Aruba Tourism Authority and Airbnb sign MoU
Aruba: Airbnb and the Aruba Tourism Authority have signed a memorandum of understanding a in a bid to drive sustainable tourism on the island through home-sharing.
The agreement cements the organisations’ existing partnership which has provided a framework to discuss taxes, to facilitate consistent stakeholder meetings and to share useful data together.
Aruba Tourism Authority CEO Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes said: “Aruba has experienced sustained growth in our tourism sector over the last several years and we feel that in working with Airbnb, we can reach a whole new segment of tourists who are interested in living like local Arubans while experiencing a different side of our island.”
How is home-sharing contributing to Aruba’s local economy?
The home-sharing community in Aruba is a growing contributor to the local economy. With over 2,300 listings throughout the country on Airbnb, a typical Aruban host earned $9,200 last year, representing a 77 per cent increase on the previous year.
Carlos Munoz, Airbnb campaign manager for public policy and communications for the Caribbean and Central America, said: “Aruba is an important partner, and we are pleased to continue working together to develop a strong, democratised tourism industry through home-sharing, where Arubans benefit directly.”
How is the partnership making travel more inclusive and accessible?
One benefit of Airbnb’s involvement on the island is that travel is becoming more accessible and inclusive.
In 2018, Airbnb hosts in Aruba welcomed an estimated 47,200 guests with an average trip length of six days. In the same year, 940 hosts opened their doors to offer both locals and foreign travellers an authentic travel experience.
Of the Aruban hosts on the Airbnb platform, 51 per cent are female. The average host age is 48, with 77 per cent of hosts between the ages of 30 and 59.
Also in 2018, 5,100 Aruban guests stayed at Airbnb listings both in Aruba and in overseas destinations.
What is the overall goal for the Aruba Tourism Authority?
Tjin Asjoe-Croes said: “Our goal is to work together to drive more sustainable and unique tourism to the island, help make Aruba a regional leader in the sharing economy and continue to position Aruba as a world-class tourist destination.”
Airbnb has been arranging a number of partnerships in the region to support a growing and flourishing community of homeowners who rent out their properties and generate new revenue streams for the tourism economy.
The company is working to drive tourism in the region and enhance its economic opportunities by promoting authentic travel experiences throughout the Caribbean.
