Airbnb has boosted the economy of the West of Ireland by 30 million euro in the past year, according to a new study.

It shows that, across counties Mayo, Roscommon and Galway, 1200 Airbnb hosts have welcomed some 80,000 guests to their homes in the past year, with average earnings of 2,500 euro per year for a typical host.

Airbnb has taken the tourism world by storm in recent years, with more and more people opting to stay in a host home while travelling, rather than in hotels or guesthouses.

But it’s not just cities that are popular destinations - the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs Heather Humphreys has launched a new report this week that highlights the social and economic impact of Airbnb on rural Ireland.

The report shows increasing numbers of people across the country have joined the growing home-sharing movement and are recognising the value of sharing a spare room, or their home while they’re away.

It also shows the positive impact this new form of tourism is having on more remote parts of the country, that haven’t traditionally benefitted from tourism, while guests can stay in some of the country’s most beautiful locations, away from typical holiday destinations.

In the Western region of Mayo, Galway and Roscommon, 1200 people have hosted guests in the past year, earning themselves an average of 2,500 euro.

This has generated some 30 million euro in economic activity in the western region, according to this new study.

80,000 guests stayed at Airbnb properties in the West in the past year, staying an average 2.5 nights for holidays and leisure breaks.

In Dublin, 88% of hosts share their primary home, while outside the capital, this figure is 64% indicating that many hosts are using their holiday homes which would otherwise remain empty – which has a knock—on positive impact on other businesses in rural Ireland.

The report also shows that 85% of guests chose Airbnb accommodation because they wanted “to live like a local”.

This is the first time a study has been done of the impact of Airbnb in regional and rural Ireland.