Airbnb could save US government $4.1B in decade, company says

Home rental service Airbnb said the U.S. government could save $4.1 billion over the next decade if it booked lodging for staffers on its properties rather than at traditional hotels.

In a new analysis, Airbnb notes that federal employees spent $3.1 billion in fiscal 2017 on hotel lodging while conducting government business globally. Of that total, $318.3 million in taxpayer funds were spent at hotels headquartered outside the United States, effectively draining money, the service said.

“If federal employees had stayed in Airbnb listings instead of hotels in the last fiscal year, they could have saved over $413 million in taxpayer dollars,” the Airbnb report said. “Money spent housing federal employees at Airbnb listings while traveling on official business would go directly to taxpayers who share their space on Airbnb. In addition, the federal government would also more directly support U.S. communities.”

Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky is set to elaborate on the report while delivering the keynote speech Wednesday at the Internet Association dinner in Washington D.C., Axios reported.

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment on the Airbnb report.

The report argues that federal savings would reach $4.1 billion over the next 10 years “even if we conservatively assume no growth in spending.”

Marriott, Hilton and IHG were the top beneficiaries of federal spending on hotels in fiscal 2017, according to the report. Federal employees booked an estimated 27.7 million nights in hotels last year.

“Even some incremental use of Airbnb listings by federal employees could result in substantial savings for taxpayers,” the report said. “If federal employees only spent 25% of their nights on the road in Airbnb listings, the federal government could potentially save $103.3 million a year, or more than $1 billion over 10 years.”