Exploring the booming European market

During the first half of 2022, the number of nights booked through major online short-term rental platforms within the European Union reached nearly 200 million.

This data, which includes platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia Group, and Tripadvisor, reflects an incredible 138 percent increase over the same period in 2021. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, it is worth noting that in the first half of In 2019, these platforms recorded about 193 million stays. The statistics were released by Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office, in its first monthly publication on short-term housing offered through online platforms. These statistics stem from an agreement between the European Commission and the four private platforms reached in March 2020 to use private data as a source of official statistics, albeit on an experimental basis.

First quarter: nearly 70 million overnight stays

A total of 67.4 million overnight stays were booked in the first quarter, up significantly from 27.1 million stays in the same period in 2021 and 64.5 million in 2019. The numbers further rose to 132 million in the second quarter, compared to 56.7 million in 2021 and 128.8 million in 2019. Leading the pack among destinations were France and Spain, each with five regions in the top 15, with more than 1 million overnight stays booked. Italy had two regions, while Austria, Poland and Portugal each had one region represented.

Italy: Lombardy and Lazio in the spotlight

Prominent among the top 15 regions in the ranking are Alpine regions such as Tyrol in Austria and Rhône-Alpes in France. In 2019 they accounted for 42.2 percent and 31.5 percent of stays in the first quarter, respectively. In the EU as a whole, this share was only 12.6 percent. The second group of popular regions were Mediterranean destinations, including Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Catalonia and Andalusia, as well as the Canary Islands. In this category, two regions, Rhône-Alpes in France and the Canary Islands in Spain, recorded more than 4 million overnight stays. In Italy, only Lombardy and Lazio surpassed the 1 million mark, with their bookings between 1 and 2 million.

The significant growth recorded in the European short-term rental market during the first half of 2022 highlights the enduring appeal and growing popularity of this accommodation option among travelers.