Economic Impact of Airbnb in APAC Region in 2024: Gross Domestic Product, Employment, and Regional Influence
In 2024, Airbnb's presence in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region was the focus of an analysis, revealing its role as a significant driver of economic value and job creation. The analysis highlighted popular cities and provinces for Airbnb travel in the region, and a growing preference towards non-urban destinations among Airbnb travellers.
One key example that emerged from the analysis is Malaysia, where Airbnb's activity contributed RM9.2 billion (approximately USD 2.1 billion) to the country's GDP, accounting for roughly 5% of the tourism sector’s GDP in Malaysia. This economic activity helped support approximately 93,600 jobs and generated RM2.1 billion in wages across the country.
The impact of Airbnb in Malaysia extended to other sectors, including manufacturing, transport and storage, food and beverage services, and wholesale and retail trade, contributing substantially to each. A notable shift towards domestic travelers was also observed, with 67% of Airbnb guests in 2024 being local Malaysians, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
While these detailed figures are specific to Malaysia, they provide a strong indication of Airbnb’s economic footprint within the broader APAC region. Reports focus on Malaysia because it is a key market with publicly available data, and significant spillover effects into smaller towns and non-urban areas were observed.
In the APAC region as a whole, Airbnb supported over one million jobs in 2024, generating approximately USD 10 billion in wages and salaries. The analysis focused on the GDP contribution and employment supported through Airbnb's presence in 10 markets within the study - Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
However, no comprehensive consolidated data was found specifically for the entire APAC region in 2024. Given Malaysia’s example, it is likely that Airbnb's economic impact in APAC encompasses multi-billion-dollar GDP contributions in several countries where tourism and travel recovery are strong, employment support for tens of thousands (or more) across the region in host communities and related sectors, and significant generation of wages and income streams through tourism-linked activities facilitated by Airbnb stays.
In summary, Airbnb in APAC in 2024 exemplified strong economic contributions through direct GDP impact, substantial job creation, and wages, with Malaysia providing a clear, data-backed case. The ripple effects of Airbnb's economic impact extend further through the economy, as hosts and businesses purchase goods and services from local suppliers, supporting even more jobs and contributing to the regional economy.
- The analysis of Airbnb's presence in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region in 2024 revealed that it contributed significantly to the local economies, with Malaysia being a key example, resulting in a GDP increase of RM9.2 billion and the creation of approximately 93,600 jobs.
- In addition to Malaysia, Airbnb supported over one million jobs in the APAC region in 2024, generating approximately USD 10 billion in wages and salaries across various sectors such as manufacturing, transport and storage, food and beverage services, and wholesale and retail trade.
- The impact of Airbnb goes beyond direct economic contributions, as hosts and businesses purchase goods and services from local suppliers, thereby supporting even more jobs and contributing to the regional economy.
- The ripple effects of Airbnb's economic impact extend to lifestyle choices, as seen in the growing preference towards non-urban destinations among Airbnb travelers in the APAC region, and the notable shift towards domestic travelers, particularly in Malaysia, where 67% of Airbnb guests in 2024 were local Malaysians.
