Airbnb partners with “City of Smiles” Aarhus
Denmark: Aarhus has become the first Danish city to enter into a co-operation with Airbnb to boost tourism and promote it internationally.
The city’s tourism organisation VisitAarhus and Airbnb announced the deal as the second-largest city in Denmark, known as the “City of Smiles”, strives to double the number of tourists it attracts over the next six years.
The head of VisitAarhus, Peer H Kristensen, said: “Our target is to double the number of overnight stays to two million by 2025 and Airbnb is a strong and necessary partner in achieving that kind of growth.
“It’s in the city’s DNA to embrace development and utilise it positively. The partnership grants us knowledge and access to an attractive and growing segment that can spread the narrative of Aarhus to new corners of the world,” he added.
Last year, 61,500 guests stayed in accommodation in Aarhus via the Airbnb platform, for an average stay of three and a half nights. However, this partnership will allows the 4,000 or so local Airbnb hosts to be considered Aarhus “ambassadors”, and meetings involving the “ambassadors” have already been held.
Airbnb, which is present in 191 countries worldwide, and the head of Airbnb’s Nordic and Dutch department, Pieter Guldemond, believe the co-operation will mutually benefit both parties in the future.
Guldemond said: “Airbnb’s unique travel format attracts more and more guests to Aarhus, generating new sources of income for the citizens of the city. Airbnb co-operates with tourist organisation and ministries across the world, but the partnership with VisitAarhus is the first of its kind in Denmark.”
Since its arrival in Denmark, the government has grown aware of the financial windfalls Airbnb hosts can enjoy, but an agreement was reached last year which made it harder for renters to avoid paying taxes. As a result, Airbnb agreed to automatically report any income that hosts earn via the service to the Danish tax authority.
