Airbnb data has revealed searches have grown by over 35 per cent year on year1 for Vivid Sydney 2025, highlighting that the festival continues to draw crowds and boost tourism to the Harbour City.
Vivid, the largest festival of light, music, food and ideas in the Southern Hemisphere returns to Sydney for its 15th year, offering a vital economic injection to the city.
Once again, Airbnb is proud to support Vivid Sydney as the festival’s Community Partner and sponsor of the Volunteer Program.
Each year, hundreds of people from diverse backgrounds come together to experience and participate in the Vivid Sydney Volunteer Program. The volunteers play an integral role in providing exceptional customer service and directions, assisting in the management of installations and events, and helping to ensure the public has a safe and memorable time.
Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, said major events like Vivid highlight the powerful economic ripple effect of Airbnb and its importance to the NSW visitor economy.
“Airbnb is proud to partner with Vivid Sydney and support the hundreds of volunteers who make it such an enjoyable experience for the millions of visitors who come to this amazing festival every year.
“In the current economic climate, families are especially looking for more affordable ways to travel which is why they are choosing to stay in an Airbnb when visiting free events such as Vivid Sydney.
“It’s also an opportunity for visitors to take in all the other great experiences Sydney has to offer providing retailers, bars and restaurants with an important economic boost during the colder months.
“Airbnb hosts have a long history of helping cities accommodate big events, while generating benefits for local families and communities with home sharing allowing cities the flexibility to increase their accommodation capacity, providing a sustainable way of catering for a surge in visitors.
“The overwhelming majority of Airbnb hosts are mums and dads and hosting during Vivid Sydney helps them pay the bills2 while also showcasing Sydney at its creative best.”
According to Oxford Economics, in the year to March 2023, guests on Airbnb spent a staggering $1.64 billion in Sydney and supported nearly 10,000 jobs.
Domestic travellers from across the country again make up the largest number of visitors coming to see Vivid Sydney3 with overseas visitors from the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Singapore and China accounting for the majority of international Airbnb searches4. 3
Airbnb is working with governments to ensure the benefits of hosting on Airbnb, and the economic activity it creates, continues to benefit communities and make them stronger.
For more information on Vivid Sydney and to view the full program go to www.vividsydney.com Get social using @vividsydney #vividsydney
