Penetanguishene 'trending' with short-term-rental customers

Penetanguishene has become a ‘trending destination’ for Airbnb users.

That’s according to Matt McNama, the short-term-rental company’s senior communications manager.

“We know that many bookings on Airbnb in north Simcoe are domestic bookings, particularly from the GTA, as more and more Ontarians explore their own backyards for affordable vacations and weekend getaways,” McNama tells MidlandToday.

“That’s certainly the case with destinations like Penetanguishene and why we’re seeing it as a trending destination for fall.”

McNama says Airbnbs are a popular option with travellers, especially those seeking out-of-the-way places.

“Not only are Airbnb listings often more affordable than hotels, they’re found in areas where there are often fewer hotels, where residents are often the only providers of accommodations.”

McNama says this role helps bring tourism spending to smaller communities while supporting small businesses, “not to mention supporting residents who host with the rising cost of living.”

When comparing price-per-night over recent years, prices for Airbnbs during the year tend to be the lowest during the fall.

Municipalities making the list for largest savings over this time period compared to peak times are: Penetanguishene, Edmundston, New Brunswick, Alberta towns Drumheller, Cardston, Chestermere and Sylvan Lake, Kelowna and Granby and Granby and Saint-Jérôme in Québec.

When asked why prices in Penetanguishene are typically lower, McNama says a contributing factor is the host’s ability to set his or her own prices.

“As the peak summer travel season leaves us for chillier weather, more affordable accommodations can lead to sustaining some of the tourism influx communities across Ontario see during the summer,” he says.

MidlandToday also asked McNama whether Airbnb bears any responsibility for what some might see as depleting a municipality’s available housing market.

“The reality is that short-term rentals represent less than one percent of the overall housing supply across Ontario,” he says.

“There are simply not enough listings to make a dent in terms of the 3.5 million houses needed to achieve affordability by 2030, according to the CMHC.”

McNama also points to a recent StatsCan report that looked at how many homes could return to the long-term housing market, and found that even in cities like Barrie, fewer than 300 short-term rentals could be used long-term.

“Canada and Ontario need to build more homes, not reconfigure the existing housing supply,” he says. “Keep in mind that many residents who do rent their homes are doing so to cover the rising cost of living, with the vast majority of hosts in Ontario renting out just one home.”

McNama says short-term rentals have been part of the fabric of north Simcoe for decades.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity to fill the accommodation gap, particularly in non-urban communities,” he says. “Keep in mind that more than 50 percent of Ontario is home to Airbnb listings in areas that don’t have hotels.

“That helps bring visitors to small communities along with visitor spending. It supports resident hosts, and gives guests the opportunity to stay in a location convenient to them.”