• by Tanya Gazdik , January 26, 2022

Airbnb and Etsy have come together to create a curated selection of guest-favorite home items made by Etsy sellers, some of whom are also Airbnb hosts. 

Called the “Art of Hosting,” the lineup includes kitchenware, linens, cleaning supplies and other items which are made “For Hosts, by Hosts.” The goal is to make it easy to create a guest-friendly listing with one-of-a-kind amenities.The effort includes highlighting specific Etsy digital shops such as Chesilhurst Farm and Wayfaren, which both feature items that would be attractive to Airbnb hosts and visitors.

“In addition to bringing in another source of income, hosting an Airbnb Experience created an opportunity for me to teach and pass on the maker traditions that are important in my life,” says Kim Kent of Chesilhurst Farm in a blurb on the “Art of Hosting” main page. “Many people I’ve hosted from around the world still keep in touch—including a woman from Russia who now buys my soaps on Etsy.”

Whether it be for an entire house or a spare bedroom, the items are popular amenities Airbnb guests search for when booking stays, according to the companies. 

The line of merchandise aims to help hosts make properties more desirable and better able to attract future guests. In a 2021 survey of 1,000 U.S. travelers conducted and analyzed by DKC Analytics, 68% of respondents said that thoughtful and unique amenities would compel them to leave a positive review for an Airbnb Host. 

To support the growing trend of flexible living inspired by the pandemic, the page also features key work from home items like a multifunction laptop table and a movable desk to help attract customers seeking longer-term stays. 

The pandemic also has resulted in thousands of entrepreneurs turning to Airbnb and Etsy to start or grow their businesses. The entrepreneurs are using that income to cover key household expenses like monthly bills and rent. 

The earnings generated on both platforms demonstrates the power of the “ownership economy” — an economy that keeps more of the returns of online marketplace activity with the communities that power these platforms — during a time when people have needed it most. 

The typical U.S. Airbnb host earned more than $8,000 from January through September 2021, which represents nearly an extra month and a half of income for the median U.S. household. 

On the Etsy front, two-thirds of sellers said their shop incomes held steady, if not grew, since the start of the pandemic, providing stability to themselves and their families.