KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 10): More than 60% of new Airbnb hosts in Malaysia in the first half of 2021 (1H21) comprised millennials aged between 25 and 40.

In a statement yesterday, the company that operates an online marketplace for lodging said the top five states where these new hosts were based were Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Sabah and Penang.

It said amid the stop-start nature of movement control order (MCO) regulations from January to June, new Airbnb hosts collectively earned over RM680,000 from welcoming guests on Airbnb.

The firm said this data followed Airbnb’s recent global announcement of more than 100 new upgrades across the platform, including making it easier to start hosting.

It said based on a first quarter of 2021 (1Q21) survey conducted by Airbnb, a third of Malaysian hosts polled said the money earned through Airbnb provided an additional source of revenue for the households, and helped them stay afloat and fight the cost of living during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Airbnb’s general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan Amanpreet Bajaj said 2021 had undoubtedly proved challenging as the pandemic continued to impact Malaysian livelihoods, businesses and the broader economy.

“Hosting has offered many an additional source of income during a time of financial strain, providing economic empowerment for these new hosts,” he said.

Bajaj added that as the conversation turns towards the return of travel, it is crucial that guest and host safety remains Airbnb’s top priority.

“Last year, we implemented the five-step Enhanced Clean process, a set of cleaning and sanitisation standards developed in partnership with experts and endorsed by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) to ensure peace of mind for our community.

“We remain fully committed to supporting Malaysia’s tourism recovery efforts, and we continue working hard to find new ways to drive clean and safe travel,” he said.