EFE News Agency
The short-term accommodation company Airbnb generated $1.9 billion in tourism taxes in the United States, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, during 2022, of which $371 million corresponded to Florida, the San Francisco-based company reported.
The company, which released this data days before the tax filing deadline in the country tomorrow, April 18, said the figure represents a 27 percent increase compared to 2021 and 130 percent since 2019.
In a statement released last week, it highlighted that these tourism taxes "are a vital source of funding for local governments and the communities they support, especially in areas that saw revenue streams decimated by the Covid-19 pandemic.".
"Many major North American cities experienced a dramatic drop in tax money that historically came from the downtown and office space markets," the company said.
According to the report, Florida tops the list of states that generated the most tourism taxes, with $371 million, a 20 percent increase compared to the previous year.
Every dollar spent in Florida by Airbnb guests helps small businesses, restaurants, and keeps Floridians employed, "while also benefiting hosts who, on average, earned more than $14,700 in additional income last year," said Haven Thorn, a spokesperson for the company.
Behind Florida is California, which generated $198 million in tourism taxes in 2022, 25 percent above 2021, and then Tennessee, with $120 million, which is 30 percent more than the previous year, according to information provided by the firm.
Last February, Florida authorities announced that in 2022 more than 137 million tourists visited the state, 13 percent more than the previous year and the highest figure since records began.
