Airbnb is gearing up to host more visitors in South Florida during Super Bowl weekend than during Art Basel.
Airbnb hosts have already picked up more than 34,000 bookings for the weekend of Super Bowl LIV, Jan. 30 to Feb. 2. That tops Art Basel weekend of Dec. 5-8, when the short-term rental company racked up 26,000 bookings, according to Airbnb spokesman Samuel Randall.
When Atlanta hosted the Super Bowl last year, the city experienced about 14,000 Airbnb bookings.
Yet, while hotels across South Florida are charging astronomical room rates for the weekend of the big game, Airbnb hosts will likely only experience small price gains, according to Airbnb representatives.
At an Airbnb hosting workshop Wednesday evening, Ben Breit, the company’s head of trust and safety communications, cautioned more than two dozen hosts to implement modest rate increases if they are planning to target visitors coming to South Florida for Super Bowl festivities. The game will be held Sunday, Feb. 2 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
“Where we see hosts get hurt is when they multiply prices by 20,” Breit said. “Those people don’t get booked. If you want to raise prices, that is your call. But I encourage you to be careful. Don’t go too crazy.”
Airbnb data shows that the average daily rate in Miami-Dade and Broward counties during Super Bowl weekend is currently $150 and $120, respectively. That’s much more affordable than the rates hotels are charging guests.
Hospitality data company STR recently released figures showing the average daily hotel room rate in the Miami market could reach more than $500 for the weekend of Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, which would be the most expensive in recent history for Super Bowl visitors.
Five-star packages at luxury properties such as 1 Hotel South Beach were listed at between $13,963 per night to more than $100,000 a night. Brokers listing mansions previously told The Real Deal that prices will jump by 50 percent to 75 percent more than the rate property owners typically charge during the prime winter season.
Airbnb’s Breit told workshop attendees they can fill the gap by providing reasonably priced accommodations. Miami-Dade and Broward county hosts are currently expected to make a combined $5.3 million during Super Bowl LIV weekend.
“We will see even higher demand after the NFC and AFC championship games and we know which two teams are going to play in the Super Bowl,” Randall said.
In addition to advising hosts on how much to charge guests, the workshop also offered them with tips on how to deal with rowdy guests who throw unauthorized parties, how to deal with a surge in attempted bookings, and a refresher course on Airbnb’s rules and regulations.
Paula Ugolini, the owner of Florida’s most popular Airbnb rental property listing, a 1920s cottage in Biscayne Park, said she increased her rate by a small amount for Super Bowl weekend. She ended up booking guests who are not attending the Super Bowl. “I adjusted my prices based on what the market was offering without getting too crazy,” she said. “I think it is a fair increase.”