Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Commencement brings influx of business for Airbnb and D.C.

Airbnb reported its second biggest guest arrival in D.C. history last weekend, according to a release from Airbnb.

Commencement ceremonies at George Washington and Georgetown universities earned the second biggest guest arrival weekend for Airbnb in D.C., second only to President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January. Airbnb, a company that allows people to rent out their homes to visitors, said in a release Tuesday that about 10,500 guests came to the District during the graduation weekend of May 19, bringing in an estimated $15.1 million to local businesses.

American, Catholic and Howard universities hosted their commencement ceremonies the weekend of May 12, and the past two weekends combined brought in 18,000 Airbnb guests and more than $21 million of income into the District, according to the release.

The typical price for an Airbnb listing ranged from $31 for a shared room to $150 for an entire home in the District during this time, according to the release.

“Home sharing during the spring graduation season not only gives the District of Columbia the ability to scale up its accommodations for a surge in visitors, it also creates millions in extra income for D.C. families and the hundreds of small businesses that benefit from Airbnb’s presence in their communities,” Will Burns, director of public policy for Airbnb, said in the release.

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