Airbnb making a comeback in Amsterdam: Holiday rentals doubled

Airbnb is making a comeback in Amsterdam. The number of holiday rentals in the Dutch capital has more than doubled since the low point in the coronavirus pandemic, BNR reports based on figures from the municipality of Amsterdam and data analyst AirDNA.

Airbnb advertised 7,831 holiday rentals in Amsterdam at the end of September, compared to less than 3,000 in the middle of the pandemic in 2021. The number is still far below pre-pandemic levels, when Airbnb had around 14,000 rentals in Amsterdam, according to estimates from data analyst AirDNA.

The average prices for an Airbnb rental also rebounded in the past year, according to AirDNA. An overnight stay in Amsterdam cost an average of 241 euros this year, 22 percent higher than in 2022.

Airbnb rentals in Amsterdam have been under heavy pressure in recent years. The pandemic dealt a heavy blow to international tourism, and the municipality of Amsterdam has taken several measures to reduce tourism and holiday rentals. For example, people who rent out their homes via platforms like Airbnb now have to register with the municipality, and they can only rent out their homes for 30 days a year. The registration obligation was particularly effective - Airbnb removed 13,000 ads in one day when it was introduced in 2021, a spokesperson for the municipality told BNR.

Amsterdam is by far the largest market for holiday rentals in the Netherlands. But the rebounding trend is also visible in other large cities. According to AirDNA, the number of Airbnb rentals in Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht has increased by between 50 and 70 percent since February last year, when the last of the coronavirus-related restrictions disappeared.