UAE Airbnb bookings double ahead of New Year's Eve

The number of people staying in Airbnb accommodations in the UAE will more than double during New Year’s Eve, according to statistics from the company.

According to Airbnb, the platform has seen an 108 percent spike in bookings during the New Year period, a figure which is expected to increase closer to the date.

United States and UK-based visitors top the list of those booking Airbnb properties, along with domestic travellers from inside the UAE.

For travellers from the UAE, the top booking destination is Dubai, followed by Cape Town, London, Beirut and Paris.

Globally, the number of guests using Airbnb over the New Year’s period has risen significantly, from 1,400 people on December 31, 2009 to more than 3 million last year, according to a tweet from founder Brian Chesky.

Statistics from the Bloomberg World Airbnb Cost Index 2018 show that Dubai remains the fifth most expensive city in the world for Airbnb consumers.

The index shows that an average Airbnb room in Dubai stands at $185 per night, making it costlier than a room in New York, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, London or Sydney.

Middle East cities Riyadh and Kuwait City ranked 11th and 15th place on the index, respectively.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in Arabian Business on Saturday December 8th, 2018 http://bit.ly/UAEAirbnbBookings