In 2016, in Amsterdam there were almost 1.7 million booked nights through Airbnb. An increase of as much as 125% compared to 2015. The market share exploded thereby to 10.7% (from 5.4%) compared with hotels. For the first time, Airbnb in the Netherlands was also analyzed in The Hague and Rotterdam. The market share here was 7.3% and 6.5%, respectively, according to a joint study by Colliers International and Hotel School in The Hague.
Most Airbnb bookings take place in the central part of the city. 64% of room nights are booked in five districts: Centre-West, Baarsjes & Old West, Centre-East, Pipe and Westerpark. Contrary to what Airbnb says, tourists do not spread throughout the city.
The average price for one night in 2016 rose by almost 3% to 140 euros. This is in line with the rise of prices at hotels. For a shared room, significantly more than the year before had to be paid (+35%). Guests are therefore willing to pay more for their stay, even if they have to share a room. Increasingly more Amsterdam citizens want to benefit from the success of Airbnb. The number of available accommodations doubled to over 32,000. 35% of which is offered by hosts with a plurality of accommodations. A sign that it is a part of professional rental.
“After the sharp rise in 2015, we see that the popularity of Airbnb in the Netherlands has further increased in 2016,” said Dirk Bakker, Head of EMEA Hotels at Colliers International. “The growth of hotels is stagnating, which is why tourists move to alternatives such as Airbnb. This is an important signal for the town and the hotel industry.”
Airbnb Market Share
The Hague was the second Airbnb city of the Netherlands in 2016. 126,000 nights were booked here. Rotterdam came third with 116,000 booked nights. This is striking, as Rotterdam welcomed 13% more hotel guests last year.
As in other major cities in Europe, most guests stay in and around the city centre in Rotterdam and The Hague. In both cities, more than two thirds of the accommodation were booked in the most popular three districts. Most visitors in The Hague stayed in the Centre, Scheveningen and Segbroek. In Rotterdam the Centre, Delfshaven and Noord are considered the top three.
Average prices per night were far lower than in Amsterdam. In The Hague, guests paid 79 euros a night, while in Rotterdam the price was 72 euros. The price for a shared room was also cheaper than in the Dutch capital.
Growth Continues
Growth continued in the first quarter of 2017. In Amsterdam, more than 367,000 nights were booked. An increase of 34% compared with the same period in 2016. In The Hague, the increase was 32% and in Rotterdam 40%. The expectation is that 2017 will be another record year for Airbnb.
Jeroen Oskam, Head of Research at Hotel school in The Hague, indicates that Rotterdam and The Hague will become more and more important for Airbnb in the future. “The strong growth rates underline the impact of tourism in these cities. Because the number of hotels in The Hague and Rotterdam is limited, Airbnb’s market share may increase even further.”
