feb-2018c

OPENING LINES air arrival growth and increased leisure visitor spending. In 2017,the 35thAmerica’s Cup played a critical role in driving demand and higher visitor spending,not only in Mayand Junebut throughoutmuchof theyear. “Thenumberofvisitorswhochosevacationrentalswhen theytraveledtoBermudasurged133percent in2017versus 2016,accordingtoAirbnbdatasharedwiththeBermuda TourismAuthority.Meantimeyear-endhotel occupancy passedthe60percentmarkfor the first timesince2007. Shawn Sullivan of Airbnb said: “Bermuda represents an incredibly important and growingmarket forAirbnb. ThroughourpartnershipagreementwithBermuda’sgov- ernment andtourismauthority,wehavesignificantlygrown oursupplyandincreasedthenumberofvisitorsforBermudian homeowners.In2018,weplantofurtherdevelopourpart- nership inBermudaandengage thecommunitywithmore homesharingeducational seminarsacross the island.With allvacationrentals factored intotheequation,tenpercentof totalvisitorschosevacationrentals lastyear.” Simultaneously,the hotel sector island-wide experi-