Less than 1% of British families to use Airbnb this Summer

Just 0.21% of British families intend to use Airbnb for holiday accommodation this summer, with most preferring more expensive hotels, research from consumer loans provider the Ferratum Group shows. Brits are willing to spend 22.5% of their disposable income on holidays, equating to hotel accommodation costing up to €100 per night. Airbnb said it's surprised by the findings as its own research shows that the number of Brits booking accommodation on its website has doubled since last year.

Expensive hotels put out the flame in Britain’s love affair with Airbnb, according to research from Ferratum

Briton's honeymoon period with the home rental superstar startup might, surprisingly, be over.

This summer less than one per cent (0.21 per cent) of UK households are intending to use Airbnb for holiday accommodation, shunning the often-cheaper pads offered by the online marketplace for more expensive hotels, according to research released yesterday by Ferratum.

British travellers are planning to spend more than a fifth of their disposable income (22.5 per cent) on their travels whether they are holidaying in the UK or abroad, taking up the majority of seasonal spending.

Read more: Airbnb books place among savvy young travellers

But instead of looking for cut-price deals, Britons are actually splashing out on hotels and are willing to spend more than €100 (£86) a night during their summer holidays.

In the survey of more than 17,600 people in 19 countries, only the Nordics were intending to spend the same amount of more.

Tony Gundersen, UK country manager for Ferratum Group, said:

This year’s Summer Barometer clearly demonstrates how much the UK prioritises summer holidays when it comes to overall spending throughout the year. Despite disrupting the hotel sector, it is clear that British travellers still prefer the comforts of a hotel over living in rented Airbnb accommodation. Travel and hospitality providers across the globe have a strong opportunity to benefit from the increased customer demand coming out of the UK this summer, and must prepare accordingly to reap the rewards of this busy period.

Airbnb said the research was “surprising” given that its data showed the number of Britons booking overseas stay on the website has doubled from July 2015.

"So far in 2016, British travellers have accounted for 2.7m guest arrivals at Airbnb listings worldwide, and in June this year guest arrivals from the UK more than doubled from June 2015," an Airbnb spokesperson told City A.M.

"Interestingly, throughout spring, London was the number one outbound market on Airbnb. More people are travelling on Airbnb from the UK than ever before."