Ayisha Irfan, public policy manager of Airbnb, recently said in a press release that Colorado Airbnb Hosts bring visitors to the state who then spend their money at local businesses, boosting the economy.

According to a press release from Airbnb, short-term rental visitors who traveled to Summit, Grand, Eagle, Pitkin and Routt Counties in 2020 spent an estimated $1 billion during their stays. Around 60% of that spending went towards food, arts, recreation, retail shopping, and other entertainment. The money spent across the five counties supported 14,700 jobs, or 15% of the jobs in the area, generating almost $600 million in worker earnings. The state of Colorado brought in $73.9 million in tax revenue from short-term rental visitors in 2020.

"Every day, Airbnb Hosts across Colorado not only welcome visitors to their communities, but also encourage them to spend their dollars locally, in restaurants, shops and attractions," Airbnb public policy manager Ayisha Irfan said, according to the release. "As this report shows, Hosts are playing a crucial role in both the statewide and local economies, from bringing in millions of dollars in tax revenue to supporting tens of thousands of jobs. Airbnb looks forward to continuing to work with elected officials across Colorado to empower residents to both supplement their income by sharing their homes and drive this valuable economic impact."

Across Summit, Grand, Eagle, Pitkin and Routt Counties, there were around 49,200 total short-term rental units available as of 2021, representing a growth of approximately 8% from 2010. Colorado Airbnb Hosts who were new to the platform in 2021 collectively brought in around $60 million in revenue. The average Host in the U.S. earned almost $14,000 in 2021.

In 2021, Airbnb collected and remitted more than $1.5 billion in tourism taxes in US communities.

Throughout 2021 and into 2022, more than twice as many Airbnb guests have booked long-term stays than in 2019, Airbnb reported. Approximately one in every five nights booked through Airbnb is part of a long-term stay. More than 8,100 cities and towns across the world have received their first ever Airbnb booking since March 2020.