Airbnb Is Heating Up 2016's Spring Break

Image: PHOTO: Have fun but be smart during Spring Break. (photo courtesy of Thinkstock) (120739481)
Image: PHOTO: Have fun but be smart during Spring Break. (photo courtesy of Thinkstock) (120739481)
Gabe Zaldivar
by Gabe Zaldivar
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Mon February 22, 2016

Photo courtesy of Thinkstock

Forget large resorts teeming with coeds, because the hot new destination for spring break seems to be Airbnb properties.

That is the latest finding from travel website Hipmunk that recently scoured airfare and hotel bookings for a period beginning on March 18.

As Hipmunk stipulates, spring break isn't a period that begins on any specific date, so there is some leeway as to when students and professionals are taking off to enjoy some sun and very sensible debauchery.

Still, what it found is rather telling and illustrates how Airbnb continues to inch its way towards becoming a hospitality mainstay for so many, including the younger generation set to frolic over the course of a week or so.

Hipmunk broke down various flight and booking data, finding that Orlando, Las Vegas and Los Angeles took the top three as far as air travel while Las Vegas, Miami and New York City were in the upper echelon in lodging over the period.

READ MORE: Travel Agents Share Their Top 10 Spring Break Destinations

But it's only when it dug deeper that it found Airbnb's impact for spring break. And like those sugary cocktails that come in comically large containers, it was significant.

Hipmunk, according to the report, took the cities with the largest contingent of Airbnb bookings and compared it to more conventional accommodations.

What it found is the following table illustrating Airbnb's share of the bookings.

Image courtesy Hipmunk

As noted, some cities were made for traditional stays, including Las Vegas and New York City, where large hotels dominate the streets.

But on a whole, there is much to love if you are a fan of Airbnb. Cancun and various Florida destinations are seeing a flood of travelers who are eager to unwind in the comfort of someone else's home.

Most telling, however, is how Airbnb fared in overall booking rates. The study spells it out: "In 2015, Airbnbs made up 4.4 percent of all Hipmunk's Spring Break bookings; as of publication date, that number has risen to 9.5 percent."

Obviously, this a general study that doesn't take into account the manner of the vacation, negating to breakdown the demographic of the people booking these properties.

However, it damages a modicum of what we have come to believe spring break entails: A large contingent of coeds armed with tall cans ready to party en masse.

Perhaps there is something to be said about traveling with just your close personal friends to a sun-drenched locale for the week.

It also means that some of these Airbnb locations may be keeping the security deposit.


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