsdale, Sedona and Jerome — had passed ordinances that blocked short-term rentals prior to Ducey signing the law.

“This bill truly is a win for everyone,” Matt Kiessling with the Travel Technology Association said in May 2016.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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