Thai seniors, aged 60 and older, are Airbnb's most active users.
Usage of the home rental site Airbnb has rapidly increased among Thai seniors, leading them to be the most active users in the world, according to Airbnb's analytics.
Senior guests from Thailand have increased usage by 62% in the past year, while senior hosts earned almost 300 million baht in 2017. Thai seniors are also considered the most loved hosts compared with other age groups as represented by Airbnb's rating system.
"Perhaps it's no surprise we're seeing such strong growth in this demographic," said Greg Greeley, president of homes at Airbnb. "Seniors are healthier and wealthier than they've ever been, and tend to take more and longer trips than other age groups."
Thailand also has the highest proportion of senior guests using Airbnb, followed by Japan and the US. The top trending destinations for these guests are Rawai and Kathu in Phuket and Chiang Mai.
"I have used Airbnb for more than four years already and the hosts that I have experienced have all been excellent, very considerate and they take care of me as if I am a member of their family," said Winai Kharuwannapat, a Thai senior that uses Airbnb regularly. "They also make some very useful local recommendations, which is very helpful."
Seniors are the fastest growing demographic on Airbnb globally, with 400,000 hosts worldwide earning a total of 65 billion baht in 2017. The number of seniors who booked on the platform grew 66% in the past year.
"I first become an Airbnb host two years ago," said Sirichan, a senior Airbnb host. "My home is quite unique, over 100 years old, and I wanted to share its fascinating Thai architectural legacy with visitors who wished to experience something traditionally Thai while learning to cook Thai food. Since then I have made many friendships from being a host. It's almost like becoming a member of a guest's family and I have enjoyed sharing moments of happiness together."
The number of senior hosts increased 26% in the past year to 1,495 total. In 2017 they hosted over 52,000 guests and received the highest rating as an age demographic, with 83% five-star reviews.
"Known for their welcoming hospitality and as avid world travellers, it's not surprising seniors in Thailand are ageing meaningfully by embracing the home-sharing community," said Siew Kum Hong, Airbnb regional director.
"As the travel industry continues to grow, Airbnb promotes tourism that is local, authentic, diverse, inclusive, and sustainable, creating new economic opportunities for hosts in the homes and communities where they live."
Globally, senior guests are the fastest-growing of any age group on Airbnb, with the number of seniors who have booked on the platform growing 66% in the past year.
Thailand's seniors are expected to continue their growth as active Airbnb users as a quarter of the population are expected to be 65 or over by 2040.
Countries with the highest proportion of people over 60 travelling on Airbnb are Thailand, Japan, the US, the UK, France, Australia, Italy and Germany.