Why This Rural Washington River Town Was Airbnb’s Most Sought-After Summer 2024 Travel Destination

Posted by Admin September 2, 2024 Travel

Topline

Quincy, Washington, a rural city in central Washington, was the improbable most-searched U.S. summer travel destination for those booking Airbnb, with its many natural attractions—and nearby concert location—the reasons for its deep appeal to summer tourists.

An image of the Columbia River.

JPL Designs, Getty Images

Key Facts

The three most searched-for U.S. summer travel destinations were Quincy, Washington—just east of the Columbia River—Columbia, South Carolina and Las Vegas, according to data from Airbnb.

This summer, “families are looking to Airbnb to hike, swim and soak up incredible views,” according to the company, which said three of the top searched categories were beaches, amazing pools and lakes.

Over half of the 10 biggest summer travel destinations—like Quincy and Rosemary Beach, Florida—are near major bodies of waters.

Several of the top destinations were host cities for major sporting events, including Las Vegas and Glendale, Arizona, which both hosted the 2024 Copa América soccer tournament.

Searches for Airbnb’s “Play” category—homes that include fun interactive amenities like water slides and cabins—doubled this summer compared to last, which is why places like Broken Bow, Oklahoma, and Ouray, Colorado, that have many cabin properties were on the of the list.

Airbnb based its research on U.S.-based search data made between January and March 15, 2024 for stays in June, July and August, and survey results from 130,000 users.

Biggest U.s. Summer Travel Destinations

Quincy, Washington
Columbia, South Carolina
Las Vegas, Nevada
Glendale, Arizona
Ouray, Colorado
Eugene, Oregon
Broken Bow, Oklahoma
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Rosemary Beach, Florida
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

Big Number

271 million. That’s how many Americans were estimated to fly to summer destinations between June 1 and August 31, according to predictions from Airlines for America.

Key Background

Quincy, Washington, is a rural town located in central Washington. Although it makes most of its revenue from agriculture, tourism is a major part of its economy, which contributes to the $22 billion in revenue Washington makes from tourism each year. The city has many natural attractions like hiking, camping and water sports, which are major draws for summer travelers, according to Airbnb data. It’s also home to the Gorge Amphitheater, which hosted summer concerts from top performers like Blink-182, Willie Nelson, Luke Bryan, Bob Dylan and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Amphitheater draws crowds of up to 20,000 people.

Biggest Labor Day Travel Destinations

Airbnb also released data for the biggest U.S. Labor Day weekend destinations. As college football ramps back up, guests are interested in staying near their favorite colleges. Searches for Airbnbs in college football towns surged by 130% this Labor Day weekend, according to Airbnb data. Some of the top-booked college towns were Gainesville, Florida; College Station, Texas and Columbia, South Carolina. Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest travel periods in the country, and the Travel Security Administration anticipates this year to be the busiest Labor Day travel period ever, with more than 17 million travelers between August 29 and September 4.

Tangent

Several major U.S. cities have imposed restrictions on Airbnb and other short-term rentals that have made it difficult for guests to book stays. New York City passed a law that prevents hosts from renting out their homes for fewer than 30 days, unless they registered their properties with the state and stayed in the home with the guests. San Francisco—the birthplace of Airbnb—requires hosts to limit rentals to less than 90 days unless they’re staying at the property at the same time as the guests. Hosts must also register with the city, pay a hotel tax and adhere to insurance and safety requirements. Only Atlanta residents can own short-term rental properties in the city, and there’s a cap of two rental properties per person. Hosts must also pay a $150 annual fee for their rental license, on top of an 8% tax rental fee for each property.