THRIVE: 16 The devastation that thepandemicwrecked on livelihoods in tourism cannot be overstated. We believe that, as we emerge into the recovery phase, there is amoment to pause, rethink and reimagine, writes Airbnbb Regional Lead, Middle East Africa, Velma Corcoran. The tourism recovery can be a tourism revolution that enables anyone, anywhere to earn. Barriers to inclusive tourism and how to combat them The promise of Airbnb is that anyone with a space in their home or a passion to share can benefit from tourism. Many South Africans lack access to necessary information, infrastructure, and finance to take advantage of this opportunity. To address these barriers, Airbnb has established the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy, a skills development program predominantly targeted at women and youth in township and rural communities who are interested in tourism. It seeks to provide access to training, mentorship, and resources to budding tourism entrepreneurs so they can use technology to access and succeed on the Airbnb platform, and ultimately participate in the tourism economy. In addition, as the graduates are located outside of tourism hotspots, the benefits of tourism are further dispersed. Since Airbnb launched the Africa Academy in 2017, it has trained more than 500 entrepreneurs in over 30 Townships and rural areas, as well as over 200 students at the University of Johannesburg School of Tourism and Hospitality (STH). Airbnb continues to invest millions of Rands in the people and communities that bring incredible tourism experiences to life. The Entrepreneurship Academy is one part of Airbnb’s broader inclusive tourism commitment in South Africa - a three-part pledge that aims to tackle digital and financial access, and support Academy graduates who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. We are exceptionally proud of our partnershipwithUJwhich is thefirstof its kind globally and designed to encourage students to think like entrepreneurs and to embrace platforms like Airbnb. We are excited to continue to work with the University as a leader in the field of tourism teaching and research - providing cutting edge guidance to tourism policy makers and students. Leveraging changes that have come out of the pandemic The growth of domestic tourism As a result of the pandemic, we’re seeing guests discovering their own backyards with thousands booking stays in small towns and rural communities - there was an 81% growth of bookings in rural areas from 2016 to 2019 in South Africa, demonstrating the need for a diversity of supply that caters to both domestic travelers and high-end international travel*. The increase in domestic tourism is good news for local Hosts and businesses, especially as living costs rise. Half of Hosts across South Africa say they host to afford the rising cost of living, while over a third say the additional income helps themmake ends meet. The typical South African Host earns just over R26,000 - equivalent to approximately one month's additional pay for the average income earner - by renting their space on Airbnb. Our aim is to make hosting more accessible for South Africans, allowing anyone, anywhere to earn. Queenstown in the Eastern Cape is the top trending town in South Africa, having seen an approximately 245% increase in domestic stays in the first half of 2022 compared with the same time in 2019**. Domestic travel continues to thrive with bookings in the first half of this year also up about 65% compared with the same time in 2019**. Flexibility What we’ve learnt from the pandemic, is that anyone can work from, and live anywhere. Flexibility is a trend that is now instilled in day-to-day life, and Airbnb hopes to continue to leverage this opportunity. We’ve also found that longer term accommodation options are becoming more and more popular - in 2021, stays of 28 days or more was the fastest growing category in South Africa, and over 50% of stays were more than seven days, highlighting this demand. Defining Travel in South Africa through inclusive tourism Airbnb continues to invest millions of Rands in the people and communities that bring incredible tourism experiences to life. P a r t n e r s h i p s
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