Older and wiser: Airbnb celebrates its senior hosts this International Day of Older Persons

Bangkok, Thailand - We celebrated the UN's International Day of Older Persons, a valuable opportunity each year to celebrate the older people in our lives, and to acknowledge the impact they have on our families, communities and societies.

This year, the theme for International Day of Older Persons was "Stepping into the Future", which is exactly what Airbnb is seeing senior people do all over APAC. It is not just millennials who want to see the world through the eyes of a local; the number of 60-90 year olds joining the Airbnb community is growing every year, with older guests saying they love the opportunity to travel in a different way than they have ever done before.

In the last year alone, there are more than 1.5 million travellers aged 60 and above travelled to APAC with Airbnb, highlighting how the older generation are embracing technology and the sharing economy to enjoy more unique and authentic experiences.

Seniors are also showing a real passion for hosting on Airbnb, opening up their homes and welcoming travellers from around the globe. APAC is no exception, with seniors making up nearly 10% of the region's host community. By hosting international travellers, it is their way of seeing the world without leaving their doorstep.

In Thailand, 60-90 is a fastest-growing age bracket among Airbnb hosts, having grown by nearly over 40% year on year. They are also the second highest earners (behind 50-59 year olds), bringing in an average of USD 2667 in annual supplementary income. This is considerably higher than the annual income earned by 18-24 and 25-29 year old hosts, who earn an annual average of USD 1370 and USD 1659 from hosting, respectively. We know this is a huge boost for our senior hosts, with many saying that the additional revenue is a big help when paying their monthly bills.

Even more notable than the obvious economic benefits, is the social element of hosting on Airbnb. Many senior hosts comment on how hosting has allowed them to stay alert, sociable and happy, and how meeting so many different people of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds has given them a new perspective, allowing them to experience the world from their own home.

Senior hosts are consistently the best rated Airbnb hosts in Thailand – and across Southeast Asia – and receive better reviews than any other host demographic.

They also receive a higher percentage of five star reviews than any other age group, with a massive 81% of trips hosted by seniors resulting in a five-star review.

Robin Kwok, Airbnb Country Manager for SEA, Hong Kong and Taiwan, added:
"The most important thing to us at Airbnb is our community, and we're incredibly proud that senior hosts make up such a significant – and growing – proportion of that community in this region.

"We know that people all over the world want a new kind of travel, and to experience new cities through the eyes of the locals who live there. Senior hosts are perfectly placed to provide these truly authentic experiences. They have seen their neighbourhoods evolve around them, and can give unique insights into the culture, history and personality of a place."

Meet some of Airbnb's senior host community below, and check out their top-rated listings and unique city Experiences around the region:
THAILAND
Grandma, Host, Kanchanaburi
At nearly 91 years old, Grandma - as she affectionately calls herself - is the oldest Airbnb host in APAC and is loved by her family, community and the many Airbnb guests who have stayed with her.

Grandma has lived in the Thai/Myanmar border town of Kanchanaburi for 20 years, and is a proud member of her community. She describes herself as loving 'gardening, caring for people, and sharing experiences about life and interests'. On hosting, Grandma says 'it makes me happy to provide a homely atmosphere for residents, and to make our community feel like a family'.

Nuanchan, Superhost, Chiangmai
Superhost Nuanchan first joined the Airbnb community as a guest when traveling to Japan. Nuanchan and her husband Dan had such a great experience with their host in Japan that they decided they would become Airbnb hosts themselves.

On sharing their home, Nuanchan says:
"Since we've started hosting, we've met so many different guests, and had the opportunity to learn more about cultures and traditions from all over the world. We feel very lucky to have made to many new friendships through hosting."

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