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In Numbers: How Airbnb has conquered Paris

The Local France
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In Numbers: How Airbnb has conquered Paris
Airbnb has conquered Paris and it shows no sign of stopping. Photo: AFP

If you want to know just how far Airbnb has taken hold in Paris then these numbers tell the story, but they are not all positive.

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527,821  

That's the number of visitors to Paris who used Airbnb in the summer of 2014. That compares to just 144 in the summer of 2009, which is why Paris has become the number one destination for Airbnb users, surpassing London, New York and Rio de Janeiro.

5 million

The number of tourists who have used the Airbnb site since 2008 to find accommodation in Paris. Of those, 2.5 million visitors used the site in 2015 alone which gives an idea of the sharp increase in popularity for the home-sharing website in recent months. 

50,000

That's the number of apartments available to rent on Airbnb in Paris in 2015, compared to just 4,000 back in 2012. 

3rd and 4th

These are the Paris arrondissements which have the highest ratio of Airbnb guests compared to the local population, to the extent that in the summer of 2014 more Airbnb guests (66,000) stayed in the neighbourhoods than the number of people who actually lived there (64,000).

18th

Despite the density of guests in the Marais, it is the Montmartre area, home to the Sacre Coeur basilica, that is most popular for Airbnb customers in Paris. With a rate of 3.5 locals to every Airbnb guest, the area still retains a Parisian touch despite its touristy credentials. 

7th 

Despite its reputation amongst young Parisians for being old and rather quiet, the 7th arrondissment is the most popular area for American Airbnb guests, according to the Wall Street Journal. Perhaps the pull of the Musée D’Orsay and a view of the Eiffel tower are the deal clinchers for American travellers. 

€2,374

The cost in euros per night for one of the most expensive Parisian apartments on Airbnb  - a three-bedroom ‘ultra-design’ penthouse opposite the Bristol hotel, revealing that Airbnb is about much more than looking for a cheaper alternative to hotels in the city. 

€2,000

The amount in euros a French man was fined for illegally renting out his apartment. Surprise early morning inspections have also become increasingly common in the Marais district, due to the sheer density of Airbnb rentals. The first landlord to be fined can perhaps count himself lucky however as the maximum fine possible is €25,000.

30,000

This is the number of furnished second homes in Paris that the Town Hall believes are being illegally rented out through Airbnb. In neighbourhoods like the Marais, authorities believe as many as 1 in 4 furnished flats are rented out illegally. That has led some local shopkeepers to complain that “the Marais has become like Disney”.

5,000

That’s the drop in the number of permanent residents in the 4th arrondissement of Paris since 1990, according to the Town Hall’s housing chief Ian Brossat.

Although this obviously can’t all be blamed on Airbnb it is a part of a real problem of landlords in Paris realising they can make more money by letting their flats to tourists than to students or young professionals who want to live in the area.

Four

That's the number of months a French person can rent their principal residence without being susceptible to costly administrative fees and taxes. 

70 percent 

That's the number of lodgings available which are situated outside the touristy areas of Paris. Will this see the lesser known parts of Paris turn into tourist havens too?

83 cents

The amount per night that will be added to Airbnb customers' bills in Paris. The new taxe de sejour, implemented from 1st October 2015, has been added in an attempt to appease the hotel industry in the French capital, who are becoming increasingly concerned due to the threat to their trade.

By Ellie O'Driscoll

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